The Brooklyn Nets have ruled out point guard Kyrie Irving for the next two games as he continues to deal with a shoulder impingement that has hampered him all year:
Kenny Atkinson has ruled Kyrie Irving out for the next two games. He will not travel with the team (to Atlanta and Charlotte). Irving has yet to do any contact work.
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) December 3, 2019
Irving has already missed Brooklyn's last nine games due to injury.
The Nets have not established any kind of timetable for Irving's return, though it would seem as though his ability to take contact is a big hurdle to clear before any return.
Brooklyn will be especially cautious with Irving given that the likes of Caris LeVert are also dealing with injury. They cannot afford more extensive absences in the backcourt. Fortunately for the Nets, they have climbed back into the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race even with Irving sidelined.
The Nets are 6-3 in their last nine games after a narrow loss at the hands of the Miami Heat on Sunday afternoon. They rank in the middle of the league in both offensive and defense rating for the season, but they rank seventh in pace and have cleaned the glass against opponents.
Additionally, Spencer Dinwiddie has been particularly excellent at the point guard spot as he fills in for Irving. He has scored a combined 61 points over the course of the last two games after winning the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played between Nov. 18 and Nov. 24.
Dinwiddie has been a fantastic playmaker, and he can be explosive as a perimeter shooter. His size and ability to slash also opens up the floor for his teammates, notably Jarrett Allen (who is eating in the paint lately).
The Nets would still love for Irving to return as soon as possible, but they take precautions not to rush him back with the team still performing at a high level.
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