Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving will not make his season debut Thursday against the Thunder, contrary to reports.
Irving took to Twitter on Wednesday to say rumors of his return were "wrongfully reported" after various outlets said he'd play vs. Oklahoma City.
Sorry to dwindle the news, but I won't be returning tmrw. It was wrongfully reported. When I do come back you'll hear it directly from me.
— Kyrie Irving (@KyrieIrving) December 16, 2015MORE: NBA's most overpaid players | 5 reasons why you shouldn't expect trade season fireworks
Irving, cleared for full contact more than a week ago, has been through "a handful of practices," according to ESPN.com. Sporting News cited the report Wednesday stating that Irving would return against the Thunder, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Sidelined since he underwent surgery to repair a broken left kneecap suffered in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Irving has watched the Cavs go 16-7, best in the Eastern Conference. Despite being the top team in the East, Cleveland star LeBron James has complained about his team's inconsistent play and lack of urgency.
Whenever the 2011 No. 1 overall pick does return, he will be welcomed. The injury-riddled Cavs saw guard Iman Shumpert leave Tuesday's win over the Celtics with a groin injury and he already has been ruled out of the Thunder-Cavaliers game.
Irving averaged 21.7 points and 5.2 assists last season for the Eastern Conference champions.
