Kyrie Irving undergoes successful arthroscopic shoulder surgery
The Brooklyn Nets announced that point guard Kyrie Irving had successful arthroscopic surgery to correct his right shoulder impingement. The surgery was performed at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York by Dr. Riley Williams III.
Irving appeared in just 20 games averaging of 27.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.4 steals in 32.9 minutes per game. Brooklyn's floor general shot 47.8 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from the 3-point line.
In his small sample size, Irving played at an MVP-caliber levels scoring 30 or more points sevent times and 50-plus in two games. Irving became the first player in franchise history to record multiple 50-plus point games.
The Nets are clearly gearing up for a 2020-2021 run with a fully healthy Irving and Kevin Durant to make a push for a championship. Irving battled through nagging shoulder and knee injuries, but despite a cortisone shot that temporarily masked the pain and uncomfortable nature of the injury, a second opinion ultimately led Irving to surgery.
The Nets star struggled to elevate teammates as the team achieved a sub .500 record with Irving calling the shots. Point guard Spencer Dinwiddie carried the team valiantly in the absence of Irving, but even Dinwiddie's brilliance has started to dull over Brooklyn's recent rough patch.
While the rest of the 2019-2020 will be about player development, both Irving and Durant are hoping that the rest of the roster gets the necessary big game experience so they can hit the ground running next year.
