Nets rule Kyrie Irving (ankle) out for Game 7
The Nets have ruled Kyrie Irving out for Saturday’s Game 7 (8:30 ET, TNT) with the Bucks as he continues to rehab his sprained right ankle.
Nets coach Steve Nash said Irving has “some miles to go” in his recovery process after injuring his ankle midway through Game 4. Nash also said he anticipates Irving being available at some point during the Eastern Conference finals should the Nets advance.
Irving, an All-Star for the seventh time this season, had been averaging 22.7 points during the playoffs after posting 26.9 points per game during the regular season. His absence was somewhat offset by the return of James Harden, who had missed three full games and all but one minute of a fourth in the series. But he’s averaging only 10.5 points and 7.5 assists in two games since his return, well off his season averages in both.
Even with injuries to two of their three key players alongside former Kia MVP Kevin Durant, the Nets are one home victory away from reaching their first East finals since 2003, when the franchise was based in New Jersey.
