Boston Celtics say Kyrie Irving out for season

NEW YORK, USA – Kyrie Irving will miss the Boston Celtics’ postseason after a knee surgery last month, the team confirmed Thursday, April 5, dealing a devastating blow to the franchise’s playoff hopes.

A Celtics statement said a procedure on March 24 to remove a tension wire implanted during a 2015 operation on a damaged knee had found a bacterial infection.

Irving will undergo a procedure on Saturday to remove two screws inserted in his left patella at the time of the procedure, the team said.

“To ensure that no infection remains in the knee, the screws will be removed,” the Celtics said. “The fracture in Irving’s patella has completely healed, and his knee remains structurally sound. 

“He is expected to make a full recovery in 4 to 5 months.”

News of Irving’s season-ending surgery was first reported by ESPN.

Irving, 26, was initially expected to return during the playoffs following last month’s operation.

Irving has been in dazzling form for the Celtics this season after his blockbuster move from the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017.

The hardest thing to do sometimes is accept the uncontrollable things life throws at you. You try consistently to learn, grow, and prepare everyday to equip your mind, body, and spirit with tools to deal with some of those things, but I feel when those moments arise they all give you a sense of unfulfillment, simply because it puts some of your professional journey and goals on a brief hold. It’s simply a test of your perseverance and Will, to be present, even in the wake of what’s going on. In this case, finding out I have an infection in my knee is definitely a moment that I now accept and move past without holding on to the all the what ifs, proving the nay-Sayers completely f***ing wrong, and accomplishing the goals I’ve set out for the team and myself. This season was only a snapshot of what’s to come from me. Trust Me. “The journey back to the top of Mt. Everest continues.” #StandingRockSiouxTribe Let’s go Celtics!! Celtics fans, I look forward to hearing how loud it gets in the TD Garden during the playoffs and experiencing how intense the environment gets. Thank you all!

A post shared by Kyrie Irving (@kyrieirving) on Apr 5, 2018 at 10:38am PDT

His absence from the postseason give Boston a major headache. 

The team are already without star Gordon Hayward, who suffered a horrific season-ending injury on his debut for the Celtics.

The Celtics are seeded second in the Eastern Conference, behind the Toronto Raptors and ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 3rd. – Rappler.com