Brooklyn Nets star guard Kyrie Irving will undergo an MRI on his sprained right knee Sunday, a source told ESPN.
Irving left Saturday night’s 113-107 loss to Washington in the fourth quarter, after getting tangled with the Wizards’ Bradley Beal and falling awkwardly back on the knee. Irving said he underwent x-rays, which were negative.
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Irving initially stayed on the floor in pain before climbing off the court to participate in a jump ball against Beal. Irving didn’t jump, and immediately limped to the locker room as a foul was called on teammate Joe Harris. The Nets termed the knee a sprain.
Irving has missed 28 games during the regular season — a record for games missed in his career. He missed 26 games for a right shoulder impingement, and one each with a strained hamstring and mourning the death of Kobe Bryant.
“I always say this: We pay 17 guys on the roster. And if a guy goes down, that’s our jobs, you just have to step up to that level of player you’re replacing or better,” Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said outside the Brooklyn locker room. “That’s our goal, that’s where we want to get to.
“We’re going to have to do that again. We have sufficient enough talent in there.”
Irving a history of right knee injuries. He suffered a right knee strain in February of 2019 when he was with the Celtics.
The injury comes a day after Irving had 54 points in a 133-118 victory over the Chicago Bulls Friday night in Brooklyn. The Nets are 21-27, a half-game ahead of Orlando in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
Malika Andrews contributed to this report.
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