The Cleveland Cavaliers are starting to get back to full strength with Iman Shumpert and JR Smith healthy and now Kyrie Irving could be next in line to return. The Cavs come into their next game against the Celtics after a blowout win against the Magic and the team is expected Irving to be back in the lineup sometime this month after missing the start of the season.
Irving and Shumpert had both been out with injuries over the first month and a half of the year, but Shumpert was able to come back on Friday and Irving could be ready to go by next week. According to Chris Haynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Irving is expected to be back for the Christmas Day game against the Golden State Warriors and there is a chance he could return for the December 20 game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Head coach David Blatt has not put a set return date down for Irving and he said that the team has "some things that we want to go through with him" before Irving comes back. Haynes writes that while there is a chance that Irving could play on Thursday against the Thunder, it's more likely that he will return against the Sixers, which would put him on track to play against the Warriors.
Dave McMenamin at ESPN reports that sources said that Irving is "ready to play," but that the Cavaliers are being cautious with the point guard after he had knee surgery this summer. The team does not see a need to rush Irving back, as the Cavs have played well and the team has also gotten back Iman Shumpert, adding some depth moving forward through December. Shumpert returned on Friday and looked solid, pitting up 14 points with three rebounds while coming off of the bench.
JR Smith has also returned to the team after dealing with an illness and he could play this week after missing out on the win against the Magic on Friday. The team has been using Jared Cunningham and now that Smith and Shumpert have returned, Blatt has some more flexibility and depth with the lineup and the bench. Irving will help the rotation as well once he returns, as the team will be able to spread things out more with Mo Williams and Matthew Dellavedova, who have been getting the bulk of the minutes with Irving out.
The Cavs are coming into the game against the Celtics after a blowout win against the Magic and now the team is 15-7 on the season. LeBron James had 25 points and eight assists in the game, while Timofey Mozgov had 17 points for the Cavs. Shumpert looked good in his season debut and he could be back in the starting lineup soon for the Cavs.