NBA Playoffs: Cavs’ Kyrie Irving’s Status For Game 1 Remains Uncertain

USA Today

The Eastern Conference Finals is officially set following the Atlanta Hawks victory over the Washington Wizards in Game 6 of their second-round playoff series. The Hawks will host the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the East Finals on Wednesday at Philips Arena in Atlanta.

Although the Cavaliers have been able to play well even without Kevin Love and a banged up Kyrie Irving, Cleveland will be tested in the East Finals against a well coached Hawks squad. Irving limped his way through the last series against the Chicago Bulls, but his status for the next series remains up in the air, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin:

Kyrie Irving’s status for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday remains up in the air, as the All-Star point guard continues to deal with tendinitis in his left knee and a strained right foot.

Without Irving’s questionable status heading into the East Finals, the Cavaliers will be at a disadvantage once again. When healthy, Irving is arguably one of the best players in the league at his position and a vital piece to the championship puzzle for Cleveland. If Irving continues to deal with injury problems, and in all likelihood he will, the team will continue to lean on Matthew Dellavedova to shoulder the load in the backcourt.

As of right now, the Cavaliers are slight favorites to win Game 1 on the road with a -1 point spread, according to Sportsbook.ag. The Cavaliers are the favorites to advance to the NBA Finals with a -230 moneyline, but Irving’s status may impact the team’s chances.