Irving to miss a month

11/20/2012
ASSOCIATED PRESS

CLEVELAND — Kyrie Irving will miss at least one month with a broken left index finger, an injury the Cavs initially diagnosed as a bruise before tests revealed a fracture. He got hurt in the third quarter Saturday night against Dallas. X-rays were negative, and he returned with his finger wrapped.

He played Sunday at Philadelphia, but scored a season-low nine points on 4-of-14 shooting as Cleveland dropped its sixth straight game. On Monday, he underwent an MRI and other tests which showed a hairline/nondisplaced fracture. The Cavs said Irving's finger will be taped and placed in a splint.

It's the latest injury for the talented 20-year-old, who broke his right hand during a summer practice when he slammed it in frustration against a padded wall. Irving played in just 11 games at Duke because of a foot tendon injury. Last season, Irving missed 15 games with a concussion and shoulder injury.