Kyrie Irving to miss 8th consecutive game as team suspension continues
Kyrie Irving will not return when Cleveland’s season ends, his team has confirmed.
The NBA issued a statement on Tuesday morning that said a team representative informed officials of the league’s decision to suspend the center for 8 games stemming from an incident last month in an Indiana casino.
In a report from TMZ, Irving, who was in the Bahamas for a promotional appearance, was allegedly involved in an altercation with a casino employee.
Irving was suspended indefinitely for violating team rules, which came to light in a story published on Wednesday.
“We take the matter very seriously and believe this is in the best interest of our player,” Cleveland said in a statement. “We appreciate the feedback from the media and believe this is the right thing to do.”
A Cleveland spokesman reiterated on Tuesday that there was “zero tolerance for any form of abuse.”
While on the court, Irving has shot more than 40 percent from three-point range in his four-year career.
Cleveland (5-8) will be without Irving for eight consecutive games beginning with the team’s most recent game, on Oct. 7.
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Cleveland’s most recent opponent will likely be the Pacers (9-8), who lost to the team four times last season. But the Pacers are one of only three teams in the Eastern Conference that has an improved record from last season and could be looking for a repeat of success.
The other two teams are the Detroit Pistons (10-7), who are currently tied for second in the East, and the Toronto Raptors (10-7), who are tied for second in the East.
With Irving out for the remainder of the season, the Cavaliers will be forced to rely on Kyrie and Cleveland’s other All-Star point guard, Tristan Thompson, in order to win games.
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