Cleveland's injury report right now looks like this:
Kyrie Irving: Contused/Sprained Right Shoulder; Out.
Anderson Varejao: Non-Displaced Fracture, Right Wrist; Out.
Daniel Gibson: Left Ankle Sprain; Out.
Semih Erden: Right Ankle Sprain; Out.
If you're keeping track, on that list are the Cavs two best players and another competent player off the bench. Irving has missed some games here and there, and this injury official will sit him for about seven games, if not the rest of the year. But there really is no reason to rush him back, the rookie of the year is his, there are no playoffs in sight so why risk hurting him further? Varejao, who should have been an All-Star, broke his wrist on February 10, and hasn't played since. Boobie Gibson played in just 35 games this year and is out for the remainder on the season. Cavs mascot Moondog even had to go to the hospital after being "playfully" punched in the eye by Indana's David West. Yes, even the mascot.
Once upon a time Cleveland was in the playoff hunt, but that was with Irving, Varejao and Gibson on the court. When injuries hit, Cleveland started dropping games that probably should have been won. With Kyrie out, the Cavs are missing their most exciting player and leader in points and assists. Without Varejao, they're missing roughly 11 points and 12 rebounds a game, not to mention a player that will give 110%. So the question that nobody can answer is how would the Cavs have fared with their two best players healthy all year? We'll never know, but looking to the future, the nucleus of Irving, Varejao, Thompson and Gee looks pretty promising.
To me the only thing to salvage the season is to nail one of those top three or four draft picks and get even more pieces to put in place. That's going to be easier now without those players. Lottery Balls, don't screw us!
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