Caris LeVert (right thumb surgery) may become available for the Brooklyn Nets soon, but there hasn’t been any indication recently that Kyrie Irving (right shoulder impingement) will be back on the floor with his teammates for a game in the near future.
Irving has taken part in shooting drills and done other work on the court. On December 13, Kenny Atkinson was optimistic about Irving’s progress and said the Nets point guard’s work on the court had “ramped up.”
But at practice on Monday, Atkinson ruled Irving out for Brooklyn’s game against the New York Knicks on Thursday. He still has yet to take part in contact work, and Atkinson does not have a time frame for when Irving will be able to participate in those portions of practice.
No Kyrie Irving (shoulder) for Knicks-Nets on Thursday. The expectation earlier this month was that Irving would be cleared to take contact in practice at this point. https://t.co/MIrFYBeqD1
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) December 23, 2019
The Nets and Knicks have faced each other twice already this season, once at Madison Square Garden and once at Barclays Center. Brooklyn has won both matchups.