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The Cleveland Cavaliers open the 2012-2013 season on Tuesday night against the Washington Wizards, and it's still an open question if point guard Kyrie Irving will be on the court. Irving, who returned to practice on Sunday after being out since last Wednesday when he got four wisdom teeth removed, is still waiting to be cleared by team doctors.
That said, Irving said he's confident that he will be on the court for the opener and told reporters that he was feeling better on Sunday than he thought he would be. Unfortunately for Irving and the Cavs, he lost much of the weight he put on in the offseason as he recovered from surgery.
Precisely, the team will either make the decision after its pre-game shootaround or right up at game time, according to Cavs coach Byron Scott. Scott told reporters on Sunday that it didn't appear as if Irving had lost anything.
Last season, Irving averaged 18.5 points and 5.4 assists en route to winning the Rookie of the Year.