Kyrie Irving injury: Cavs PG cleared to practice, still held out of contact drills

Cleveland Cavaliers star point guard Kyrie Irving has been cleared to practice with his injured left index finger, but the team is still keeping him out of contract drills, according to Cavs play-by-play man Fred McLeod:

Docs have cleared Kyrie to so everything in practice except contact...he's now two weeks into the injury...

— Fred McLeod (@CavsFredMcLeod) December 3, 2012

Irving fractured his finger back on Nov. 19 in the third quarter of a game against the Dallas Mavericks. He was expected to miss a month, although it's looking like he may be back a little sooner than that.

Prior to the injury, Irving had picked up right where he left off from his fabulous rookie season, despite a setback in the offseason. The 2011 Rookie of the Year is averaging 22.9 points, 5.6 assists and 3.7 rebounds with a PER over 20.

That setback in the offseason was another injury to one of Irving's hands, as the point guard broke his right hand punching a padded wall in practice. Irving underwent surgery to repair the injury.