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Kyrie Irving Injury: Cavaliers Guard Back At Practice After Breaking Hand

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving has returned to the team, participating in five-on-five drills for the first time since breaking his right hand on July 14. Irving broke his hand after slapping a padded wall in frustration during a practice with the Cavs' summer league team.

Irving had surgery on July 18, and although he was able to work on his left-handed dribbling skills, he told Yahoo! Sports' Marc Spears that his right hand was essentially useless throughout much of the rehab:

"I couldn't tie my shoes," Irving said. "I couldn't put my belt on. There were a few things I couldn't do. I couldn't cook, open up juice. I had my best friend and my father with me all the time."

Irving, the No. 1 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, burst onto the scene last season, averaging 18.5 points and 5.4 assists en route to the Rookie of the Year Award. The injury was a bit of a set back after the strong rookie campaign, but the blossoming star has a chance to get even better.

Returning to practice is a good start.

Head over to Fear The Sword for more Cavs news, and be sure to check out SB Nation's NBA hub for more news and analysis from around the league.


Photographs by spatulated, Triple Tri, and chrischappelear used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.