Kyrie Irving Denies Rumor He'll Return vs. Thunder

Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving dispelled a report suggesting he'd return to the lineup in Thursday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.  

Irving vowed Wednesday to do his own reporting when he's fit enough to make his 2015-16 debut:

ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin had reported Irving would indeed play against Oklahoma City. The 23-year-old floor general has missed the beginning of this season after suffering a fractured kneecap in Game 1 of the most recent NBA Finals.

Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal provided an encouraging update Monday to suggest Irving will come back sooner rather than later, though:

But what a return to action it would have been for Irving to go up against a phenomenal counterpart in Thunder dynamo Russell Westbrook. Instead, fans will have to wait a little longer to see a player whose blend of ball-handling skills and offensive arsenal make the Cavs all the more dangerous.

Injuries have plagued Cleveland since the 2015 playoffs, but coach David Blatt's squad has weathered the adversity and still sits atop the Eastern Conference at this juncture.

Iman Shumpert recently returned from offseason wrist surgery but suffered a groin injury in Tuesday's win over the Boston Celtics, per Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com. Haynes reports Shumpert isn't expected to play against the Thunder either.

Considering the Cavs are 10-1 in the friendly confines of Quicken Loans Arena and have LeBron James on their side, they have a good chance to knock off their quality opponent Thursday despite a thin perimeter rotation.

It will be harder without Irving and Shumpert, but that's what Cleveland has been accustomed to all season anyway. Mo Williams rejoined the Cavs this offseason and has played well when called upon, while Matthew Dellavedova continues to surprise as a solid role player in the backcourt.