Kyrie Irving Talks Celtics Proving Doubters 'F--King Wrong,' Infection in Knee

Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving said Thursday he's motivated for the future after learning of an infection in his knee that will reportedly force him to miss the rest of the 2017-18 NBA season, including the team's playoff run.  

Irving posted a message on Instagram after ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported he's not expected to return after surgery on his left knee.

"In this case, finding out I have an infection in my knee is definitely a moment that I now accept and move past without holding on to the all the what ifs, proving the nay-sayers completely f***ing wrong, and accomplishing the goals I've set out for the team and myself," he wrote. "This season was only a snapshot of what's to come from me. Trust me."

Irving was enjoying a terrific debut campaign for the Celtics, who acquired him in August as part of a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The 26-year-old Duke product averaged 24.4 points, 5.1 assists and 3.8 rebounds while shooting a career-best 49.1 percent from the field in 60 appearances. He ranked ninth in the NBA in Player Efficiency Rating, according to ESPN.com.

Kyrie Irving Game Highlights

While Irving's absence is a massive blow to the Celtics' chances of winning the Eastern Conference. despite their likely placement as the No. 2 seed, he included a message for the fans on Instagram:

"Let's go Celtics!! Celtics fans, I look forward to hearing how loud it gets in the TD Garden during the playoffs and experiencing how intense the environment gets."

Boston will lean more heavily on Terry Rozier, Jaylen Brown, Shane Larkin and Marcus Smart, who's currently recovering from thumb surgery, to lead the backcourt rotation in the postseason.