Kyrie Irving Will Miss Knicks, Cavaliers, Celtics Games with Shoulder Injury

Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving's ailing shoulder will keep him out for the team's upcoming road trip.

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Irving won't play in at least the next three games following an evaluation Friday by Nets doctors.

That stretch includes games against the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.

The Nets have leaned heavily on Irving this season. They are 7-8, good for just fourth place in the Atlantic Division but seventh in the Eastern Conference.

Irving has already missed Brooklyn's last four games with a right shoulder impingement. The Nets were playing short-handed before the six-time All-Star guard went down with Caris LeVert expected to be out until at least mid-December after he had surgery to repair torn ligaments in his thumb.

Irving has been the driving force for the Nets offense, averaging career highs of 28.5 points and 7.2 assists per game.

Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson can deploy Spencer Dinwiddie as his primary point guard until Irving returns.