Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving: 'I'm just going to will myself to play'

Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving: ‘I’m just going to will myself to play’

By Mike Dyce | Jun 3, 2015

May 26, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) on the court during the second quarter against the Atlanta Hawks in game four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving says he will will himself to play in the NBA Finals.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are set to take on the Golden State Warriors in the 2015 NBA Finals on Thursday night. They swept the Atlanta Hawks, allowing them as much time to rest as possible, which they need thanks to several injuries to star point guard Kyrie Irving.

Unfortunately for Cavaliers fans, it doesn’t sound like Irving is not fully recovered and 100 percent heading into Game 1.

“It’s an adjustment at this point,” Irving said Wednesday, via Marc Spears of Yahoo. “I’m just going to will myself to play.”

He did say that he is preparing to the best of his ability to get ready for Game 1, so it isn’t for a lack of effort.

“Just taking the necessary days to get my body prepared to play Game 1,” Irving said. “Being with our medical staff, and like I said, just trying to do whatever I can to be prepared for Game 1.”

Irving was diagnosed with tendinitis in with his left knee and he had been dealing with a strained right foot. The Cavaliers will face an uphill battle with an injured Irving, and the hill would be even steeper without Irving against a talented Warriors team.

Irving did play in Game 4 to help the Cavaliers close out the Hawks, but sat out Game 2 and 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. That is a significant amount of rest between rounds, so hopefully he is close to 100 percent.

The Cavaliers are also without the third component of their “Big Three,” power forward Kevin Love. He was injured for the remainder of the NBA Playoffs when Boston Celtics big man Kelly Olynyk tried to rip his arm off at the shoulder.

LeBron James is the best player on the planet, but without Irving and Love beating the Warriors would’ve been a near impossible task.

A hobbled Irving could be enough to give James and the Cavaliers a shot.

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