Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving will make his season debut Sunday against the visiting Philadelphia 76ers.
Irving has been recovering from a fractured leg kneecap. He was injured during the NBA Finals last June.
“I’m pretty … excited,” Irving said Saturday. “There were a few things I had to clear, but there was no rush on it. … I’ve been ready to play, but biomechanically we just wanted to make sure everything was good so I wouldn’t put myself at risk.”
Cavaliers coach David Blatt said Irving’s minutes will be watched carefully for now, but he is expected to start. Backup point guard Mo Williams will not play because of a sprained wrist. Guard Iman Shumpert is listed as questionable because of a groin strain.
The Cavaliers also assigned guard Joe Harris to the Canton Charge of the NBA Development League.
—Indiana Pacers forward Paul George has been fined $35,000 for public criticism of officiating and using profanity in a live television interview, the NBA announced Saturday.
George made his comments following the Pacers’ 104-97 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
“The stripes (were) terrible,” George told the team’s local TV station, FOX Sports Indiana. “We (had to) go out and just play. The way this game was going and how they (were) calling it, we had to play. … It’s frustrating, but hopefully the league does a better job of looking at (expletive) like this.”
George finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds but also committed seven turnovers.
—The Detroit Pistons assigned guard Darrun Hilliard and forward Reggie Bullock to the Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA D-League.
Hilliard has appeared in seven games for the Pistons this season, averaging 3.0 points in 6.5 minutes per game. Bullock has appeared in 14 games, averaging 5.6 minutes a game.
—The Toronto Raptors assigned guard Norman Powell to the Raptors 905 of the NBA D-League.
Powell has appeared in 12 games this season with the Raptors, averaging 1.4 points, 1.3 rebounds and 5.9 minutes per game.