Celtics’ Irving needs knee surgery, out for playoffs

BOSTON (AP) — Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving will need surgery on his left knee and miss the rest of the regular season and playoffs.

The team said Thursday he is expected to make a full recovery in four to five months.

In the upcoming surgery, two screws will be removed. They were implanted after his patellar fracture during the 2015 NBA Finals. Irving recently developed an infection at the site of the screws, and now they must be taken out.

The team had said the knee was structurally sound and the kneecap healed, but the wire had been putting pressure on the knee.

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