Cavs’ Irving optimistic about return this season

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving hopes his season is not over.

After it was announced Monday that the All-Star will miss at least two weeks and eight games with a strained biceps tendon, Irving is encouraged that the injury will not require surgery.

“If you could take a positive from the situation, obviously that would be one, that at this point, I don’t have to get surgery, which is tremendous,” Irving said at the shootaround before the Cavaliers’ game against the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.

“We’ll see in two weeks. I’m not going to give a definitive answer (on his return) because I don’t know that answer. At this point, I’m just going to continue to support my teammates and be on the sideline. Whatever the medical team needs me to do and whatever’s in my best interests, I’m going to do.”

Tests showed that the Cavaliers’ leading scorer has a strained tendon but not a tear. The Cavs will give Irving two weeks to rest and assess the injury, which occurred Sunday night while contesting a shot by forward Blake Griffin the the Cavaliers’ loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

“One of those freak plays against a strong individual in Blake,” Irving said. “I tried to get the ball out of his hands. I knew something was wrong when I came to the bench. Obviously, I just felt just a weird feeling after that play in my shoulder. My arm looked a little different in the biceps area.”

The Cavs (26-41) are fighting for an Eastern Conference playoff spot, trailing eight-place Atlanta by five games with 14 to play.

Dion Waiters will start on Tuesday night in the Cavs’ backcourt with Jarrett Jack.

Irving leads the Cavaliers with 21.2 points and 6.2 assists per game. The No. 1 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft has missed 38 games his first two NBA seasons with injuries including a broken nose, fractured jaw, broken finger, sprained shoulder and concussion.