Kyrie Irving, out for the rest of the Celtics' season. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Bad news for the Celtics Thursday. They announced All-Star Kyrie Irving will be sidelined the next four-to-five months after he undergoes another surgery Saturday to remove two screws from his left knee, and treat an infection.
But, in the short term, this doesn't change anything. Irving hasn't played since March 11th and wasn't expected to rejoin the team before the second-round of the playoffs.
The C's have played well without him with a 13-6 record if you include a game Irving only played two minutes, but they've lost their last two heading into tonight's game with the Bulls, and coach Brad Stevens said earlier this week his group has to continue to adjust.
"We've got to be ready to do everything we can to all be prepared to play a little bit better," Stevens said.
Gordon Hayward, Daniel Theis, and Marcus Smart are also on the shelf.
Celts are three games behind the Raptors and all but officially locked into the East's second seed, and they'll play three of their final four games at home.
Bulls are terrible, though Boston's lost two of three to them this year. Chicago's 27-and-51, but riding a three-game winning streak since a seven-game skid.
Tip-off Friday night at the Garden is at 7:30 p.m.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman reports