Kyrie Irving announces Cavs return with MJ language

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Kyrie Irving announced his return to the Cavaliers on Saturday afternoon, and the language should read familiar to Bulls fans.

That language, of course, would be the same two words Michael Jordan used to announce his 1995 return to the Bulls after a 21-month hiatus playing professional baseball.

Irving has been sidelined since he fractured his kneecap late in Game 1 of last season's NBA Finals, missing the rest of that series - the Warriors beat Cleveland in six games - and the Cavaliers' first 24 games of this season.

Irving had said all along he had a specific date in mind on when he wanted to return, though his arrival to the Cavs' lineup comes after the original three-to-four-month timetable the team announced following his surgery in June.

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Irving, 23, will be a welcome addition to a Cavaliers lineup that has rotated free agent acquisition Mo Williams and Matthew Dellavedova at the point. Despite Irving's injury, the Cavaliers sit atop the Eastern Conference with a 17-7 record and recently welcomed back Iman Shumpert (wrist) to the lineup.

Irving was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2015, averaging 21.7 points and 5.2 assists a year ago.

Since the Cavaliers signed LeBron James and traded for Kevin Love last season, they're 50-14 when those two and Irving are in the lineup.

The Cavaliers host the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday and will face the Bulls next on Jan. 23 in Cleveland.

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