Kyrie Irving to sit out Tuesday against Nuggets

Although he'll play tonight against the Phoenix Suns, Cavs guard Kyrie Irving will sit out Tuesday's game against the Denver Nuggets as he continues to work his way back from knee surgery.

The plan, however, is for Tuesday's game - the second half of a back-to-back - to be the last game Irving misses this season.

"That will be the last time I miss a back-to-back and the last two games hopefully I miss for the rest of the season," Irving said per Chris Haynes of cleveland.com.

On the Cavs' current road trip, Irving also missed Monday's loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, as it came the day after the Cavs' Christmas Day loss to the Warriors. In three games back, Irving has played 20.7 minutes per game and is averaging 10 points and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 29.4 percent from the field.

It's a good sign if Irving is ready to start playing back-to-backs. Through three games, he's looked slow while working his way back and considering how it's still early in the season, there isn't a need for Irving to play two games in two nights unless he's ready to do so.

Irving may be joined on the bench by LeBron James, who cleveland.com reported may sit out Tuesday.

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