Cleveland Cavaliers Roster Not Complete In Rivalry Clash Against Miami, Irving 'Likely' To Sit Out Due To Ankle Injury

After all the anticipation and excitement coming into the exhibition game between Miami and Cleveland, it looks like both teams may not be able to go all out and claim all the credit whoever wins. 

In a report by ESPN's Brian Windhorst, it looks like floor general Kyrie Irving may not play during the pre-season match in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. 

During an interview on Wednesday, Windhorst reportedly saw Irving wearing a boot on his right foot, which is stated as a precaution to avoid further injury to his sprained ankle. 

When asked what caused the injury, the 22-year-old All Star guard said that it was a 'freak accident' where he and Cavs center Anderson Varejao accidentally ran into each other in a team practice, colliding in the process. 

"We're still getting used to each other. LeBron saw me then Andy saw Bron's eyes, so we went to the same position. I was looking dead at LeBron, I don't know what Andy was doing. No, I'm joking, it was just a freaky play that happened." 

Irving said that he has been applying ice to the injured ankle, but insists that it's nothing serious. 

While the Rio pre-season games of the NBA seeks to promote the league in the South American country, the highlight will surely be the brewing rivalry between the Cavs and Heat. 

During the off-season, four-time MVP LeBron James chose to leave South Beach and return to his roots in Northeast Ohio. Many believed that James' decision was affected by the fact that the Heat lost to the Spurs in a rather embarassing way, losing by an average of 18 points in the series' final three games. 

Another reason could be the Heat organization's choice of not getting a number of role and supporting cast players who can play solid minutes for the team.

Whatever the outcome of the Miami-Cleveland skirmish will be, the ones who will benefit are the NBA fans, and the NBA itself.