Nets' Kyrie Irving: Expected to return Wednesday

Nets head coach Steve Nash confirmed he expects Irving (conditioning) to play Wednesday against the Cavaliers, Ian Begley of SportsNet New York reports.

Nash said Irving took part in practice with the team Tuesday and apparently looked good from a conditioning standpoint, making it likely that he'll be back in the lineup following a two-week hiatus. If available Wednesday, the 28-year-old guard would be rejoining a new-look starting lineup that now features a third star in James Harden, who is expected to serve as Brooklyn's primary play-making option out of the backcourt. As a result of Harden's presence, Irving is expected to spend more time off the ball, which will likely lead to some dropoff in his season-long scoring (27.1 points per game) and assists (6.1 per game) averages.