Jeff Zillgitt

USA TODAY Sports

No one inside the Cleveland Cavaliers locker room wants to admit guard Kyrie Irving is back.

“He’s getting there,” Cavs star forward LeBron James said.

In his quirky way, Cavaliers coach David Blatt said “I don’t like to open my mouth to the devil” as he explained why he’s hesitant to rave about Irving’s first seven games since returning from a fractured kneecap and surgery in June.

“It’s only reasonable to expect he’s going to go through a process and still have days when he’s better and days when he’s going to have some effect for as many months as he’s been out,” Blatt said.

If Irving isn’t back, he’s pretty close.

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Irving, who returned on Dec. 23 for the first time since his injury in Game 1 of last season’s NBA Finals, said, “Obviously coming off injury, everyone’s going to have their opinion. Are you back? I’ll continue to preach progression, progression, progression.”

He had 32 points on 14-for-22 shooting in Cleveland’s 121-115 recent victory against the Washington Wizards and he scored in his distinctive style: driving layups, using creative angles to put the ball in the basket and mid-range jumpers after his nifty ball-handling skills created space between him and the defender.

The performance followed a 25 point effort against Toronto when he shot 10-for-16 shooting with eight assists – his playmaking on display – and six rebounds.

Take note of Irving’s matchups: Kyle Lowry one game, John Wall the next – two strong All-Star candidates.

“That was the hump I needed to get over – just going from game to game, going against great matchups, going against great players every single night,” Irving said, “and testing me with pick-and-rolls, testing me with double teams.”

James has a deep appreciation for Irving’s work ethic and skills and suggested Irving is on the verge of entering MVP discussions. Not this season. But in following seasons.

“He’s much more than an All-Star player,” James said. “He’s much better than that.

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“If not the best, he’s one of the two best point guards in our league along with Steph (Curry). That’s not even a question. He continues to show why he’s that.”

The Cavaliers are 6-1 since Irving’s return, and he is averaging 17.4 points, four assists and 2.7 rebounds and shooting 45%.

There’s room for improvement, but the Cavs are scoring at a special rate. With Irving on the court, Cleveland scores 120.7 points per 100 possessions, considerably higher than the Cavs’ acceptable 105.2 points per 100 possessions for the season.

Irving’s scoring ability creates desired spacing and sets up plays. Against Toronto and Washington, the Cavs had three players (James, Irving, J.R. Smith) score at least 20 points, and Smith is shooting 42.8% on threes in the games Irving has played this season.

It’s also not a coincidence James’ offensive efficiency has increased with Irving’s presence. In Cleveland’s five-game winning streak, James is shooting 55.3% from the field and an improved 42.3% on threes, and with James and Irving on the court, the Cavaliers are on fire, scoring 123.1 points per 100 possessions.

Where does forward Kevin Love fit? It’s a counterintuitive answer, based on Love’s decline in scoring since Irving’s return. In the past four games, Love averaged 10 points, but with James, Irving and Love on the court, the Cavs score 130.3 points per 100 possessions.

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Love needs to be accounted for, and his presence is making scoring opportunities easier for his teammates. He is sacrificing numbers to chase a bigger goal, and Love will get his chances. Right now, Smith is taking advantage, but James outlined the hierarchy of Cleveland’s offense.

“Not everyone has an equal opportunity,” James said. “It starts and ends with myself, Kyrie and Kevin. Or Kevin, Kyrie and myself. Or Kyrie myself and Kevin. However you want to put it.”

The Cavaliers reticence to declare Irving back makes sense. It’s unusual for a shotmaker like Irving to rediscover his touch so quickly. He takes and makes difficult shots. It takes time for that to come back. For most anyway.

Irving put in the work. We know when Irving was injured and we know when he had surgery. But we don’t know everything that happened between then and his return. The grueling rehab to strengthen the knee and leg. All the missed shots that he was so used to making. The frustration.

“It’s just you. No one else,” Irving told USA TODAY Sports.

James saw the work, before, during and after practices and is in awe of not only what Irving is but what he can become.

“He’s 23 years old,” James said. “He hasn’t even scratched the surface yet.”