Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving ruled out of Game 4 with right ankle injury

Nets guard Kyrie Irving exited Game 4 of Brooklyn’s Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Bucks on Sunday with a sprained right ankle and did not return.

X-rays were negative, coach Steve Nash said after the Nets’ 107-96 loss. Irving will undergo further testing and treatment. He left the building using crutches and with his right ankle in a walking boot, sources told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols.

“I have no idea what is going to happen with Ky in the coming days,” Nash said. “We will cross our fingers and hope that it is better than I don’t know — better than what — better than missing the next game?”

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Irving was injured with 6:04 left in the second quarter when he landed awkwardly on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s foot after making a layup over Jrue Holiday. Irving remained on the ground for several minutes as Nash and the team’s trainers attended to him.

Irving walked to the locker room without assistance but was limping.

Without Irving, the Bucks pulled away for a victory to even the series at 2-2.

The Nets are already without point guard James Harden, who has been sidelined since June 5 with a right hamstring strain. Nash said the team would work to approach the injuries as isolated incidents and not let Irving’s ankle sprain push Harden back to the floor before his hamstring is fully healed.

“I don’t want James to be rushed back,” Nash said. “If he’s able to play next game or the game after, that’s fantastic. If he’s not, we don’t want to rush him back and jeopardize doing something worse or making this a long-term injury.”

Before Sunday’s game, Nash had said Harden was doing on-court work, shooting and still working through his rehabilitation. Nash said that while Harden was progressing toward a return, he didn’t have all the details of the exact work Harden is able to do.

Entering Game 4, Irving was averaging 23 points, five assists and five rebounds in the series. He had 11 points, two assists and five rebounds before his exit Sunday.