Kyrie Irving is sidelined again.

The Brooklyn Nets announced on Tuesday that their starting point guard is out indefinitely after aggravating a shoulder injury that already cost him almost half of the Nets’ games this season.

Irving has played in just 20 of the Nets’ 53 games with various ailments. He missed 26 games initially with the right shoulder injury and sat the last five games prior to the All-Star break with a knee sprain he suffered on Feb. 1 against the Washington Wizards.

Now the Nets appear to be looking at another extended absence from Irving on the other side of the break.

Irving to see a specialist

Head coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters that Irving is scheduled to see a specialist later this week.

When available, Irving has averaged 27.4 points, 6.4 assists and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 47.8 percent from the field during his debut season in Brooklyn.

Nets better off playing it safe

The Nets are on pace to make the playoffs with a 25-28 start that has them sitting in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, five games ahead of the ninth-place Wizards.

But they don’t have a roster built to compete deep into the playoffs this season. With the Nets focused on next season and beyond with the anticipated return of Kevin Durant, a cautious approach to Irving’s health is the prudent one.

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