Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols and is expected to miss several games, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). It’s unclear whether Love has tested positive for COVID-19.
Love, 33, is the Cavaliers’ highest-paid player, but is coming off the bench and averaging a career-low 20.7 minutes per game through seven contests this season. He’s contributing 9.9 PPG and 7.3 RPG, but has struggled with his shot so far, making just 35.5% of his field goal attempts, including 20.8% from beyond the arc.
With Love unavailable, the Cavs may lean more heavily on backup forwards Cedi Osman and Dean Wade over the next few games.
Cleveland will visit Charlotte on Monday, host the Blazers on Wednesday, and play in Toronto on Friday.
Love’s shooting numbers are crap, but just wanted to put it out there that he has been very solid as a backup/role player. His is 3rd on the team in win shares and 3rd in PER (discounting Dean Wade and NJ Nembhard who have barely played).
Yes he is still worth like 1/5th of his current contract but is still helping the 3-4 Cavs. He is also been the best hype man off the bench too lol.
Yeah I thought he looked good watching him Vs the Nuggets.
Not a negative asset, other than the contract. The contract was a reward, lest we forget.
He’s playing just as well as Michael Porter Jr at the mo.
“The contract was a reward” is something ppl don’t get or remember, so glad to know someone gets it haha. Yeah MPJ was very unimpressive to me when we played him.
I agree. I’m all for rewarding a guy for helping us win a ship and possibly more important, he WANTS to be in Cleveland. That’s not something we’ve heard much of over the last 50 years from Cavs players.
They have a huge starting lineup with Allen, Lauri, and Mobley.
I would consider moving Lauri to the 2nd unit the way he’s shooting.
Yeah I’m so conflicted. His shooting numbers are embarrassing, but he is a proven shooter who will definitely improve. I also believe that he is a much better perimeter defender than in the interior for the fact that he is long and defending smaller players. Cavs are one of the worst 3 point shooting teams again this year, so he is definitely needed to space the floor. I think this is the first time in his career he has played SF so he might just need to adjust. But you might be right in the end, who knows.
Laurie actually played SF in Chicago I believe as he was assigned to stand at the 3 point line and take shots. In Cleveland he does start at the 3 but often as the team shuffles the lineup, he plays a 4 or even a 5 at times. That’s what he says he loves to do and Chicago didn’t want him doing that.
Kevin Love missing games again. Shocking. He should be embarrassed
@K3vin
it’s not like he’s missing games due to a physical injury. either he tested positive for civitas or was around someone else who did. either way it’s not a typical body injury.
BUST, BUST , BUST another BRON BRON mistake
He may have covid, since his numbers went down of late, 29% FG last 3 games.