Kevin Love has completed the NBA’s Concussion Return to Play Program and will be available to play on Thursday night in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals, the Cavaliers announced today in a press release.
It’s big news for the Cavaliers, who had been without Love since he exited Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Boston and entered the NBA’s concussion protocol. During this year’s playoffs, the veteran power forward has been Cleveland’s second-leading scorer (13.9) and top rebounder (10.0 RPG).
It’s not clear how many minutes Love might play in Game 1, but I’d expect him to start alongside LeBron James and Tristan Thompson in the frontcourt. Head coach Tyronn Lue may get creative as he determines how best to match up with the defending-champion Warriors, but indicated on Wednesday that Love would start if he’s healthy.
While the Cavaliers will get Love back in their lineup, the Warriors will be without key forward Andre Iguodala for Game 1. Iguodala, who continues to battle a lateral left leg contusion, will be re-evaluated prior to Game 2.
With LeBron James‘ potential 2018 free agency looming, the Cavaliers once again committed to carrying a league-high payroll in 2017/18. The club also acquired well-compensated veterans on multiyear deals – including George Hill and Jordan Clarkson – at the trade deadline, ensuring that even if this is James’ final year in Cleveland, team salary should remain well over the cap for at least one more season.
Here’s where things currently stand for the Cavaliers financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:
Even without taking James into consideration, the Cavaliers have $102MM+ in guaranteed salaries, nudging them over the projected $101MM cap. As such, there’s virtually no chance Cleveland will have cap room this summer. If James returns, the team figures to be way over the tax line once again.
Footnotes:
White’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after August 5.
Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Although both teams had to recover from 3-2 deficits in the Conference Finals, the Warriors and Cavaliers are once again meeting in the NBA Finals, vying for the Larry O’Brien trophy for the fourth consecutive year.
Before the Warriors acquired Kevin Durant in the summer of 2016, the first two series between the two teams were competitive, with Golden State winning the first meeting and the Cavs roaring back from a 3-1 hole in the second meeting to even the score. However, Durant and the Dubs dominated Cleveland in last year’s Finals, and oddsmakers expect a similar outcome this time around.
One sports betting site, Bovada.lv, has installed the Warriors as -800 favorites for the 2018 NBA Finals. For those unfamiliar with betting formatting, that means you’d need to risk $800 on a Warriors win in order to make a $100 profit. Conversely, Cleveland is a +500 underdog, meaning a $100 bet on the Cavs would result in a $500 profit if they pull off an upset.
The ongoing absence of Andre Iguodala for the Warriors makes this year’s matchup a little more intriguing, since Iguodala has typically been tasked with being the primary defender on LeBron James during the Finals matchups between the two teams. His left knee bone bruise will make that a difficult task, even if and when he’s able to get back on the court.
On the other hand, the Cavaliers may be missing a key contributor of their own, with Kevin Love‘s status for Game 1 still up in the air. As long as Love remains in the NBA’s concussion protocol, James won’t have a ton of help as he and the Cavs go up against a star-studded Warriors squad led by Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.
LeBron’s presence “represents the small possibility of a miracle,” according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, who writes today about what lineups the Cavs might lean on in order to give themselves a fighting chance against Golden State. No matter what Cleveland throws at the Warriors though, it probably won’t be enough, Lowe concedes.
So, rather than simply asking you in today’s poll which team will win this year’s Cavaliers/Warriors showdown, we want you to make your prediction a little more specific. Will the Warriors sweep? Will this be a longer series? Do the Cavs have a chance? Vote below, then head to the comment section to share your thoughts on the 2018 NBA Finals.
Andre Iguodala will miss his fifth consecutive game this Thursday, according to the Warriors, who issued a press release today officially ruling out the veteran forward for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The Warriors, who continue to call Iguodala’s injury a left lateral leg contusion/bone bruise, suggest that the 34-year-old is making progress, but is still experiencing pain and nerve inflammation. He’ll be re-evaluated prior to Game 2, according to the club.
League sources told ESPN’s Chris Haynes earlier this week that Iguodala recently received a second opinion on his troublesome left knee in an effort to address the issue. However, he has had no luck so far as he seeks a remedy for the injury. Head coach Steve Kerr had said prior to Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals that Iguodala’s body “has not responded at this point.”
Iguodala suffered the injury during Game 3 of the Western Finals when he bumped knees with James Harden.
While Iguodala’s absence may help open up the Cavaliers’ offense, considering the veteran is often tasked with guarding LeBron James, Cleveland has an injury of its own to worry about — Kevin Love remains in the NBA’s concussion protocol and his availability for Game 1 of the Finals is very much in doubt.
St. John’s Shamorie Ponds has decided to withdraw his name from the draft prior to Wednesday’s deadline, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweets.
The Lakers, Nets, Cavaliers, Jazz and Nuggets were among the teams that worked out the 6’1” guard this month. However, the odds were stacked against him when he didn’t receive an invite to the draft combine.
The sophomore guard put up a 21.6/5.0/4.7 line for the Red Storm this past season. He was ranked No. 61 among ESPN Jonathan Givony’s Top 100 prospects.
The Warriors and Cavaliers are gearing up for a fourth straight NBA Finals matchup after having made it through their respective Conference Finals without key contributors. Andre Iguodala missed the last four games of the Western Conference Finals with a left knee injury, while Kevin Love sat out Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals as he remained in the concussion protocol.
Iguodala’s status for Game 1 on Thursday is still up in the air, according to Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News, who writes that the veteran swingman can walk – but not run – without pain. League sources tell ESPN’s Chris Haynes that Iguodala recently got a second opinion on his troublesome left knee in an effort to address the issue.
According to Haynes, Iguodala plans to search in the coming days for a remedy to the injury, which the Warriors are calling a left lateral leg contusion. Head coach Steve Kerr had said prior to Game 7 of the Western Finals that the 34-year-old’s body “has not responded at this point.”
Meanwhile, Love’s availability for Game 1 of the NBA Finals is also uncertain. Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue said on Tuesday morning that the team’s starting power forward remains in the concussion protocol, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Love will need to be cleared of possible concussion symptoms before he’s permitted to suit up again for the club.
If Iguodala and Love remain on the shelf for Game 1, Kevon Looney and Jeff Green are the most likely candidates to take their spots in the starting lineups.
While LeBron James‘ upcoming free agency will be the biggest storyline of the NBA offseason, James himself has avoided discussing his future all season long, and the Cavaliers – including owner Dan Gilbert – are following suit. After the Cavs’ Game 7 win over the Celtics on Sunday night, Gilbert told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that the organization is completely locked in on its next series, not on the summer.
“We’re just focused – and it’s the truth, it’s not avoiding the question – we’re literally focused on (the now),” Gilbert said. “It’s just so intense in the playoffs and getting to the Finals and now the Finals, I don’t think – and I know he doesn’t – I don’t think even our guys are talking (about anything other than) what’s in front of them. … So, everybody knows, obviously what we want to happen and we’ll take the Finals first and take it from there.”
While the Cavaliers will head into the Finals as the underdogs, pulling off the upset could have a major impact on the club’s upcoming offseason plans — it would be hard for James to leave Cleveland right after leading the Cavs to another championship.
Here are a few more items worth rounding up from the Eastern Conference Finals:
Jayson Tatum couldn’t lead the Celtics to the NBA Finals, but he received plenty of praise from James as his impressive rookie season came to an end, per Chris Forsberg of ESPN. “I just love everything about (Tatum), the way he plays the game, his demeanor, where he comes from,” James said. “I just know he’s built for stardom. He’s built for success. And that’s both on and off the floor.”
James was also complimentary of the Cavaliers teammates who are headed to the Finals despite hearing for weeks that they weren’t doing enough to help LeBron. “I know I get a lot of the headlines – win, lose or draw, whatever the case may be – but in order to be successful, it’s a team game,” James told ESPN’s Doris Burke after the Game 7 win (link via Andrew Joseph of USA Today). “That’s why we’re going to another Finals — because my teammates played a hell of a game.”
One of those teammates, Jeff Green, spoke after the game about not taking anything for granted after undergoing open-heart surgery in 2012. Jeff Zilgitt and AJ Neuharth-Keusch of USA Today have the story on Green, who was the Cavaliers‘ second-best player in Game 7.
Their disappointing Game 7 performances will likely haunt Celtics youngsters Terry Rozier and Jaylen Brown for a while, but that may not be the worst thing in the world, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston, who writes that this year’s loss can be a learning experience for Rozier and Brown as they continue to develop.
The Cavaliers are set to face the Celtics in Boston tonight in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, setting the stage for the victor to advance to the NBA Finals. This is not unfamiliar territory for LeBron James, who has almost single-handedly willed the Cavaliers to this juncture, looking to advance to his eighth straight NBA Finals.
As both teams prepare for tipoff, this scenario is eerily similar to one James encountered eight years ago when the Cavaliers traveled to Boston for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Jimmy Golen of the Associated Press writes. James posted a triple-double in a losing effort and then weeks later, made the decision to leave Cleveland in free agency. A lot has been made of James’ upcoming free agency and whether or not he bolts this summer, but his teammates feel another trip to the NBA Finals is possible.
“There’s something different about LeBron, period,”Larry Nance Jr. said. “I think (coach Tyronn Lue) said it best: ‘We’re going into a Game 7 with the baddest dude on the planet on our team.’ I like our chances.”
Check out more Cavaliers notes below:
James’ return to Cleveland ahead of the 2014/15 NBA season has been nothing short of success. He helped guide the organization to its first NBA title in 2016 and with a win tonight, the Cavaliers will have made the NBA Finals in every season since his comeback. Jerry Bembry of The Undefeated breaks down the implications of James’ potential departure from Cleveland and his legacy, regardless of tonight’s outcome.
Kevin Love, who is currently in the NBA’s concussion protocol, will not play in today’s decisive Game 7. However, that does not necessarily give an advantage to the Celtics, A. Sherrod Blakley of NBC Sports Boston writes. The absence of Love likely means a heavier dose of James, Nance, and Jeff Green on Al Horford, who did a fine job defending him in Game 6.
Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue confirmed that Green will start in place of Love, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. “I think he attacked the small guys, the switches, and took his time, did a good job attacking, rebounded the ball well,” Lue said of Green’s Game 6 effort. “I just think defensively being able to switch and guard multiple positions, that’s huge for us.
It seems like Boston has fielded two teams in the postseason. There are the Home Celtics, who have been unbeatable, and the Away Celtics, who can’t beat hardly anyone.
Fortunately for Boston fans, it’s the Home Celtics who will be playing the Cavaliers tomorrow for a spot in the NBA Finals. Boston is 10-0 at the TD Garden during the postseason, but just 1-7 on the road. The Celtics have an offensive rating of 107.7 in their home games, about 10 points higher than away from home.
“I truly believe it’s our fans,”Al Horford explained to Jack McCluskey of The Ringer. “I feel like our guys feed off of them and it really just drives us as a group. … You get on the road and you’re just out there against everybody else. Here, I just think that our guys just feel comfortable and good. It’s a credit to the atmosphere that’s here.”
On the other side is LeBron James, who has been brilliant no matter where he has played. James is averaging close to a triple double with 33.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 8.8 assists in 17 playoff contests and kept Cleveland alive with a 46/11/9 performance in Friday’s Game 6.
The Cavs will be short-handed for tomorrow’s game with Kevin Lovealready ruled out because of a concussion. Love has been one of the few reliable scorers alongside James, averaging 13.9 points per game in the postseason.
The edge in playoff experience easily goes to the Cavs, who have been to three straight Finals [eight straight for LeBron], while the Celtics field a young roster with few players who have ever experienced this level of postseason pressure.
There are many things that could decide Game 7, but we want to get your take. Who pulls out what James called one of the best two-word phrases in sports and represents the East in the NBA Finals? Please leave your responses in the comments section below.
Cleveland will have to play Game 7 withoutKevin Love, but Boston’s Jayson Tatum came away from Friday night’s collision relatively unscathed. Coach Brad Stevens told reporters that doctors checked on Tatum today and said he’s in “great” condition, tweets ESPN’s Chris Forsberg. Tatum will continue to be monitored up to tomorrow’s game, but right now the team isn’t worried about his availability.
Tatum was defending Love when they bumped heads in the first quarter and said it took him a while to shake off the effects, relays A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston.
“They asked me if I was dizzy, if I had a headache,” said Tatum, who underwent concussion testing on the sidelines. “I’m fine.”
There’s more on the eve of Game 7:
Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson, who barely played when the postseason began, has helped turn the series around with his defense on Al Horford, notes Adam Himmeslbach of The Boston Globe. Cleveland is outscoring Boston by 3.2 points per 100 possessions when they are on the court together, but the Celtics have a 19.2 edge when Horford plays without Thompson. Boston’s big man was visibly frustrated after Friday’s game, which included a healthy dose of double teaming. “If you were watching the game, I was getting doubled as soon as I caught the ball,” Horford said to reporters. “Every time, I didn’t really have one-on-one position. So they did a good job of really doubling me and making it hard.”
As bad as the Love injury news was for Cavaliers fans, things could have been worse, relays Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Larry Nance Jr. collided with LeBron James during the fourth quarter on a play that reminded McMenamin of an incident that caused Kevin Durant to miss a significant part of last season. “I just felt someone fall into my leg, and my leg kind of went in,” said James, who was limping when he left the arena. “I felt some pain throughout my entire right side of my ankle into my leg. I was just hoping for the best, obviously, because I’ve seen so many different injuries, and watching basketball with that type of injury, someone fall into one’s leg standing straight up. Luckily, I was able to finish the game.”
Love’s injury means James will likely have to improve on his already-superhuman effort, writes Justin Verrier of The Ringer. Love is averaging 13.9 points and 10.0 rebounds in the postseason, but he hasn’t been especially effective against the Celtics, Verrier notes. He has a minus-7.4 net rating in the series, worst on the team other than Rodney Hood.
