Kevin Love returns to 5-on-5 Cavs practice, says he feels 'pretty good' Cleveland Cavaliers are closer to welcoming back one of their two injured All-Stars. Power forward Kevin Love returned to five-on-five practice on Saturday, more than five months after discloating his left shoulder against the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the first round of the NBA playoffs. Although Love is still not confirmed to be ready for opening night of the regular season on October 27 vs. the Chicago Bulls, his participation represents a significant step in his recovery. Love says the return to practice was a successful one. "I felt good," Love said. "Just getting into the rhythm of the plays more than anything, just getting my legs under me and contact -- 5-on-5 felt really good." [...]"[I felt] pretty anxious," Love said. "It had been six months now. As far as progressing from the pad into 1-on-1, to 3-on-3, I was ready to get back out there in 5-on-5. As time goes [on], I'll get more and more accustomed to being out there playing, but today was the first step." [...]"He'd been hungry to play," Blatt said. "We'd been holding him back. He's been very anxious to play with the guys in a 5-on-5 game situation, and I'm sure he feels good today."Blatt said earlier in the week that it would be "realistic" to pencil Love into the starting lineup on opening night Oct. 27 in Chicago, but Love preached caution. [...]"He looked well. He looked healthy," said LeBron James. "It was great to have him out there for our team and it was great to have another body back out there, especially someone who's going to mean so much to our team, so he looked pretty good coming back." Love told Sean Deveney of The Sporting News Friday that he was still uncertain to return for the season opener, but Saturday's practice and Blatt's optimism suggest that it may be fair to assume he will be on the court. McMenamin also notes that Love is unlikely to play in the team's back-to-back preseason games on Monday and Tuesday but could see "maybe a few minutes" on Thursday against the Indiana Pacers. All signs point to Love taking on added responsibilities with the Cavs whenever he is able to play his customary minutes. After a somewhat rocky first season with the franchise, Love has an opportunity to carve out a larger role. The sooner that process gets starter the better off everyone involved will be.
I’m going back to Cleveland. After Game 1 of the NBA Finals, that’s when it really struck me. Sitting on the sidelines, I never wanted to play in a game more than that one. I had dreamed of playing in the NBA Finals and I just wanted to help my guys win. I couldn’t have been prouder of them as they poured their blood, sweat and tears onto the court. Yeah, of course I’ve heard the free agency rumors. But at the end of the day, and after meeting with my teammates (it turns out pools are great meeting places) and with the front office, it was clear Cleveland was the place for me. We’re all on the same page and we’re all in. We have unfinished business and now it’s time to get back to work. KEVIN LOVE / SENIOR EDITOR
Oct 16: Love (shoulder) will make his preseason debut Sunday against the Raptors, Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal reports. Love participated in his first on-court activity on October 6 and has been getting closer and closer to a return ever since. He'll finally get his chance to get back on the floor Sunday, where Love will play in live action for the first time since the 2014-15 playoffs. Don't be surprised if his minutes are limited, though, as the Cavaliers likely want to ease him back into action. Considering Love is returning now, he should be without limitations at the start
Kevin Love is back to dominating like he did in Minnesota: https://t.co/qQKx1OOFzW— SB Nation (@SBNation) November 24, 2015
"Turn around on him, Kevin!" #CavsKnicksSTREAM: https://t.co/9msEt0hFW2 https://t.co/74EaWM2GfE— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) March 27, 2016
Report: Kevin Love turned down invitation to join Team USA https://t.co/ag8zBLuZi3 via @247Sports— OSUBasketballJunkie (@ScarletBuckeye2) June 26, 2016
Last night K. Love notched his 35th double-double of the season with 18 points & 10 rebounds. BREAKING DOWN THE W: https://t.co/eW0uzSpbYq pic.twitter.com/Fq7666mp4S— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) April 1, 2017
Kevin Love: on track to become first player to average 10 reb per game, shoot 45% from 3-pt range, make 20+ 3-pointers in an NBA postseason pic.twitter.com/1qKbhzIgbe— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 28, 2017
(2007) Young @KevinLove shatters the backboard in a high school game! pic.twitter.com/Ib8YwKATK0— Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) July 30, 2017
Something definitely clicked for the @cavs in the second half.@kevinlove tells @FSOAllieOop what they did and how they did it. #AllForOne pic.twitter.com/APMYiiSPFQ— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) October 21, 2017
Congratulations to @kevinlove, named to his fifth career NBA All-Star appearance -- 1x as a starter (2014) & now 4x as a reserve (2011, '12, 17 [injured]). Love is avg'ing 18.6pts & team-hi 9.4reb in 44 starts -- shooting .401 from 3pt range & career-best .882 from the stripe. pic.twitter.com/1ovs5QlZ2f— Joe Gabriele (@CavsJoeG) January 24, 2018
Ugh. Cavs say Kevin Love indeed broke his left hand tonight. Non-displaced fracture of the fifth metacarpal.— Jason Lloyd (@ByJasonLloyd) January 31, 2018 Kevin Love likely out 6-8 weeks— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) January 31, 2018
I like Kevin Love, and right now he is our 2nd best player and the 3rd best isnt even close. He takes way too much shot for the problems the Cavs have
This team isn't winning a championship unless multiple teams get major injuries. I've always been a bigger LeBron fan than Cavs fan, but it would be stupid to move that Brooklyn pick at this point. Whether LeBron leaves this summer or retires as a Cav in 6 years, it's time to think longer-term than "Championship or bust".
I completely agree on the pick. Especially as loaded as this draft is going to be. There are probably six or seven players in this draft who are better than any player to come out of last year's draft. Missing out on a guy like Trey Young, Bagley, or Ayton to add another vet and "try" for another championship would be silly, imo. Golden State is going is in the middle of a dynasty.