Kevin Love - Miami Ground Machine

[The Oi]

His body language is so bad. Look at the Kyrie game winner, Moz, Delly, JR all crash the boards, Love just stands there. Not a good look Kevin.

Also a possibility his back hurts too badly at the end of games to do much. Doubtful...just advancing as a possibility.

 

[catfish]

I dont think you are going to be good at basketball with a back brace. Cavs need to use his poor play to their advantage. Get him to sign a low ball 1 year contract so he has ability to make much more 2016 after getting healthy again in 2105-2016. I dont know what team would sign him to a big fat contract this off season. Maybe we could be below apron and then get full use of the Haywood contract.

 

[Benedict_Boozer]

It's still odd to me how Love comes out often playing very well in the 1st quarter and then massively tails off. Not just scoring, I've seen him eating glass with like 6-7 rebs in the 1st quarter and then finish with like 11 or 12.

What is possibly driving that drop-off in production? That points to something mental more than physical but who knows.

What Blatt could consider is when LBJ sits, try running some specific sets for Love that he particularly likes close to the basket. Kyrie and LBJ are both aggressive while Love tends to defer, as a coach you might have to force the issue to get Love engaged and establishing post position.

 

[Jack Brickman]

Minnesota laughing all the way to the bank with how bad they fleeced the Cavaliers


It was supposed to be us laughing

And yet Minnesota is 8-37 while we're riding an 8-game winning streak and will be a playoff contender probably for the next three to five years. I think I'll take our situation.

 

[Jscc]

Not to mention the fact that even Kevin Love at his most hobbled is still putting up 17.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game as the team's third option.

For [superficial] comparison:

Marc Gasol is 18.9 points, 8.2 rebounds PG
Pau Gasol is 18.3 points, 11.9 rebounds PG
Tim Duncan is 14.7 points, 10.1 rebounds PG
Andre* Drummond is 12.4 points, 12.8 rebounds PG

 

[Brandname]

It's still odd to me how Love comes out often playing very well in the 1st quarter and then massively tails off. Not just scoring, I've seen him eating glass with like 6-7 rebs in the 1st quarter and then finish with like 11 or 12.

What is possibly driving that drop-off in production? That points to something mental more than physical but who knows.

What Blatt could consider is when LBJ sits, try running some specific sets for Love that he particularly likes close to the basket. Kyrie and LBJ are both aggressive while Love tends to defer, as a coach you might have to force the issue to get Love engaged and establishing post position.

I think it's clear that he's hurt. Especially if it's a back issue, it probably feels good at the beginning of the game and gets progressively worse throughout.

The other factor at play is this: it's much easier to stick to the planned offensive sets at the beginning of the game. That's when he's most involved (it's been that way since the beginning of the season). And so he shows more energy then. I still think we're doing a really poor job of running plays designed for him later in games. Yeah, he hasn't shot well, but I don't think going away from him is going to help get his confidence back.

Personally, I think he should sit for a few games and try to get healthy.

 

[iamacavalier]

And yet Minnesota is 8-37 while we're riding an 8-game winning streak and will be a playoff contender probably for the next three to five years. I think I'll take our situation.

seriously. What is wrong with people. We are dominating teams we should beat and beating teams that are contenders and people wish for a rookie thats playing well on a bad team and a walrus that should have been in D league last year...

Love is at the very least struggling to settle in and not getting the ball in his spots. and more likely than not in a lot of pain and playing with a brace on his back.

Don't worry when he gets right all these fools will yelling for him to get paid.

 

[TwoPistols]

When will the excuses stop?

If you're playing, no excuses.

 

[Jscc]

When will the excuses stop?

If you're playing, no excuses. Aldridge just dropped 38 with a torn ligament in his hand.

The last time Aldridge had a back injury, he sat out games. Kevin hasn't. A back injury is not comparable to a thumb injury.

And Blatt doesn't seem inclined to pull Kevin out for his own good, either.

 

[CommD]

I dont think you are going to be good at basketball with a back brace. Cavs need to use his poor play to their advantage. Get him to sign a low ball 1 year contract so he has ability to make much more 2016 after getting healthy again in 2105-2016. I dont know what team would sign him to a big fat contract this off season. Maybe we could be below apron and then get full use of the Haywood contract.

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/sto...-salary-lebron-james-kyrie-irving-david-blatt

All he has to do is pick up his player option at $16+M, which would be roughly fair for both parties, given his play this year balanced against his career accomplishments. He has stated his intention to do so publicly. If he wants to do a one-year contract with a TEAM option to get a raise to $19+M, if I am Gilbert/Griffin I am open to that if only to keep him from sulking as he seems pre-disposed to do.

But as you say, if I am Gilbert/Griffin, I am not signing this dude to any full max contract after this season, given his uneven performance in a Cavs uniform. An opt-in at the fair price or a one year max will give the team the option to get something for him via trade next year if that proves to be the best course. It also let's him re-visit the free agent market under the potentially increased salary cap.

Losing him for nothing is not an option, so if they have no (secret) understanding in place for next year, trading him at THIS year's deadline should still be considered. I would be looking at Boston, who can provide significant assets in return for Love, and (theoretically) jump start their rebuilding process around a "Bird-like" player going forward. Might have to take back Wallace (prefer Bradley), but should be able to bring back Sullinger/Olynyck to replace the "stretch four" and rebounding capability and a first-rounder or two to replace vanished assets.

 

[Jack Brickman]

But as you say, if I am Gilbert/Griffin, I am not signing this dude to any full max contract after this season, given his uneven performance in a Cavs uniform.

Then you are crazy. I would absolutely lock Kevin Love into a long-term max deal the year before the cap raises significantly if he were willing to sign the contract. People are deriding this guy for averaging 17-10 as the third option on our team. Yeah, he's in a shooting slump, but he also looks like he's playing hurt right now.

 

[Anglefan]

Are you a Cavs fan? All I see you doing on this board is blowing Dion and saying how much better he is than JR and then criticizing the Love trade halfway through the season... Cavs will be the ones laughing holding the championship trophy in the summer while Minnesota has their 25 wins to hold on to.

LOL, where the hell are you getting 25 wins for them? 15 if they're lucky!

 

[The Red Viper]

Ohh Boy.

I hope someone shows that video to KLove and LeBron plays. This can be a statement game.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

When will the excuses stop?

If you're playing, no excuses.

Tell that to Willis Reed. I mean, wtf?

Basketball and baseball are unlike football in that they usually involve finer motor skills. You can play and push through injury in football, and it will just hurt like a byatch. But in basketball, even if you're playing as hard as you can, an injury can still affect your shot involuntarily, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it. It's like a pitcher with a blister on his thumb. Sure, it's only a little blister and he can play with it. But his pitches just won't be the same no matter how much pain he's willing to take.

Love's moving around, playing defense, and grabbing boards. His shot just isn't falling, and it may be because pain is involuntarily affecting it. Kind of like LBJ before he took his break. You can try to play through pain, but the quality of your play may suffer.

 

[Caffegy]

Bosh in his last season was putting up 16/6 in a Miami team that had scrubs besides Lebron and Wade unlike Cleveland that has so much more talented squad. Love is putting up 17/10.

He needs to find his shot again. Didn't he win the 3 point shooting contest a few years back?