Kevin Love - Miami Ground Machine

[2 For The Brew]

That's because Wade is passive af on offense and is a much worse rebounder. For all of Love's faults on defense, he's about ten times the player on offense that Wade is. I always thought comparing Wade to Love was absurd. Constructive criticism is fine; ridiculousness isn't.

Wade is the Sauce Castillo of PFs. Looks ok for a bit then you realize they’re both very marginal NBA players at best.

Windler has shown more aggression than Wade lately and I wouldn’t call Windler the Red Bull.

On second thought … the Red Bull! The front court partner to Young Bull. He’s too effing old to keep running that baby giraffe gif.

Seriously, though, can’t possibly play Wade and Windler at the same time (both spend a lot of time anchored on the three point line). So Wade’s not going to see minutes without injuries elsewhere or a trade (and if any trade means more Wade that’s a bad trade).

 

[Heat Check]

He understands he doesn't have the jumping ability to block the shot or force a miss. His only chance is to draw a charge, which he does more than anyone on the team by far. If he can't get in position for the charge he's better off giving up the layup then committing a foul.

If all you can do is stand in place under the basket at 6'8'' like a statue, I'm not sure you should be playing NBA basketball anymore. That breaks your team's defense and demoralizes your teammates.

However, I don't believe Love's situation is that dire. He can move and even jump a bit when he wants to. Right now, he doesn't want to. And that's my problem with him.

I certainly don't expect Love to block shots or put the clamps on people. We all know he's a bad defender. But what should be non-negotiable is that he challenge shooters and drivers when they come into his vicinity. No-one on this team has earned the right to not play any defense.

 

[Heat Check]

The Cavs are 0.7 points per 100 possessions better with Love on the floor and -4.5 points worse with Wade.

I'm talking about recent trends. It's well known that Love was great for a while this season. Lately, he's been ass. And if you watch the games, he's now doing stuff that undermines the defense-centric minset of this team.

 

[buzzdog]

If all you can do is stand in place under the basket at 6'8'' like a statue, I'm not sure you should be playing NBA basketball anymore. That breaks your team's defense and demoralizes your teammates.

However, I don't believe Love's situation is that dire. He can move and even jump a bit when he wants to. Right now, he doesn't want to. And that's my problem with him.

I certainly don't expect Love to block shots or put the clamps on people. We all know he's a bad defender. But what should be non-negotiable is that he challenge shooters and drivers when they come into his vicinity. No-one on this team has earned the right to not play any defense.

You act like he never defends. He's made lots of very good defensive plays this season. Yes he does make decisions to not contest or foul on some plays as do most veteran NBA players. There's a lot of daylight between that and "never defending " as you frame it.

 

[Heat Check]

You act like he never defends. He's made lots of very good defensive plays this season. Yes he does make decisions to not contest or foul on some plays as do most veteran NBA players. There's a lot of daylight between that and "never defending " as you frame it.

Once again... yes, he tried hard early in the season and had a great attitude. I've commended him for it many times.

But that did not last. Love is a different player now.

Like I said before, all 30+ NBA vets try to save their legs, to an extent, in the regular season. I have no problem with that. But there's a long way from going at 60% or 70% to blatantly not giving any effort at all.

That's what I want from Love - at least give the impression you're trying on D. Everyone else is.

Anyone who's played competitive organized basketball knows that defensively, a lineup works as a unit. That doesn't mean that every defender is equal, or should be. It's almost always the case that there is a weakest link, and everyone knows who it is. But the thing is – as long as that weakest link is still trying hard, the unit can function. A big part of defense is effort and sacrifice and trying to do your part.

But when one player stops competing, the others look at him and go "Why am I out here busting my ass when that motherfucker is conceding layups?" It ruins the one thing that keeps a lineup together on defense. That's why Love's freeloading is so damaging.

 

[red.]

 

[Medina smoke]

He understands he doesn't have the jumping ability to block the shot or force a miss. His only chance is to draw a charge, which he does more than anyone on the team by far. If he can't get in position for the charge he's better off giving up the layup then committing a foul. At least that's how I figure he looks at it.

Yeah I get it. But the bulls game would have been perfect game to establish a physical presence. We gotta do it,eventually . Teams, I believe have adjust to our defense. WE NEED TO START KNOCKING THEM THE F OUT!

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

If all you can do is stand in place under the basket at 6'8'' like a statue....

Fortunately, we don't have anyone on our roster who fits that description.

 

[avs2000]

Once again... yes, he tried hard early in the season and had a great attitude. I've commended him for it many times.

But that did not last. Love is a different player now.

Like I said before, all 30+ NBA vets try to save their legs, to an extent, in the regular season. I have no problem with that. But there's a long way from going at 60% or 70% to blatantly not giving any effort at all.

That's what I want from Love - at least give the impression you're trying on D. Everyone else is.

Anyone who's played competitive organized basketball knows that defensively, a lineup works as a unit. That doesn't mean that every defender is equal, or should be. It's almost always the case that there is a weakest link, and everyone knows who it is. But the thing is – as long as that weakest link is still trying hard, the unit can function. A big part of defense is effort and sacrifice and trying to do your part.

But when one player stops competing, the others look at him and go "Why am I out here busting my ass when that motherfucker is conceding layups?" It ruins the one thing that keeps a lineup together on defense. That's why Love's freeloading is so damaging.

You have a point on his defense. Maybe he just cannot play that way anymore.
If you told me pre-season we would get this much offensive production from Love I would have said your nuts. He will just sit and sulk until he pulls a muscle somewhere

He hasn't done that. He is engaged, he is productive on offense. He does not play major minutes and still makes an impact. Scoring and rebounding. I am more than happy overall with love

 

[sportscoach]

Love I think has finally gotten past a lot of his personal issues and is really starting to find himself mentally again. The biggest problem with him isn't who he is, or how is playing honestly, it's how much his contract is. On paper I want to get his contract off this team so I can allocate the money elsewhere, but then again we will likely be signing Garland and Mobley to big long term deals, so I guess once his contract is done then it goes there...

This is such a weird season, I wanted Love gone cause of his contract and age, but now, I actually think moving him would be a bad idea and actually hurt this team even if we got more talent in his place.

You have a point on his defense. Maybe he just cannot play that way anymore.
If you told me pre-season we would get this much offensive production from Love I would have said your nuts. He will just sit and sulk until he pulls a muscle somewhere

He hasn't done that. He is engaged, he is productive on offense. He does not play major minutes and still makes an impact. Scoring and rebounding. I am more than happy overall with love

I agree with you here... I wasn't actually expecting anything from Love and now that he is being a solid player for us, even with his albatross of a contract, it may be best we let him keep what he is doing and don't change a thing...

 

[PIP]

Love will be fine after the all star break…

I’m indifferent towards the guy but of all the players on this team that will need that break it will be him…

 

[sailfish]

Love will be fine after the all star break…

I’m indifferent towards the guy but of all the players on this team that will need that break it will be him…

There’s part of me that sees that Love has been a valuable veteran contributor off the bench this year and we could ill afford to lose him.

There’s another part of me that knows that Love has been a China doll the last couple of seasons and he could go down with an injury at any moment. That part of me thinks we’d be crazy not to trade him while he’s perhaps not a negative asset anymore, but maybe a neutral asset.

In the end, I think we’d be foolish not to listen to trade offers involving Love. A package of Love & Sexton could fetch us something decent.

 

[PIP]

There’s part of me that sees that Love has been a valuable veteran contributor off the bench this year and we could ill afford to lose him.

There’s another part of me that knows that Love has been a China doll the last couple of seasons and he could go down with an injury at any moment. That part of me thinks we’d be crazy not to trade him while he’s perhaps not a negative asset anymore, but maybe a neutral asset.

In the end, I think we’d be foolish not to listen to trade offers involving Love. A package of Love & Sexton could fetch us something decent.

Of course. It’s hard to see a fit elsewhere unless it’s a contender in a 3 team trade..

 

[Randolphkeys]

You act like he never defends. He's made lots of very good defensive plays this season. Yes he does make decisions to not contest or foul on some plays as do most veteran NBA players. There's a lot of daylight between that and "never defending " as you frame it.

I can't help but notice Love's drop-off on defensive mobility coincided with a brutal schedule for the past eight games. When it's seven games on the road, one game at home... with zero two day breaks and a few back-to-backs? Of course the oldest guy in the rotation feels it eventually.

Plus we are talking about Kevin Love - so you know his knees and back were begging for a "load management" day. With the current holes in the roster, the load management wasn't available.

The team needs to fix the nightmare lack of depth. Rondo, Rubio, and Sexton all being out takes a physical toll on the healthy guys who are left.

 

[sailfish]

Of course. It’s hard to see a fit elsewhere unless it’s a contender in a 3 team trade..

I can see either a contending team or a team that is desperate to make a move perhaps making a trade for Love. It might involve taking back a bad contract, like a John Wall or a Russell Westbrook. While those contracts are just as bad, if not worse than Love’s, at least those players are not as fragile as Love has been and would help replace what Rubio gave us. Steamers in desperate need of some additional ball handlers & creators