Kevin Love - Miami Ground Machine

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Here’s an extended clip.

Big time bonehead play.

Looked like a combination of things that set him off. He was clearly angry after getting hammered in the back by Birch while getting a rebound, the play that skinned his knee. Then he got beat for a layup by Flynn and took another bump in the back, although this one looked like incidental contact.

I'm wondering if he thought Bickerstaff was calling a time out because he looked like he was just giving the ball back to the ref. But then when Flynn picked up the loose ball Love just stood there watching with no attempt to play defense.

On the next possession he whacked Gillespie hard on the shoulder attempting to block the shot and almost got him on the face which would have been a flagrant foul. He was definitely letting out some frustrations. Like folks are saying, it's frustration that he can't do some of the things he used to be able to do combined with playing on a lottery team. Still, his role is to be positive leader and role model. He tried. The entire two-thirds of the season that he was out you saw him on the sidelines every game, cheering on his teammates and rejoicing in their successes while Drummond sat off by himself.

But this can't happen. Like they say in the military, one "Oh, shit!" negates one hundred "Attaboys".

By all means the Cavs should buy out the last two years if remotely possible, and it should be. Just tell Love he'll be the last guy on the bench and only play in garbage time. He's too proud to do that. He'll take an offer.

I'll always respect Love for his defense on Steph Curry that made the Championship possible. Curry is one of the greatest offensive players of all time and Love is a marginal defender at best, but he stepped up and got the stop with the Championship on the line. I also respect him for coming out and discussing his mental health issues and opening the door for other athletes to talk about it and admit they need help. But it looks like his body can no longer allow him to compete at a high level and he has no desire to play on a rebuilding team when his time is running out.

He'd be better off doing what Bill Walton did when he reached this stage of his career. At age 33, after upteen injuries had reduced him to a fraction what he was in his prime, he signed with the Celtics and averaged 7.6 points and 6.8 rebounds in 19 minutes a game, filling in when Robert Parish needed a rest. He was a valuable player off the bench in a limited role and was rewarded with an NBA Championship ring. Love should try to do just that next year. Take a buyout and find the right match for what he can still do.

 

[Cavatt]

Re-watching it, the ref was totally being a prick to Love. Love was still under the stanchion when the ref threw him the ball and wasn't even between the lines. Why wasn't the ref on the baseline? I never saw a ref do that before and it was clearly to show up a player who was jawing at him.

Does anyone know the actually rules here? I am not sure that was supposed to be a live ball.

Love did something passive aggressive back, which was pissy, and it hurt the team. It wasn't the right way to act, but what the hell was up with the ref? Letting lots of contact go, lets a guy get pushed with no call under the basket and then throws him the ball before he is in position to receive it.

How far can you take it? Can a ref throw the ball to you while you are lying on the ground, and when it rolls off your lifeless body inbounds it is a live ball?

 

[adam81king]

Hes got

Love and KPJ are not comparable situations at all. Plus, KPJ is lighting it up in Houston? Since when?

Hes averaging more points, on better shooting, with almost triple the assists as Love...

 

[Derek]

Hes got

Hes averaging more points, on better shooting, with almost triple the assists as Love...

If end-of-career Kevin Love is your bar for "lighting it up" then I'm at a loss.

Even then, Love is actually scoring more points per minute and doing it more efficiently than KPJ is in Houston. KPJ is doubling his assist rate but also rebounding at less than half the rate.

He looks promising as a young player, but let's not pretend he's actually playing well.

 

[ansatsusha80]

Re-watching it, the ref was totally being a prick to Love. Love was still under the stanchion when the ref threw him the ball and wasn't even between the lines. Why wasn't the ref on the baseline? I never saw a ref do that before and it was clearly to show up a player who was jawing at him.

Does anyone know the actually rules here? I am not sure that was supposed to be a live ball.

Love did something passive aggressive back, which was pissy, and it hurt the team. It wasn't the right way to act, but what the hell was up with the ref? Letting lots of contact go, lets a guy get pushed with no call under the basket and then throws him the ball before he is in position to receive it.

How far can you take it? Can a ref throw the ball to you while you are lying on the ground, and when it rolls off your lifeless body inbounds it is a live ball?

When,will this team get any calls because I saw the last few minutes of the first half and couldn't believe the referees wasn't calling fouls on the Raptors. Garland and Allen were getting hit and I already knew what type of game it was. I don't understand, why this team can't get the calls most teams get.

They keep saying they're going to enforce the landing zone rule but opponents still not allowing Sexton and Garland any space. Sexton, Garland and Allen gets pushed and hit all the time when they're near the basket but get nothing.

I heard Allen was frustrated(didnt see the second half) because of the non-calls by the referees.

 

[Green Lantern]

Here’s an extended clip.

Big time bonehead play.

If I'm the HC, I would have gotten him off the court after he hurt the knee.

 

[BigZ94]

Of course Love's FG% is lower, he takes mostly 3's.

I think it's weird that people act like Love's injuries are his fault. Why didn't D-Wade get the same vitriol? He missed a ton of games with injuries in his 30's and ended up getting out of shape and bought out by two different teams.

People bitch that Love lost all that weight, but that was an attempt to improve his body and stay healthier. His back is in shambles from his years as a pudge banging around in the paint.


Love and KPJ are not comparable situations at all. Plus, KPJ is lighting it up in Houston? Since when?

Injuries can happen randomly and are normally not a players fault, but being injured as frequently as Kevin Love is, a trend that started a couple years ago could also be due to lack of effort in taking care of his body and a lack of prehab. He doesnt look like hes putting in the work imo

 

[adam81king]

If end-of-career Kevin Love is your bar for "lighting it up" then I'm at a loss.

Even then, Love is actually scoring more points per minute and doing it more efficiently than KPJ is in Houston. KPJ is doubling his assist rate but also rebounding at less than half the rate.

He looks promising as a young player, but let's not pretend he's actually playing well.

End-of-career Love isnt the litmus test of lighting it up for a normal guy, but for someone who has *just* played 82 games when combining college and Pros, he's certainly doing pretty well. So much that the Rockets consider him a building block.

Truth of the matter is, engaging with you is an unpleasant chore. Considering these back-and-forths never start from me responding to you, I'll ask you politely to just stop.

 

[Alec]

He stinks, and I don’t like him. OUT OUT OUT!

 

[Derek]

Injuries can happen randomly and are normally not a players fault, but being injured as frequently as Kevin Love is, a trend that started a couple years ago could also be due to lack of effort in taking care of his body and lack of prehab. He doesnt look like hes putting in the work imo

I don't know how you can say this.

I think it's reasonable to question his toughness and ability to play through injuries, but the guy totally reshaped his body in an effort to put less strain on his joints and back and has maintained that physique.

Lack of "putting in work" isn't the issue. The guy has struggled with injuries dating back to Minnesota, and he's reached a point where his body is just limited as to what it can do.

 

[Derek]

End-of-career Love isnt the litmus test of lighting it up for a normal guy, but for someone who has *just* played 82 games when combining college and Pros, he's certainly doing pretty well. So much that the Rockets consider him a building block.

Truth of the matter is, engaging with you is an unpleasant chore. Considering these back-and-forths never start from me responding to you, I'll ask you politely to just stop.

Aren't posts meant to be responded to? Or do you only want people who agree with you to respond and pat you on the back?

Is this about the Tony Allen thing where you completely lost track of the conversation?

KPJ looks promising, but he hasn't been good by any stretch, and the circumstances around his departure were far more severe than any tantrum or boneheaded play on the court.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

I love to hate on Kevin love and this is a hatable moment but lebron would do this type of shit all the time during his run here. There were many times where he wouldn’t get a foul and spend an entire defensive possession complaining to the ref on the other side of the floor. And it would barely get any attention at all.

What makes it worse for me is that the dude hasn't been playing.

If you've been busting your ass for most of the season, carrying your team on your back, etc., and you get a bad call...I get it. Doesn't mean I like it or excuse it (I'm one of the fans who was glad to see him go), but it is easier to tolerate when the guy is otherwise a big-time positive contributor. Love basically hasn't done shit the entire season. He should be more fresh/less mentally tired than are the other guys. So when a guy who hasn't been contributing the entire season pulls a diva routine, it just seems that much worse. At least to me. And up to this point, I've defended Kevin. But this...complete and utter inexcusable bullshit.

 

[Nphan]

I wish Kevin Love was the guy who threw food instead of Kevin Porter.

 

[BigZ94]

I don't know how you can say this.

I think it's reasonable to question his toughness and ability to play through injuries, but the guy totally reshaped his body in an effort to put less strain on his joints and back and has maintained that physique.

Lack of "putting in work" isn't the issue. The guy has struggled with injuries dating back to Minnesota, and he's reached a point where his body is just limited as to what it can do.

I mean hes a professional athlete, its not that hard to lose weight if you follow a strict diet and workout a bit everyday. Hes literally is payed to keep in shape and has all the time in the world. I dont really consider that such an insane accomplishment. I mean hell I lost almost 16 pounds since the end of January just by counting my calories and working out a couple times per week working a 9-5. Look at what somebody like Lebron does, I know hes a freak but that guy puts in a heck load of prehab, Yoga, Pilates thesio all kinds of insane revolutionary workout techniques, or Ronaldo in soccer, who takes extreme care of his body in order to lengthen his career.

My point is I dont see from the way he moves, his conditioning or his body that hes putting in that work.

 

[adam81king]

Aren't posts meant to be responded to? Or do you only want people who agree with you to respond and pat you on the back?

Is this about the Tony Allen thing where you completely lost track of the conversation?

KPJ looks promising, but he hasn't been good by any stretch, and the circumstances around his departure were far more severe than any tantrum or boneheaded play on the court.

It's because you're an ass, but im sure every woman in your life tells you that, even if the men don't.

Also not sure how you think I "lost track of a conversation" that I was dictating. Like every interaction with you, you respond to something someone else says and try to drag it in any number of directions you want it to go. You're a bad troll. I've never blocked/ignored/muted anyone in my years on this board (or any other), but instead of continuing to engage, im considering letting you be my first. I've asked you to stop twice now.