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Kevin Love out for the season

The Cleveland Cavaliers might trade Kev Love. (EDrost88 / Flickr)
Roar Guru
30th April, 2015
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Early diagnosis: two weeks. Final diagnosis: four to six months.

Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star Kevin Love underwent surgery on his dislocated left shoulder in New York following game four of their first round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.

Cleveland released a statement on Wednesday regarding the status of Love:

“Cavaliers forward Kevin Love underwent successful surgery this afternoon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City to repair his dislocated left shoulder. The surgery was performed by Dr. David W. Altchek. Continuing treatment and rehabilitation at Cleveland Clinic Courts and Cleveland Clinic Sports Health will be conducted by the Cavaliers’ medical staff and Head Team Physician Dr. Richard D. Parker. His projected recovery time is four to six months”.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are now expected to take the floor with a ‘big duo’, rather than a ‘big three’ for the rest of the 2015 NBA postseason.

Fellow forward Tristan Thompson is expected to take his place in the starting five, while Iman Shumpert will most likely replace the suspended J.R. Smith. Losing both Love and Smith for the opening two games of the next series will stretch an already shallow bench.

Not only this, but Love has arguably been a reasonably quiet player within this star-studded Cavaliers team, just regularly completing the jobs he is assigned.

Kevin is an exceptional rebounder, a phenomenal asset at the power forward position. Throughout the opening round of the postseason, Love has averaged an impressive 9 rebounds per game, along with 18.3 points.

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He also provides a number of pinpoint outlet passes to the best player in the world, LeBron James, to orchestrate a fast break.

The placement of Thompson in the starting line-up doesn’t affect rebounding, as Thompson is also an excellent rebounder, especially on the offensive glass.

However, the Cavaliers will have to rearrange their plans heading into the second round against either the Chicago Bulls or the Milwaukee Bucks.

Love is a lethal shooter from beyond the arc, with the ability to take the game away from opponents quickly from the power forward position, a rare characteristic that is desirable in the league.

In the third game of the series against Boston, Love made six of ten attempts to take the game away from the Celtics.

By having a player like Love capable of hitting the outside shot, his defender is forced to move away from the basket, allowing James and Kyrie Irving to comfortably drive to the basket for the easy lay-in.
Against the Chicago Bulls, this would have proven to be invaluable, as it would have draw a defensive asset of the Bulls, Joakim Noah, away from the basket to challenge Loves’ three-point shot.

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Love has an incredible knack to space the floor for his teammates, moving around the perimeter and cutting to and from the basket, dragging his defender with him and away from two enormous offensive threats, James and Irving.

Additionally, as mentioned above, Love possesses a superior ability to throw an outlet pass, a skill not as profound in Thompson’s arsenal.

Of course, the Cleveland Cavaliers can still win the NBA championship, but it has become just that much harder.

The year for Love was filled with highs and lows and Love even expressed his concern at being a role player at the Cavaliers, rather than the focal point of the organisation, so have we seen the last of Kevin Love in a Cleveland jersey?

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