Possible problematic peripherals for Corey Kluber: Between Innings
May 3, 20182018 Cleveland Browns draft: WFNY Roundtable
May 3, 2018I hope when you saw the headline, you thought of The Black Eyed Peas. Not sure how (or even why) I thought of this song, but while watching Game 1, it dawned on me that I should definitely use it as the title of a post. So here I am.
When the Cleveland Cavaliers were forced to trade Kyrie Irving last summer, plenty of questions were asked. While we can talk about the return the wine and gold received from the Boston Celtics for Irving, that’s a whole different argument and would take too much time right now, so we’ll save that for another day. But in terms of the 2017-18 Cavs, one of the biggest questions was who would not only step in and be the second option offensively behind LeBron James but how would they make up for all that Uncle Drew did offensively.
The obvious answer was Kevin Love. Although he and Irving have two completely different styles, the Cavs hoped that Love would step in and be the second option that Cleveland needed offensively.
He did just that, at least from October to mid-April. During the regular season, Love had the most efficient season he’s had since being traded to the Cavs almost four years ago. He not only stepped up but provided a legitimate second scoring option next to No. 23. Although his game is (obviously) way different than Irving’s, the big man did his best to make of the departure of Uncle Drew while shooting efficiently from both the field and beyond the arc as well.
Then the postseason tipped off, and it seems as though all that efficiency, scoring, and offense from the Cavs’ second option has disappeared. Part of it could be due to the torn ligament in his left thumb that he suffered in the first playoff game against the Indiana Pacers last series, but even with that, something still seems off. After averaging 17.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 46 percent from the field and 42 percent from three-point range1 in 28 minutes a night (58 games) during the regular season, the 29-year-old is coming nowhere near that in the first eight games of the postseason so far.
In the seven-game series against the Pacers and Game 1 win over the Raptors, Love has averaged just 10.9 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists a game while shooting 32 percent from the field and 39 percent from beyond the arc in 32.9 minutes a night. Somehow, he is still the team’s second-leading scorer, (Which truly shows how dismal the Cavs’ offense has been outside LeBron James.)) but he has been anything but efficient, and even that would be an understatement.
Not only is he missing open shots from the corner, but he doesn’t seem to be his normal self in the post either. A lot can be blamed on his thumb injury, especially not being able to hold onto the ball like he used to, which is part of the reason why he double clutches prior to shooting a lot of the time this postseason, but still.
Luckily, the wine and gold have the best player in the world and he has kept them afloat so far, but James needs help, and a boost from Love offensively would be huge. Although his thumb injury will likely make it so that he can’t be his normal, efficient self on offense the rest of the postseason, just an average Love would be ideal at this point. If the 6-foot-10 forward-turned-center can start knocking down shots from the outside, it will not only be a boost of confidence for him but also completely change Cleveland’s offense and force defenses to changed things up as well.
Cleveland may have beat the Raptors in Toronto in Game 1, but the Cavs will need Love to produce offensively if they not only want to win this series but advance to their fourth straight Finals appearance. Until he returns to his normal self, which may not happen this postseason due to his injury, we will all be left wondering where is the love? Come back, Regular Season Kevin Love. Cleveland misses you.
- Both of which are his highest percentages since 2010-11. [↩]