Cleveland Cavaliers: Kevin Love Has Finally Arrived

LeBron James and Kyrie Irving are revered as the two faces of the franchise. During Game 1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ first-round series against the Detroit Pistons, Kevin Love arrived.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have as much star power as any team in the NBA. For all of the talk about a Big Three, however, the attention always seems to shift to a combination of just two players: four-time NBA MVP LeBron James, and three-time All-Star Kyrie Irving.

During the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 106-99 Game 1 victory over the Detroit Pistons, it was Kevin Love‘s turn to relish the spotlight.

Game 1 was a necessary victory for a Cavaliers team that’s been one of the most polarizing in 2015-16. The star power is immense, and the win total screams contender at 57-25, but as the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs have dramatically improved, Cleveland appears to have become stagnant.

Games like this suggest they’ve only begun to hit their stride.

Irving and James were phenomenal. As Mark Jackson reiterated throughout the broadcast, James’ leadership and court vision, as well as Irving’s dribble-penetration skills, were vital to Cleveland achieving victory.

The reality is, without Love’s superb effort, the Cavaliers would be an 0-1 hole.

A Career Night

The Cleveland Cavaliers needed Kevin Love to step up, and that’s exactly what he did. Not only did he fuel the Cavaliers’ offensive attack, but he controlled the glass against the NBA’s most dominant rebounding force.

In his first postseason game since suffering a season-ending injury in Game 4 of Cleveland’s first-round series in 2015, Love recorded postseason career-highs of 28 points and 13 rebounds.

Every one of those statistical contributions proved critical.

Love finished with 28 points, 13 rebounds, three offensive boards, an assist, and a steal on 10-of-22 shooting. He converted four critical 3-point field goals against a Detroit Pistons team that shot a scorching 15-of-29 from beyond the arc.

He also helped hold Andre Drummond to just 11 total and three offensive rebounds—well below his league-leading regular season averages of 14.8 and 4.9.

Love played with a confidence that, truthfully, hasn’t been seen since his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was hesitant, at times, but during the most critical of times, he stepped up with big shots that his teammates weren’t making.

That all began with his being moved to a new position: center.

Experimenting at the 5

The Cleveland Cavaliers received a massive boost from Kevin Love in the form of explosive production. True as that may be, the most intriguing aspect of Love’s performance wasn’t the statistical output; it was the fact that Love performed at such a high level from a new position.

In an interior battle with Andre Drummond, whom most have pegged for an All-NBA appearance, Love thoroughly outplayed his competitor.

Love brings a unique dynamic to the 5. He’s a very good shooter who can space the floor as well as any big man in the NBA, and while he may lack in some areas defensively, his offensive value is tremendous.

Should the Cavaliers meet the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, that versatility could prove invaluable.

Love being able to create driving lanes could prove to be the key to the Cavaliers’ entire offense. Kyrie Irving and LeBron James can shoot, but both are at their best when they can drive to either create shots for others or finish at the rim.

If Love continues to perform at this level, the Cavaliers could finally live up to their potential.

An Incredible Trio

When the trio was first formed, the general population raved about the elite potential of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ new Big Three. LeBron James had just won two championships with the Miami Heat, Kevin Love was a fantasy basketball superstar with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Kyrie Irving was a highlight reel in Cleveland.

Against the Detroit Pistons, Irving and Love began to display how tremendous their potential truly is.

That’s exactly what Cleveland needs to see.

With five consecutive NBA Finals appearances, two Finals MVP awards, and a pair of championships, it’s safe to say James will step up. What’s less clear is whether or not Irving and Love, who have a combined 19 games of postseason experience, will do the same.

The game against Detroit was a rare indication of how bright the Cavaliers’ future could be with that dynamic trio intact.

That’s a small sample size, but an intriguing statistic, nonetheless.

James will show up, and Irving has enough postseason experience under his belt to suggest that he’s ready to do the same. It’s Love who went down early in 2015, however, and that makes him the biggest question mark in the Cavaliers’ star trio.

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If Game 1 is a sign of things to come, Love has officially arrived in Cleveland.