Love finished with 33 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. He scored 17 of those points in the first quarter.
Love did a little bit of everything for the Cavs. He blocked shots, dove on the floor and attempted to take multiple charges. Fans couldn't have asked for more from him if this was goodbye.
"My favorite play was Kevin (Love) diving on the floor, getting the ball, we got a dunk at the other end and that’s the way we want to compete and we did tonight.” Head coach John Beilein said. “The way he’s played over these last couple of weeks, and he’s had some really good games, today was one of his best for us. Energy and communicating with the other guys on the team, we don’t even come close without him today.”
It was one of Love’s best performances of the season. Will it be his last home game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse?
“It could be the same thing for a few guys here,” Love said. “Tristan (Thompson) didn’t play tonight. I just don’t know what’s going to happen. We’ll let the chips fall.”
Love, Thompson and Matthew Dellavedova are the only players remaining from the 2016 team that won the NBA Finals. Both Love and Thompson have been in Cleveland the whole time. The duo could be on a different team by Thursday’s deadline.
Love, 31, could stay put due to his contract. He will make $91.5 million over the next three seasons. He’s in the first year of a 4-year, $120 million contract extension that he signed in the summer of 2018.
Love is averaging 17.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and three assists per game this season.
He didn’t play on Monday night due to a sore right quad, but the injury isn’t expected to be serious.
The Cavaliers’ roster could look much different after the deadline. If this is it for Love and Thompson in Cleveland, then it was one heck of a ride.
The Cavs play the Thunder on Wednesday in Oklahoma City. The trade deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m.
