Independence, OH (92.3 The Fan) – While LeBron James struggles to keep the Lakers’ playoff hopes afloat and Kyrie Irving mopes in Boston about just wanting to play basketball and not be a celebrity, the third member of the former Big 3 in Cleveland is giving the Cavaliers hope.
During the Cavs’ Finals runs there was the persistent perception that Kevin Love was the third wheel behind James and Irving, but what is apparent now is just how underappreciated Love was and how valuable he is now.
Since Love’s return from left foot surgery, the Cavs are 5-2 when he plays, and they’ve lost the three games he’s sat out in between.
“I think we all appreciate how good he is,” Cavs head coach Larry Drew said. Certainly, when LeBron was here there was different circumstances involved. But with Kevin, what is pretty obvious is how much we’ve missed him.”
Cleveland went a miserable 11-39 during the 50-game stretch Love was sidelined sending the Cavs to the bottom of the league standings.
“Not having that guy to play through made it very difficult,” Drew said. “Now that he is back you can see we play with a much better flow, a much better rhythm with him out on the floor.”
Matthew Dellavedova, who is in his second tour with the Cavs, knows how valuable Love is when he is on the floor, regardless if fans and some in the media do not.
“I think everyone in the organization knew his value, but outside people, they should see it,” Dellavedova said.
The Cavs certainly did. They gave Love a contract extension worth a whopping $120 million over four years last summer.
“I think everyone inside the locker room and inside the organization obviously knows his value,” Dellavedova said. “He might not even be getting the ball but just through his spacing and gravity of pulling guys with him, you can see that by just how well we play and how well the ball moves when he’s back in the lineup.
“It just makes the game a lot easier because the defense is really concerned about him.”
Love is averaging 18.0 points and 9.57 rebounds per game since his return and 23.0 points and 11.4 rebounds over the last four games that have seen his minutes increase to over 25 per game.
With James and Irving long gone, Love has also been able to step into the vocal leadership role once occupied by James.
“He’s a lot more vocal, I’ll tell you that,” Dellavedova said. “He definitely has grown a lot there and he’s doing a good job of talking to the younger guys. He’s going a great job of if the shot’s not there, he swings it, sets another pick-and-roll, runs a dribble-handoff, and I think he just makes the game easier for everyone.”
As of Tuesday’s practice Love remains on a minutes restriction. He started out at just under seven minutes when he returned on Feb. 8 but has played over 28 minutes in each of his last three outings.
“We’re gradually bumping his minutes up,” Drew said.
Close to Kyrie, clutch too – Guard Collin Sexton is just two three-point makes away from passing Kyrie Irving's franchise record for the most threes made in a single season by a rookie.
Irving dropped 73 from deep in 2011-12.
Sexton, who has scored 967 points this season, is starting to become a factor late in games, a sure sign of growth for a player that was put on the bench earlier this season during key moments.
“Having Kevin back takes a lot of pressure off of you as far as him not having to make the play,” Drew said. “We can play through Kevin and Kevin being the willing passer he is, if you’re open, you’re going to get the ball. I think Collin is starting to play with Kevin.
“Also putting him in those situations a little bit more. I think the more he’s in them, the more he’ll learn. Having Delly in there as well, is helping him a lot. He’s learning. The thing about Collin is that he’s a sponge. He’ll soak it all in, and he’s looking to get better.”
Still out – Tristan Thompson did not practice on Tuesday and it is unclear when he’ll return to game action.
“He won’t play [Wednesday] night,” Drew said. “He did not participate in practice, so when he’s able to practice and is able to go through contact, and if he does well with that, then he’ll be cleared to play.”
Thompson has yet to practice and return the following day pain free and until he does he will remain out according to Drew.
Thompson, who has had 18 double-doubles and is averaging 11.5 points and 11.1 rebounds per game in 35 games this season, has missed the last 19 games with a left foot injury. He missed 10 games over the second half of December with a left ankle sprain.
Heating up – The Cavaliers are 5-3 in their last 8 games and they’ll look to make it 6 of 9 Wednesday night at Brooklyn.
“I’m enjoying the fact that these guys are still competing on a high level,” Drew said. “And I was excited about, not just the fact that we won our last game but just kinda how we did it after we had a bad performance against Detroit and less than 24 hours later we were able to come back and put together a solid game against Orlando who had been playing well.
Not keeping up with the Kardashians – Drew has steered clear of Thompson’s personal life and the drama that has been made public by Khloe Kardashian regarding alleged infidelity by Thompson.
“That's not my place,” Drew said. “My conversations with him are strictly about basketball.”
Thompson split from the mother of his first child to date Kardashian. Their relationship has been documented in the tabloids as well on the Kardashian family’s reality TV show. Thompson and Kardashian are the parents of a 10-month old daughter.
