The Cleveland Cavaliers may be overusing Kevin Love in the first quarter.
By all accounts, Kevin Love is having his finest season as a Cavalier. He is posting his best numbers in almost every statistical category since his 2013-2014 season. He’s averaging a double-double with 21.2 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. His PER and RPM are both back to All-Star level.
So why does it feel like he is not playing that well? Every time we watch a game, it seems like Love is not part of the equation in the fourth quarter.
Do the Cavs overuse Love in the 1st quarter?
When you dig into the numbers, Kevin Love is averaging the second most points in the NBA in the first quarter this season. He has the fourth-highest +/- in the first quarter as well. Cleveland ranks third as a team in 1st quarter scoring this season so far.
More from King James Gospel
- 3 possible starting lineups for Cleveland Cavaliers in 2023-24
- The Cavaliers may have snagged a hidden gem in Craig Porter Jr.
- 4 players the Cavaliers should pursue in 2024 free agency
- 6 players Cavaliers might replace Jarrett Allen with by the trade deadline
- This stat is one to keep an eye on for Cavaliers’ Max Strus in years ahead
Conversely, when we look at the fourth quarter, Love drops to 93rd in scoring and his +/- tanks to 94th. Where is the consistency? He is 116th in minutes in the 4th quarter at just 7.3! For a guy who is making a cool 21.7M this year on a max contract, shooting 38.5 percent from downtown, and making 88.3% of his free throws, you think he would be a 4th quarter weapon.
Then you dig deeper. He is only shooting 36.8% in the 4th quarter this season, including a paltry 22.2% from deep. His free-throw percentage even drops to 82% in the 4th quarter.
I’m not sure if it is confidence or fatigue. Maybe it is a bit of both.
I would like to see Love getting the same kinds of looks that Kyrie Irving and LeBron James are getting in the 4th quarter. From a +/- perspective, Love has a better +/- than both LeBron and Kyrie in the 4th but you never see Love getting screens and open shots in the 4th like you do in the 1st.
On November 24th, 2016, Love dropped 34 points in the 1st quarter against the Trail Blazers.
As a result, pundits have praised Lue for using Love so well this season. The strange thing is that Love only scored 6 more points the entire game.
No one mentioned anything about Love’s lack of use beyond the first quarter.
Lue has said “every game that we start out, the first play of the game’s for Kevin.” It is interesting to wonder whether getting Love too involved early on is limiting his potential impact in the 4th quarter.
It is also interesting to wonder whether that is intentional.
Is it fatigue? Trust?
Related Story: Watching The King's Minutes
Do you think that the Cleveland Cavaliers overuse Kevin Love in the first quarter? Let us know in the comments section or Twitter @KJG_NBA.