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Cleveland Cavaliers: Kevin Love was assertive often and early against Bucks

By Nathan Beighle

MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 20: Kevin Love #0 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots over Tony Snell #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half of a game at the Bradley Center on October 20, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 20: Kevin Love #0 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots over Tony Snell #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half of a game at the Bradley Center on October 20, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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The Cleveland Cavaliers won their second straight game to start the season, and it was partially due to the aggressiveness of Kevin Love.

After the Cleveland Cavaliers first game at home against the Boston Celtics, it was obvious that for this team to take a step forward Kevin Love needed to be involved more often. Against a Milwaukee Bucks team, that is certainly a greater challenge than a Hayward-less Celtics, Kevin Love was aggressive early and often.

After the first quarter, Kevin Love led the Cavaliers in field goal attempts with four while the King managed just three after one. Love ended with twelve field goal attempts, and he was the only Cavalier not named LeBron James to hit double-digit attempts. That is the way it should be, and hopefully the way the Cavaliers have it game planned moving forward.

Kevin Love is not a flashy player, but he is an efficient player. Love went 5-for-9 from two-point territory tonight. He showed his post prowess several times throughout the game especially in the clip below.

Love finished the game a lousy 5-for-12 from the field. He needs to be a bit more efficient, and going 0-for-3 from deep certainly did not help. But, while his outside shooting was not on point, his other numbers back up his impact. Love finished his second game of the season with twelve rebounds and six assists. The rebounds were a game-high while the assists were the third highest between the two teams, so Love’s usage was obviously much higher than during the season opener.

Throughout his career, Love has not been known as a fantastic passer. Keeping his assists high is just another reason that the Cavaliers should be willing to give him the ball early and often. To go along with that, Love shot seven free throws and made them all which helped the Cavaliers go a fantastic 17-for-17 from the line. Overall, Love’s impact on the game can not be understated. The Kevin Love that we saw against the Bucks should be the Kevin Love that we see every single game moving forward.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have a nine-man rotation, and they might be in need of more offensive with Derrick Rose out for at least a couple weeks. According to Jason Lloyd, Rose’s sprained ankle is not looking good. This is the opening for Love to become a dominant staple in the Cavaliers offense, and these next couple games should prove it.