Cleveland Cavaliers big man Kevin Love is back and has prepared himself to be better than ever.
In the three games since returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers starting lineup, Kevin Love has averaged 20.4 points per game, a bit higher than his season average of 18.0 points per game. The reason for the uptick?
Increased productivity from three-point range. Love has made an absolutely incredible 47.6 percent of his threes on 7.0 three-point attempts per game since returning. He’s been making 40.9 percent of 5.5 three-point attempts per game for the season.
This isn’t just by coincidence or chance, either. Love, an intelligent basketball player who is one of the harders workers in the game, as well, decided to make a change to his shooting motion while he was out with a fractured hand.
Kevin Love is now 10-for-17 from 3 since he came back from his left hand injury. He told me he studied film of his shot in the 7 weeks he was out and worked on starting his shooting motion further away from his forehead and making the release "tighter." It's working so far.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 24, 2018
The release is pure and Love has been deadly from three since returning. Because he’s been playing the center position, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been forcing opponents to bring their best rim-protectors out to the three or leaving those players on the bench in favor of more mobile personnel.
The added space in the lane and the arrival of a certified second option have only served to make LeBron James more dangerous as well. It’s not about the scoring, as James’ ability to light up the scoreboard has always largely been up to him.
The playmaking, though, has changed. A playmaker is a player with the ability to be a threat to score and facilitate off-the-dribble. James has been averaging 34.0 points, 12.0 assists and 3.3 turnovers per game (on 56.3 percent shooting from the field and 40.0 percent shooting from three) since Love returned.
James averages 27.4 points, 9.1 assists and 4.3 turnovers per game this season on 54.7 percent shooting from the field and 36.7 percent shooting from three; James has been averaging 31.0 points, 9.8 assists and 3.8 turnovers on 55.5 percent shooting from the field and 39.7 percent shooting from three.
The triple-doubles are unlike now because of Love’s presence on the boards and now the return of Tristan Thompson and Larry Nance Jr. but Love’s presence, and what it has done for James, has been on display every minute he’s been on the court.
To add, it’s important to note that the importance of Love’s perimeter prowess isn’t confined to efficiency but extends itself to mismatches and the team’s ability to get out to big leads. Those type of leads invite opposing teams to shoot threes, play faster and make mistakes while a little more predictable.
The Cavaliers are 3-0 since Love’s return, having beaten Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks, the East-leading Toronto Raptors and the lowly Phoenix Suns.
They’ve scored over 120 points in each game, averaging 125.3 points per game. They average 110.9 points per game for the season, the fifth-highest average in the league.
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*All stats gathered from www.basketball-reference.com