It’s no secret that Kevin Love is the number one option on the Cleveland Cavaliers and is the engine for their offense, and Saturday’s game against the Indiana Pacers showcased that once again.
The Cleveland Cavaliers needed to get more out of their best player, big Kevin Love, than they got out of him in the team’s 2019-20 season opener at the Orlando Magic.
As KJG’s own Tyler Marling emphasized, the Cavs needed more than just 11 points on 10 shot attempts from Love, and part of that was Love’s own doing and not being aggressive enough.
Part of it was seemingly that they weren’t getting him enough touches in productive spots, and though Love did have three assists in that one and had some opportunities for others, it was evident that head coach John Beilein and the Cavaliers needed to get Love going more.
Beilein hit on how the Cavaliers needed to get their star more actively in the offense with the media on Friday, as was transcribed by Basketball Insiders’ Spencer Davies.
Beilein says key to Kevin Love's touches is getting him open and everybody executing and seeing that when it happens. When he did have the ball, #Cavs numbers were good. Working on it and "we're crazy" if Love doesn't see more action on offense.
— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) October 25, 2019
Playing off that, the Cavs made a concerted effort to feature Love, and he made a huge impact as a scorer and facilitator in the team’s home opener against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday.
I’m not going to overreact to one game here and expect “Minnesota Love” to suddenly reappear in every game for Cleveland.
That being said, 21 points, 13 rebounds and most notably, nine assists from Love versus Indy (per ESPN) was encouraging.
Love, though 19 of his 21 points came in the first half, was involved continuously throughout the game, and again showed that he’s clearly the engine for the Cavs’ offense and for Beilein.
Love was able to get to quality spots on the floor, and was able to get to go-to jabs in the mid-post area, where he’s very capable, and Love shot three-of-five from three-point land.
Additionally, when the Pacers doubled Love, which was more often the case in the second half, he was routinely able to find cutters, such as Tristan Thompson (who had 25 points and even made his first career three-pointer) and Collin Sexton.
Beilein has often touched on how he wants to feature Love, along with Larry Nance Jr. when he’s on the floor, as playmakers.
With the way those two have really good passing feel, and with Love especially, being able to draw a considerable amount of defensive attention with his inside-out scoring presence, it’s again clear that Love can free up his teammates.
Rookie guard Darius Garland, who is the Cavs’ primary playmaker of the future but is also a heck of a shooter both off-the-dribble and off-the-catch, also was more open at times due to Love’s presence and with Love’s ability to create for teammates, Garland should get plenty of open looks from Love deliveries.
Garland buried a triple that was key to the Cleveland Cavaliers eventually sealing their first victory of 2019-20, which came in a convenient time.
The Cavs had a “moment of celebration” for the late Fred McLeod (who will be honored throughout this season) and his presence was felt throughout the game, as Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor detailed, and it was also a time when the Cavs had on their “Classic” 1990’s edition throwback uniforms with a throwback-themed floor to match.
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Numerous Cavaliers legends, such as Mark Price and Brad Daugherty, who took part in calling the game as well, were in attendance and were honored, too, along with play-by-play man and former terrific Cavs guard Austin Carr, of course.
That was really cool.
Anyway, it is again no secret that Love is the first option on the Cavs and that he’s clearly the engine for their offense, and this Pacers game just highlighted that even more.
Knocking on wood here, let’s just hope for Beilein and company, and for the continued development of pieces such as Sexton, Garland and young wing Cedi Osman, that Love can stay healthy this season.
Nobody on the Cleveland Cavaliers can impact games on the offensive end the way Love can, and really either at the 4 or 5.
The Cavs’ man and ball movement, though it did slow down in the fourth quarter too much, is so much better in a general sense, when Love’s firmly in the fold.
Please stay healthy, K-Love.