Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love was added to the team’s injury update with lower back spasms before the team takes on the Houston Rockets on Thursday, according to multiple sources. He was listed as “questionable” along with Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell. However, Love was eventually ruled out just before tip-off.
Love will now miss his first game since he sat out of matchups against the Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder. Love was listed as out despite working through a “fairly intense” shooting workout as the media was allowed inside Cavs practice the Friday before. Forwards Cedi Osman and Isaac Okoro, as well as center Robin Lopez, all earned minutes in his absence, combining for 18 points and four rebounds against the Thunder.
A consistent player in the Cavs rotation, Kevin Love has suited up for 41 of the team’s 49 matchups. The 34-year-old forward is averaging 8.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists for the Cavs this season, playing as a reliever for an average of 20 minutes per game.
Love was good to go for the team’s first game against the Toronto Raptors, suiting up for the Cavs when the team traveled to Toronto after Bickerstaff said he did not have any injury restrictions. Love scored eight points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished two assists in 20 minutes.
Both Kevin Love and Mitchell, along with forward Dean Wade, broke the record for the most 3-pointers made by a trio of teammates when they sank 22 long-range shots against the New York Knicks. The Cavs shot 46% from the 3-poiont line as a whole, with both Love and Mitchell making 61.5% of their 3-point attempts in front of over 19,000 fans in Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
Mitchell will miss tonight’s matchup with what head coach J.B. Bickerstaff described as groin soreness.
The Cavs will tip off against the Rockets at 8 p.m. EST on Thursday in the Toyota Center. The game will be broadcasted on Bally Sports Ohio.