Several players stepped up in a big way for the Cleveland Cavaliers in Wednesday night’s 132-129 win over the Toronto Raptors, including Kevin Love, who knocked down his 1,000th career 3-point field goal in the second half.
In what was his second game back since returning from a broken hand, Love logged 30 minutes of playing time, scoring 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field (4-of-6 from beyond the arc), 12 rebounds, four assists, and one steal.
Without a doubt, having Love back in the lineup is making a difference for the Cavs. The former UCLA standout spoke with ESPN after Wednesday’s win.
“I felt okay, actually,” Love said during his post-game interview. “After that first wind, I thought I was good, but going into that second quarter, battling with big Valenciunas and getting up and down… that second wind was tough for me. So I had to get in at halftime, catch myself and come out in the second half with a lot more energy.
“I thought overall as a team, we did that,” Love continued. “(We) fought back from 15 points down at halftime and were able to make a big push in the second half to give us the win.”
The Raptors jumped out to a 15 point lead at the halftime mark of Wednesday night’s game (79-64). However, improved defense and a barrage of threes allowed the Cavs to close the gap to just one point after three quarters of play (99-98).
The Cavs — now the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference standings with a 42-29 overall record — will be back in action on Friday night, as they’re scheduled to wrap up their three-game home stand with a matchup against the Phoenix Suns. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. EST with FOX Sports Ohio and FOX Sports Arizona having live broadcast coverage.