Despite the barrage of transactions just before this year’s trade deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers apparently are still in need of help. While they can no longer make transactions with other teams, the Cavs could get that lift from someone that is already on their roster in the form of Kevin Love.
Love has not seen action in over a month as of this writing because of a broken left hand, but the veteran power forward could return to action earlier than what was on his recovery timetable, according to a report by Tom Withers of the Associated Press.
The All-Star forward, sidelined since Jan. 29 with a broken left hand, said Friday he could return sooner than expected. The initial timetable was for him to be out two months.
“If I can get back before eight weeks, great,” he said. “So I’m hoping that that is the case.”
Love also shared how his progress is going so far.
“One of the things I can do now is kind of catch the ball, guide it and shoot it within 12-15 feet so that feels good to do something other than run on the treadmill or run on the bike so it’s nice,” he said.
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Kevin Love, a “remnant” of the Cavaliers team from the first half of this season, is an integral figure for the defending Eastern Conference champions. The former UCLA Bruin was averaging 17.9 points on 46.3 percent shooting from the floor and 9.4 rebounds per game before he got sidelined.
The Cavs have a thin frontcourt right now with only Tristan Thompson and Larry Nance Jr. sharing most of the responsibilities patrolling the shaded area, though Love is not particularly known as a defensive threat, his return will nonetheless be a shot in the arm for Cleveland, which surrenders 46.6 points per game.
