The Cleveland Cavaliers have seen their fair share of ups and downs in recent seasons, but Kevin Love has grown accustomed to blocking out the noise during the 2017-18 NBA season. The former UCLA standout says the Cavs actually thrive in the face of adversity according to Erik Gundersen of LeBron Wire.
As most hoops fans know, the Cavs have made it to the NBA Finals in each of the last three seasons. Whether it be by skill or fate, all three meetings came against the Golden State Warriors. Cleveland’s first trip to the Finals (2015) ended in defeat. Then, in 2016, the Cavs won their first championship, resulting in 1.3 million fans lining the streets of downtown Cleveland for a victory parade. However, they were again defeated in 2017. Now, with the 2017-18 season roughly 3/4 complete, the Cavs are on the same mission — making it to the NBA’s biggest stage.
Other factors have contributed to the “chaos.” Cavs fans have seen several players come and go in recent years, with this season being no different. In fact, Cleveland made wholesale changes to their roster just hours before this season’s trade deadline, sending out six players. In return, the Cavs received four new players: George Hill, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr., and Rodney Hood.
Love, now 29 years of age, has been dealing with a fractured bone in his hand. He’s not scheduled for surgery, but the ailment could keep him out of commission for up to eight weeks. If Love misses the expected amount of time, he’ll return to action with just two weeks remaining in the regular season, which is one more bit of drama that can be added to the Cavs’ plot line.
In his 48 appearances with the Cavs this season, Love has racked up some of the best statistical figures of his career, averaging 17.9 points on 46.3 percent shooting from the field (40.4 percent from beyond the arc), 9.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists — all while knocking down a career-high 88.3 percent of his free-throws.
The Cavs, now the third-ranked team in the Eastern Conference standings with a 34-22 overall record, will be back in action after this season’s All-Star break, as they’re scheduled to host the Washington Wizards inside Quicken Loans Arena. Tip-off is set for 8:00 p.m. EST with TNT having live broadcast coverage.
Cleveland has won four straight games since their trade deadline moves. Let’s see if they can keep their momentum rolling — chaotic or not.
