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Love’s Return: Cavs’ big man thriving in second postseason

FILE - In this May 6, 2016, file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) walks off the court after the second half of Game 3 of the second-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks, in Atlanta. Love never made the NBA playoffs in six seasons with Minnesota and his first appearance last year for Cleveland ended after four games because of an injury. But now healthy and playing at an All-Star level again, the Cavaliers’ forward is leading the so-far-perfect Cavaliers in the postseason. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
FILE - In this May 6, 2016, file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) walks off the court after the second half of Game 3 of the second-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks, in Atlanta. Love never made the NBA playoffs in six seasons with Minnesota and his first appearance last year for Cleveland ended after four games because of an injury. But now healthy and playing at an All-Star level again, the Cavaliers’ forward is leading the so-far-perfect Cavaliers in the postseason. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File) FILE - In this May 6, 2016, file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) walks off the court after the second half of Game 3 of the second-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks, in Atlanta. Love never made the NBA playoffs in six seasons with Minnesota and his first appearance last year for Cleveland ended after four games because of an injury. But now healthy and playing at an All-Star level again, the Cavaliers’ forward is leading the so-far-perfect Cavaliers in the postseason. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

By Associated Press 4 min read

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) – When the so-far-perfect Cavaliers held on in Game 4 and finished their sweep of overmatched Atlanta, LeBron James threw both arms around Kevin Love and hugged his teammate tightly, appearing almost afraid to let him go.

James knows he can’t lose Love again.

One year after Love’s first playoff appearance ended with a dislocated left shoulder, an injury that wrecked Cleveland’s chances of winning an NBA title, the versatile big man is playing at an All-Star level and perhaps the biggest reason the Cavs are 8-0 in the postseason.

Through two rounds, Love is averaging 18.9 points, 12.5 rebounds and shooting 44 percent (28 of 63) on 3-pointers. The Cavs, who knocked down a league-record 25 3s in one game and 77 in their series against the Hawks, are outgunning everyone including trigger-happy Golden State in these playoffs.

“Kev is just being Kev,” explained James, whose on-court relationship with Love has been analyzed for two seasons. “He’s a workhorse, a guy who is giving us 19 and 12 in the postseason and has eight straight double-doubles. No, he’s not the Kev in Minnesota. He’s the Kev in Cleveland.”