Inside Kevin Love’s Case as Top 5 Cavs Player Ever

It’s hard to talk about Cavaliers greatness without mentioning Kevin Love. Acquired for two #1 overall picks back in 2014, he arrived with extremely high expectations. It was going to be title or bust for a player that didn’t even sniff the postseason during his Minnesota tenure.

From historic quarters to delivering defensively on the biggest stage, Love’s run in The Land was very special. Is he worthy of being considered a top-five player in franchise history?

Time to try and make the case.

Love’s Impressive Cleveland Tenure

It’s only fitting that as he celebrates his birthday (same date as Donovan Mitchell), that props are given to Kevin Love. He’s currently a free agent after spending last season with the Utah Jazz. He’s actually proven that his tank isn’t empty, with some strong showings during the year.

Anyway, let’s talk about Cleveland. Having to go from being the #1 option to #3 option is never easy, and Love did have his growing pains. The big man was still cooking on the glass, averaging 10+ rebounds during the team’s annual Finals runs from 2014-2018. A 2X All-Star as well, he shifted to playing primarily center in 2017-18 and turned a bit more heads statistically.

Most impressive though, was the quarter against Portland. The highest-scoring first quarter in the history of the league, Love dropped 34 in the opening frame. He hit 11 of 14 shots including 8-10 from 3PT. He helped LeBron James record seven dimes in a single quarter with his incredible shooting. And if not for Klay Thompson having a 37-point quarter (with nine threes and no misses at all), this would be talked about even more.

That was the peak of Love’s powers, when he just could not miss from anywhere. His greatest contribution though, lay in Game 7, 2016.

2016 Hero

Kevin Love’s first playoff run with the Cavs was cut extremely short in 2015. After locking arms with Kelly Olynyk, there was a bit of a situation, as Olynyk attempted to get free. By the time it was over, Love’s entire shoulder was dislocated, and he looked in extreme pain, eventually being helped off the floor.

While the team did make it all the way to the Finals, they didn’t have Love for the final three rounds. (They also lost Kyrie Irving multiple times.) And so when the next year rolled around, things would be different.

Though he battled a number of ailments in the 2016 postseason and missed a few games, Love was there when it mattered. Nobody remembers his stats from that day (Nine points, 14 rebounds, +19). That isn’t what the important part is.

With Cleveland holding a three-point lead following Irving’s incredible three-point basket, Love got switched onto Stephen Curry. And for the entire duration, he just got into him and didn’t budge an inch.

The best 3PT shooter in history missed the attempt with Love on him, and Cleveland got the ball back. That later became known as “The Stop”. They brought him there to win, and that’s exactly what he did in the biggest moment of the Cavs franchise history.

The Individual Accolades

After Kyrie Irving’s trade request was granted, LeBron James left for the Lakers, and the rebuild began, Kevin Love committed to the team. It was a massive deal at the time for him to be able to sign his four-year extension to stick around.

Injuries did plague Love for the next few seasons, but the team won a whole lot more when he was available to suit up. Love made 1,096 threes, good for second on the franchise leaderboard. Despite not being top 10 in games played, he is #6 in rebounds (#3 total in defensive rebounds).

The 10th-leading scorer among Cavs, just eight points behind Darius Garland. #8 in rebounds/game (#2 in defensive rebounds/game). 10th in both total win shares, and offensive win shares. 8th in VORP (ahead of both Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen).

Love did a lot of good in Cleveland. Health played a part in the later years, but his multiple All-Star berths, Finals heroics, and overall numbers surely give him a case to be a top-five Cavalier ever.

What do you think?

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