Kevin Love "highly unlikely" to Play in 2015 NBA Playoffs, GM Says

Kevin Love is “highly unlikely” to play in the 2015 playoffs due to his shoulder injury, Cleveland Cavaliers GM David Griffin said Tuesday.

Well, that sucks. Love waited seven years to finally make the playoffs, and in his 4th game, his shoulder was busted up by Kelly Olynyk in what Love later called a “bush league” play. Love actually had his best game in weeks in Game 3, making six three-pointers and scoring 23 points in a victory over the Celtics.

It was his highest scoring game since February 24th.

Love was an enigma for much of the season in Cleveland, having awful stretches at the defensive end, and looking lost offensively after being The Man in Minnesota. But to win the NBA title, Cleveland almost certainly needed Love.

What’s their strategy going to be at the PF now? Tristian Thompson usually spells Mozgov as opposed to play alongside him; perhaps they’ll shift LeBron to the 4, and insert Mike Miller or James Jones at the 3? Love wasn’t great defensively, but Miller/Jones is a still a major downgrade.

Once JR Smith returns from his 2-game suspension, the Cavs could tinker with an Irving-Smith-Shumpert-LeBron-Thompson group, which would be thin inside, but it’s not like Joakim Noah is an offensive monster. They might be slightly defensively. The Bulls could counter with Rose-Butler-Snell-Mirotic-Gasol. Yes, the Bulls still have to get past the Bucks, but as a quick reminder: No NBA team has ever rallied from a 0-3 deficit to win a series.

I think the Cavs can still get out of the East without Love – I’m not ready to take the Hawks seriously, and the Wizards aren’t beating LeBron four times – but beating the Warriors in the NBA Finals seems extremely unlikely. The best offensive team in the NBA against a bottom third defensive unit? Compounded by the fact that scoring could be a challenge without the potential of Love’s 3-point bombing (42 percent against Boston the 1st round) gone?