Kevin Love is active and will start for the Cleveland Cavaliers in their game against the Utah Jazz, Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue announced before Thursday’s game. Love has been sidelined since Feb. 14 after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
Kevin Love returns for Cavaliers after missing 13 games with knee surgery
Love had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in early February.
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
It’s good timing for Cleveland, who has struggled since the All-Star break and is only 3-5 in March. Given J.R. Smith’s recent return from injury, Love will put the Cavaliers back at nearly full strength. (Kyle Korver remains banged up with a sore foot.)
The injury cost Love 13 games during his best season yet with Cleveland. In his first 46 appearances, Love had been averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds while hitting 38 percent on threes — all highs since joining the Cavaliers.
It’s true that the Cavaliers’ slump has been mostly caused by their defense, third-worst in the league since the All-Star break, but Love’s return will help return a sense of normalcy to the roster. By moving players back into their traditional role, Cleveland hopes to return to where it was last year, when it finished the season 10th best in defensive rating. It’s been more than 15 years since a team with a defense worse than top-10 has won a championship.
Either way, Love is surely glad to be back. He had hinted at his imminent return earlier this week with this Instagram post lacking any context.
He’ll immediately have his work cut out for him headed up against Utah’s potent front court.
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