No Love lost
Cavs big man returns to lineup after concussion
OAKLAND, Calif. — Kevin Love was back for the Cavs for Game 1.
The team announced earlier Thursday that Love had completed the NBA’s Concussion Return to Play Program and would play Game 1 of The Finals against the Warriors. Love banged heads with Boston’s Jayson Tatum in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals and was forced to sit out the decisive seventh-game victory.
Love scored 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in 39 minutes of action in the Cavaliers’ 124-114 OT loss to the Warriors.
“He’s excited,” coach Tyronn Lue said before the game. “He was happy for the guys that they pulled him along because he was out, he wanted to play in Game 7, but in concussion protocol, he couldn’t, so he’s excited. As a coach, he’s been great the past couple days so I’m excited for him.”
On Wednesday, during the media availability session from which Love was excused, the general feeling was Love would play.
“It didn’t surprise me. I’m glad he’s playing,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We want everybody playing. We want everybody healthy and out there competing so I’m happy for him.”
Kerr is dealing with his own significant injury loss in Andre Iguodala who was sidelined for Game 1 with a leg bruise but hopes to be ready for Game 2 on Sunday.
“Just the usual stuff,” Kerr said when asked what Iguodala would do before Game 2. “The training staff will put him through any court work and any kind of assessment and then they’ll tell us if he’s ready or not.”
Iguodala is potentially a huge loss. The 2015 Finals MVP is a tough defender who usually is thrown on LeBron James. Most folks would prefer being thrown on a live grenade.
“He has very, very quick hands. That doesn’t get talked about a lot,” James said of Iguodala, explaining his defensive grit. “His ability to react to the ball either in the flight or while you’re dribbling or while you pick the ball up. But at the end of the day, his athleticism allows him to play some of the premier perimeter players in our league. He’s a guy that’s [6-foot-8], long wingspan, athletic. He’s been like that since he was at Arizona. He’s just added to his game every single season he’s been in the NBA. I’ve played against him throughout my career, throughout his entire career since he got to the league.”