The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
If Love’s slump is in past, NBA beware
Five takeaways from the Cavaliers’ 128-110 win over the Raptors May 3 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals:
• Was that real the Kevin Love we saw in the first half, or a blip in what has been rough playoffs so far?
Love entered Game 2 averaging 10.9 points, and shooting just 32 percent from the field in the postseason. He struggled in Game 1, with seven points on 3 of 13 shooting.
In the first half of Game 2, Love looked rejuvenated.
He finished the first half with 18 points and seven rebounds. But the way Love started the game had to bring a smile to Coach Tyronn Lue. Instead of settling for 3-pointers, Love was aggressive going to the rim, and it was a smart move by him and the coaching staff.
Numerous times, the 6-foot-10 Love found himself on mismatches — many times on 6-foot Kyle Lowery. Every time, he took it to the rim and the payoff was 7 of 14 shooting in the first two quarters. The one time he didn’t, the result was a miss on a fadeaway turnaround shot.
The Cavs didn’t need Love as much in the second half, as a LeBron James barrage buried the Raptors and put them in a 2-0 series hole. Love finished with 31 points and 11 rebounds.
• A call that went James’ way was a huge boost for the Cavs with 45 seconds remaining in the first half.
James drove out of control in the lane before dishing to the corner. The play resulted in a collision between James and Lowry, who was clearly in position. However, the call was a block on Lowry, his third foul of the first half. Then, at the 10 minute, 24 second mark of the third quarter, Lowry picked up his fourth foul.
From there, the air seemed to slowly leak from the Raptors’ collective tires, and the Air Canada Centre crowd. Lowry was huge for Toronto in the first half with 18 points, but that was it.
• It’s been subtle moves by Lue the last two games, but perhaps he’s onto something. James has rested the first two games of the series at the threeminute mark of the opening quarter. Each time, he hasn’t returned until the start of the second quarter.
It’s not like James to talk about being tired, but he did that after the Pacers series went seven games.
The moves to rest James —who torched Toronto with 15 points in the third quarter of Game 2 — early in games might not seem like much, but the payoff could come later in the playoffs if the Cavs advance to the East finals and NBA Finals.
• Kyle Korver seems a bit out of place in the starting lineup. He seems better suited as an instant-offense option off the bench. He was replaced by Tristan Thompson at the 5:54 mark of the first quarter. Korver finished with five points.
• ESPN flashed this interesting tidbit during its telecast: James now trails Michael Jordan by six for most 30-point playoff games. Jordan has 109, James 103. Expect that mark to go down this postseason.