Bogut: People calling Love soft are 'idiots'

As someone whose experienced what it's like to have a concussion and the symptoms that follow, Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut can sympathize with what Kevin Love is currently going through.

Love wasn't medically cleared to play in the Cleveland Cavaliers' 120-90 win over the defending NBA champions in Game 3 of the NBA Finals after being placed in the league's concussion protocol. The three-time All-Star was elbowed in the back of the head by Harrison Barnes at Oracle Arena in Game 2.

"There's probably people calling Kevin Love soft and those people are idiots," Bogut said on Thursday. "You don't mess around with the brain."

The 7-foot Aussie was diagnosed with a concussion after a head-to-head collision with Dante Cunningham of the New Orleans Pelicans in Golden State's season opener, which forced him to sit out the following six games.

At the time, Bogut's fiancee told him that his "whole personality was different" because of the concussion. He later said that it was the worst injury of his career and a frightening experience for him.

Love was reportedly "really frustrated" that Cleveland's doctors wouldn't clear him for Game 3, which Bogut can appreciate because he knows how tedious the testing can be.

Nonetheless, Bogut is happy the protocol is in place, understanding the good it does in keeping players healthy in the present, but also well down the road.

"You can be a hero now in the NBA Finals in 2016 and in 2021 you will be sucking food through a straw," he said. "And you won't give a (expletive) about what you did in 2016."

The Warriors currently own a 2-1 series lead over the Cavaliers in this year's Finals, with Game 4 taking place on Friday at Quicken Loans Arena.