Cavs GM says Kevin Love likely done for playoffs, surgery a possibility
Kevin Love's first foray into NBA postseason play may be finished after only four games.
Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin said Tuesday at a press conference that it's highly unlikely the polarizing power forward will be able to return from a dislocated left shoulder before the playoffs are out, and that surgery is an option.
"I don't want there to be any expectation on Kevin he'll be back," Griffin said.
The damage to Love's shoulder - which was ripped out of its socket when he got tangled up with Boston Celtics center Kelly Olynyk on Sunday - is reportedly extensive.
According to Bleacher Report's Howard Beck, Love's labrum tore away from the bone. It will require a minimum of four-to-six weeks to heal, with surgery serving as a last resort in the event that the shoulder doesn't respond to treatment.
Beck adds that, according to a source, "There's virtually zero chance Love plays again this season, even if (the) Cavs make the Finals."
It seems like an appropriate (if cruel) end to what's been a difficult and mystifying season for Love. He had a strong start to his playoff career and finally seemed to be finding a groove, after dealing with a lingering back injury and largely struggling to fit in during the regular season.
LeBron James - with whom Love has had something of an ongoing, passive-aggressive feud with for the majority of the year - had been effusive in his praise for Love's playoff performance, crediting him for "an unbelievable series" against the Celtics.
Complicating things further is Love's potential free agency this summer, when he'll have the chance to opt out of the final year of his contract. He's said all the right things about wanting to stay in Cleveland long-term, but there have been murmurings about his desire to take his talents elsewhere (though perhaps not to Boston any longer).
Having the chance to win a title with the Cavs might've changed that equation, but it may not mean as much if Love is watching them win it from the sidelines.
The Cavs will be hard-pressed to accomplish that without Love, anyway. They have no way to replicate his ability to stretch the floor from the power forward position, and with Tristan Thompson likely sliding into the starting lineup, their bench will offer next to nothing in the way of frontcourt help.
James, for his part, says the team's goals haven't changed.
"We're a confident bunch," he said. "We have guys who can step up. No excuses."
"We're ready to face this challenge," added head coach David Blatt. "We're hungry."