Cavs' Love on current role: 'I'm not a stretch-four ... just doing what I'm called to do'

11 years ago

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

For all intents and purposes, Kevin Love is enjoying a solid season in Cleveland, averaging 17 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists on a True Shooting Percentage of 56.0.

But when you're coming off of a 26, 12 and four season as a No. 1 option, and your current team traded a young phenom for you, 17, 10 and two can seem somewhat underwhelming.

A large part of the problem is that Love has been reduced to a floor stretching, three-point specialist as a third option behind LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, and the three-time All-Star is aware of it.

He just wants you to know that he's filling the role that has been asked of him, not chosen by him.

"I heard some people calling me that but I know I'm not a stretch-four," Love told the Cleveland Plain-Dealer's Chris Haynes after Friday's loss to the Atlanta Hawks, when 10 of the the big man's 11 field goal attempts came behind the arc. "I'm a post player who can shoot," Love added.

"Right now I'm just doing what I'm called to do. For good, bad or indifferent, I'm playing my role and doing what's asked of me. Tonight, I stayed out on the perimeter."

Three-point shooting has been an increasing component of Love's offensive game in each of his seven seasons, with long range attempts making up more than 40 percent of the power forward's shots this season. But Love has a point, as David Blatt's Cavaliers certainly shoulder a chunk of the blame with respect to misusing Love.

His post touches decreasing is one thing, but the biggest problem with how the Cavs have used Love is the decrease in his elbow touches, where they should put the ball in his hands more and utilize his superb passing ability for a big.

After all, Love took more than 35 percent of his shots from behind the arc last season in Minnesota, but it didn't affect him getting the ball at the elbows.