It appears that Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love is still at least a month away from returning to full health.
Love appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers on Friday and gave an update on his separated shoulder.
"I feel great," Love told Meyers. "I actually spent three weeks in Park City, Utah at the Olympic training facility there, rehabbed my shoulder, got in great shape. I’m probably a month, month and a half away from returning. I don’t want to set an immediate timeline, but I feel really good."
This latest update conflicts with a report published in August which suggested that Love would be cleared before training camp, which begins in two weeks.
In the meantime, according to Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Love has been working on his core strength to reinforce his post game.
Love sustained his injury in the Cavaliers' first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics. The 27-year-old got tangled up with Celtics center Kelly Olynyk, and the injury knocked Love out for the remainder of Cleveland's playoff push.
The Cavaliers seemed to manage just fine without Love in the playoffs last year, however, as LeBron James willed his injury-riddled squad to within two games of winning the title. Love's vacated minutes were eaten up by Tristan Thompson, whose defense and hustle made him into something of a breakout star in the national spotlight.
Thompson remains locked in a contract dispute with the Cavaliers, but the defense-first power forward figures to be on the team next season regardless of whether he signs a long-term deal, or his one-year qualifying offer.
Ultimately, even if Love sits out for another six weeks, he should still be ready to go in time for Cleveland's season opener. Otherwise, James might find himself starting this season the same way he ended last year: without both Love and guard Kyrie Irving.
- With h/t to Pro Basketball Talk
