Photo: David Richard, USA TODAY Sports
Is Kevin Love All-Star Worthy in 2016-17?
Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love believes he’s an All-Star caliber player in the NBA this season. Love, a three-time NBA All-Star, has yet to feature in an All-Star game since 2014.
The 28-year-old Love has had a strong campaign so far during the season, posting 21.7 points per game while shooting 45.8% from the field, while making 41.0% of his three-pointers. He grabs 10.7 rebounds, along with 1.7 assists per game as well.
”I think you come in every year hoping to play well, play your best and I believe in my heart every year — and it’s not like I forgot how to play — I’m an All-Star caliber player. I don’t necessarily need All-Star appearances to show that,” Love told Cleveland.com. “If we continue to win and we keep playing well I think there’s a goal and it’s within reach. But it’s not something I’m going out every night saying I have to be an All-Star.”
”I also think the fact that us winning a championship and winning changes a lot of people’s perspective on things and you don’t really know what that means until you go through that. I think that is different. You mentioned that being the end goal. You have individual goals, but it has to fit within the landscape of what we’re doing.”
LeBron James, a player who has been sharing the same side of the floor with Love for three years now, says it’s ”great” to have him.
”He’s the Kevin Love of old and this is everything we expected out of him,” James said. ”That’s what we want out of him. But there’s no added pressure for him. He’s going out and just playing his game right now. He’s at a point where he’s just comfortable with everything and it’s great to have him.”
Whether or not you think Love is an All-Star, you must admit he is having his best season yet with Cleveland. Sure, he’s not putting up monster numbers like he did in Minnesota, but he is getting the job done with the Cavaliers very consistently.
