Kevin Love brings his special talent to the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team following last month's trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves, Love joins LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Anderson Varejao, others for a possible 2015 NBA title, Cavaliers General Manger Kevin Griffin says that Love is another asset to the team: By Cleveland Urban News.Com Sportswriter Karl Kimbrough
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| Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player Kevin Love |
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| Cleveland Urban News.Com Sportswriter Karl Kimbrough |
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| Cleveland Cavaliers ballplayers Kyrie Irving (left) and Anderson Varejao |
Now that Love has joined LeBron James, who returned this year to the Cavaliers as a free agent after four years and two national championship titles with the Miami Heat, , and given other team talent like Kyrie Irving and Anderson Varejao, Cavaliers fans are hoping for a 2015 NBA title.
Simply put, the three-team trade, which also involved the Philadelphia 76ers, brought Love to Cleveland and saw the Timberwolves get Wiggins, 2013 Cleveland draft pick Anthony Bennett, and Thaddeus Young from Philadelphia, a $6.3 million trade exception. The 76ers got Minnesota's Alex Shved, a guard, and forward Luc Mbah, also from Minnesota, as well as an upcoming 2015 first-round draft pick of choice.
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| Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player LeBron James, also known as "King James," and one of the world's most talent athletes' |
In this microwave society,
if Wiggins can not produce instantly then he would not be embraced by
the Cavaliers' fan base, nor would he be a suitor for LeBron in the
King's championship quest. In contrast, Love is currently in the
prime of his career and has already proven to be a special talent.
After announcing the trade, Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin said that securing Kevin Love was in the team's best interest.
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| Cavaliers General Manger David Griffin |
The special and unique
opportunity that Griffin spoke of is in direct relation to Love's
special skills. Listening to several Cavaliers' fans describe Love, it
is clear that a lot of them only see him as a rebounding, three point
shooting, and a stretch four or power forward. But what the Cavaliers
have acquired in Love is truly much more.
When James was asked about
Loves' abilities he pointed out that Love's basketball IQ is what
impressed him the most, not his 26 points and 12.5 rebounds per
game. LeBron's perspectives of Love's abilities may be surprising,
yet they are revealing as well, especially when you consider that
Love's 2014 stat line of 26 points 12.5 rebounds and over four
assists per game had not been accomplished since the NBA/ABA merger
back in 1976. The last two players to do it were Kareem Abdul Jabbar
and Bob McAdoo, who are both in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
James' assessment though
reveals how important and unusual it is for a player to have the
intelligence and wisdom to use his skill set to dominate his opponent
both physically and mentally. To James what is more important, he
contends, is how Love scores, rebounds and assists, instead of what
his stats are. Why? It is not because he will obviously be better on
a team with more talent. Rather, it is seemingly because Love's high
basketball IQ will allow him to use his teammates to manipulate
defenses while making himself and his teammates better. It is also
obvious that James sees a lot of his own talents in Love, which
proves that you don't have to be a great athlete to be a great
basketball player in today's NBA.
The assumption, which many
have made, that Love is mainly a three point floor spacer is not
true. James will finally have the opportunity to play with someone
who he can playoff of, who can create for him and, and who can
potentially make him a better basketball player. This is what makes
Love special and unique in today's NBA, supporters say.
Love, like LeBron, is a
connector. He excels at connecting his teammates to their strength.
He will give them a pass where they are most comfortable shooting the
ball as his four point four assists per game indicates. His court
awareness is very similar to LeBron's. In fact, with James and Love
teaming up, Cleveland fans will have an opportunity to see the closes
replication of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson on the floor together
since the “Dream Team,”. Love can also step inside the three
point line and put the ball on the floor like a guard and shoot the
mid range shot. He can play with his back to the basket in the low
post or turn and face the basket and put his defender in a blender
with the array of moves he possesses. Many of the best post defenders
in the league have found themselves needing help to guard him in the
paint, as he is adept at using his wide body to make left and right
handed hooks as well as step back jumpers and drop steps.
The defensive end of the
floor is where there are some questions about Love's game. He has not
necessarily demonstrated the foot quickness or athleticism to guard
his position at a high level. It is well known that good defense is
needed to win championships. The Cavaliers are hoping the smell of a
championship will get Love hopping a little faster, but they will
probably need to add a rim protector to protect Love's weak side.
Love does provide great rebounding on defense though. In fact, he
finished third in the league in rebounding in 2014.
At only 25 years old Love
became the first player in NBA history to garner 2,000 points, 900
rebounds and 100 three pointers in a season. Love also set a
Minnesota record with 520 free throws made and attempted with 633,
which speaks to his ability to use his body to create contact. The
three time All Star and two time all NBA player is a special talent
indeed. Hopefully by bringing his special talent to Cleveland, this
will be a year to remember for the Cavaliers and their fans. (www.clevelandurbannews.com) / (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com)
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