As Cavs€™ Love searches for rhythm, game against Raptors was his best ...
By Jason Lloyd Akron Beacon Journal (TNS) First Posted: November 23, 2014 - 7:02 pmLast Updated: November 23, 2014 - 7:09 pm Organizations: Subjects: Places:CLEVELAND - He was hesitant to discuss it, given all the attention he received last week, but if there was a bright spot to emerge from two dreary weekend losses, it might be the progress Kevin Love flashed within the Cavaliers€™ offense.
After a bizarre week of exchanges between LeBron James and Love, James conceded before Saturday’s loss to the Toronto Raptors that he has to do a better job of incorporating Love into the offense where he’s most comfortable.
That occurred in the first quarter Saturday, when Love scored 10 points and began working more in the post. He ended with a season-high 23 points and perhaps a clearer understanding of how he can operate within this offense.
“I thought I was getting good looks, good shots. As far as making quick decisions, I thought I did that well,†Love said. “But I don’t want to make this about me, because it’s not.â€
Love is understandably shy to draw even more attention to his role. He made it clear last week he was having difficulty finding his rhythm within this system, to which James said if he wants the ball more in the post, all he has to do is ask. Love admitted he hadn’t really spoken to James about moving inside more.
“As the leader of the team, I have to do a good job of communicating with him,†James said. “He has to do a good job of communicating with me, what he wants, what he sees, and I’ll [make] a conscious effort of getting him in the rhythm of the game.â€
The Cavs won’t reach their full potential until Love hits his stride. A decrease in touches and scoring from last season - when he averaged a career-best 26.1 points - was certainly expected. But he has failed to score at least 20 points in eight of the first 12 games. He didn’t have eight games below 20 points last season until Jan. 12 in his 36th game.
“We want to help Kev,†Cavaliers coach David Blatt said. “He needs to be involved and he needs to involve himself. And it’s our job to help him.â€
James spent six years running pick-and-rolls with Anderson Varejao. Kyrie Irving spent his first three years in the league doing the same. Perhaps that’s why both players tend to gravitate toward Varejao, who is an excellent pick-and-roll player.
Love is effective in pick-and-rolls as well, particularly pick-and-pops, but he has been reduced to little more than a spot-up shooter who felt for weeks his role was to remain on the perimeter.
Love has set just 149 screens in 433 minutes, according to exclusive data compiled by STATS SportVU and shared with the Beacon Journal. Varejao, however, has set 222 screens in 323 minutes. Even Tristan Thompson has set more screens than Love (180) in considerably fewer minutes (281).
Put another way, Varejao sets a screen every one minute, 27 seconds he’s on the court. Thompson sets one every one minute, 34 seconds. Love is setting a screen every two minutes, 54 seconds.
“Whether my number is called or not, I’m doing what’s being asked of me and doing it to the best of my ability,†Love said after Friday’s loss at Washington. “Whether that’s getting the best Kevin Love or not remains to be seen. It’s still early.â€
In an effort to get more out of his bench players, who were outscored 91-28 in the two weekend losses, Blatt has hinted at lineup changes as soon as Monday’s home game against the Orlando Magic. His options seem limited, given the presence of the Big Three, although Blatt just might be daring enough to try something drastic.
Yahoo Sports reported last week that Blatt is eager to experiment and break away from NBA traditions. He has even gone so far as to say James is the only entrenched starter in his mind, and whoever starts at the other four positions isn’t really important. But it’s highly doubtful he could do something so drastic as bench one of his stars this early into the season (and his NBA career). What seems more likely is removing Shawn Marion from the starting rotation and replacing him with either rookie Joe Harris or veteran Mike Miller.
None of that, however, should make much of an impact on Love, who has to find and maintain his rhythm offensively.
While his opportunities have been reduced, Love is struggling to convert what few he is getting. He is just 4-for-20 on shots out of pick-and-roll opportunities, according to the STATS SportVU data. That helps explain how his shooting percentages around the basket are so low. Love is shooting 52 percent (17-for-33) on shots at the rim and 34 percent (12-for-35) on shots between 3 and 9 feet.
“If I keep getting those shots, I’ll be happy with it,†Love said. “They just need to go in for me and it’s going to help all of us.â€
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