Kevin Love Q&A: Evaluating the Warriors with Cavaliers rematch on tap
If anyone knows what it means to be an All-Star adjusting to an All-Star cast, and to have those around you evolving in turn, it’s the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kevin Love.
Sure, he’s not a former MVP like the Golden State Warriors’ offseason addition, Kevin Durant. But he is an elite player with rare insights into these sorts of nuanced matters, thus making his perspective worthy of sharing in anticipation of the Cavs-Warriors showdown at Oracle Arena on Monday night.
Love made three All-Star teams during his time the Minnesota Timberwolves (2008-14), but he hasn’t been back since coming to Cleveland via trade in Aug. 2014. This season, he is in the midst of his best as a Cavalier (21.2 points, 11 rebounds per game) while playing alongside four-time MVP LeBron James and three-time All-Star Kyrie Irving. It’s as good a reminder as any that – as the Warriors are learning this season – getting comfortable takes time when a team is loaded with this kind of talent.
Durant, who is leading the Warriors in scoring (26 points per game), rebounds (8.6 per) and blocks (1.65 per), has been fantastic. But his presence has affected the way the Warriors play -- and by extension, back-to-back MVP Stephen Curry. Ever since Curry had just 15 points (on four of 11 shooting) and three assists in the Cavs’ Christmas Day win, he’s been hearing about his diminished production (30.1 points per game last season to 24.7 this season; 45.4 three-point percentage to 39.7; 6.7 assists to 5.9).
Considering the Warriors are still a league-best 34-6, these are good problems to have. But as Love knows, these are also the kinds of schematic wrinkles that need to be ironed out by the time the playoffs roll around.
Love chatted with Paste BN Sports about the Warriors after the Cavs’ last game, a 120-108 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday.
Q: So what kind of takeaway do you have on these Warriors with (Durant) compared to the 73-win version, both from the Christmas Day game and just seeing them afar?
A: “It’s definitely a different dynamic there. They have guys who can really score the ball from all angles, plus they still have a number of players off the bench, including (Andre) Iguodala, and Shaun Livingston, who are so effective. They can put points up in bunches. KD (Durant) has done a great job of distributing (4.7 assists per game), and really rebounding the ball this year too. We’ve got to be ready. Especially on their home floor, they’re such a threat – getting out on the open court, springing for threes, getting out in transition, so it’s going to be a hard-fought game.
Q: It’s a weird question to ask considering they added a former MVP, but are they better than last season or can you tell yet?
A: “I think it’s hard to tell. It’s definitely different, because you lose (Andrew) Bogut (to the Dallas Mavericks via trade to make it possible to pay Durant), you lose (Harrison) Barnes (in restricted free agency), but you add KD and you still have guys like Draymond (Green), who’s a triple-double threat every night ... big guys who are able to handle the ball and you have Klay (Thompson), who can put up 60 (points) in three quarters.
“Steph is always going out there and being Steph, and you add a guy like KD who means so much to any team he’s on. It’s hard to say right now (if they’re better), but they’re going to make a lot of noise in the second half of the season. It takes a little bit of time – I know – learning to play together. I think between probably (Durant) and Steph, those are the guys who are the main focal point. And it’s funny to say that with Klay on the team, because he can get up points in bunches, but (Durant) has been able to fit in very quickly. Looking at it, you can see that they’re going to get better. That’s something that we did. That’s something that Miami did (when James joined Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh with the Heat in 2010), so it’s just one of those things where you’ve just got to stay healthy.”
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Q: How do you see the Steph situation? There’s been a lot of talk about his numbers taking a dip. Is he as much of a threat now in your guys’ eyes?
A: “Think about what happened (in adding Durant). Absolutely, (he’s as much of a threat). I think you find a way to make it work, and just continue to stay aggressive. But it’s not like I have to tell (Curry) that. The guys you’re talking about are very heady basketball players, so your bet would be that they figure it out. So as a team that might be playing them in the future, that’s when you’ve got to figure it out.”
Q: Where do you stand on the rivalry question? Just another game or something more?
A: “Best record in the league. They’re a team that, a lot like us, they get everybody’s best shot. Obviously the back and forth, and playing them back to back (in the Finals), Christmas Day…
Q: And the Halloween situation ...
A: “Ah, so stupid (referring to the reaction to it). But playing them in the Finals (two) years in a row, it definitely garners a lot of attention so there’s going to be a lot of eyes on that game.”