The Cleveland Cavaliers’ pursuit of an NBA title this season will go on without the services of Kevin Love.
Cavaliers general manager David Griffin told reporters Tuesday that Love likely will miss the remainder of the playoffs after dislocating his shoulder during Sunday’s first-round series-clinching win over the Boston Celtics.
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Howard Beck of Bleacher Report shared additional details, reporting Love’s injury could require surgery.
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Love suffered the injury when Celtics center Kelly Olynyk yanked his arm as the two battled for a rebound. The move earned Olynyk a one-game suspension, the first of his two-year NBA career.
Olynyk maintained he did not intend to injure Love.
In addition to Love’s injury, the Cavs also will have to deal with the two-game suspension to starting shooting guard J.R. Smith after Smith took out Celtics forward Jae Crowder with a spinning backhand. Smith will miss the first two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals, in which the Cavs will take on either the Chicago Bulls or the Milwaukee Bucks.
“We’ve dealt with adversity all year long,” Griffin said, via ESPN.com’s Dave McMenamin. “We have a lot of grown-ass men in that locker room.”
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
