NBA – Accustomed to long playoff campaigns with the Cavs of the LeBron James era, the interior is now accustomed to this other status with the Heat.
« I don’t think we’re outsiders. We are facing them, and they could say the same thing about us. » Thus expressed Kevin Lovein May 2017 when he was still wearing the Cavs jersey, and was preparing to face the Warriors again, in the NBA finals.
Alongside LeBron James and Kyrie Irving at the time, the interior had a string of appearances on the highest NBA stages. And even found a way to return there years later, last season, in another jersey, that of the Heat. A historic epic for a team that came out of the play-in.
In summary, the 35-year-old interior went from his good years within a team expected at the top of the East, to a less expected formation, which likes to play with predictions year after year. “ There were so many expectations, we expected us to go to the final, or even win it. Having this kind of change in expectation or identity brings a totally different look and feel to the playoffs. », Describes the 2016 NBA champion.
« It’s like the hunter versus the hunted. I feel like that underdog mentality and being overlooked was part of our identity last year, because the highest drafted player was Cody Zeller (editor’s note: 4th choice in 2013), then me and Bam (Adebayo). So we adopted that mentality last year, in addition to being a play-in team that qualified for eighth place », pursues the 5th pick of the 2008 Draft to the Sun Sentinel.
Aware of his level in defense
The veteran in his 16th NBA season says he appreciates this status of “ hunter », while the Heat aims for an equalization
next night, at 2-2, against the Celtics, number 1 in the conference and ultra favorites of this series, and even of the entire playoffs in the East.
Given his age, Kevin Love obviously no longer has the same role in Miami compared to Cleveland. Author of 7 points during Game 1 in Boston, he did not score in the following two games and had to be content with 10 minutes played in total. A development which does not seem to bother him, he who is aware that the Celtics require a lot of changes in defense.
However, the former Wolves player is aware of his limits in this sector. “ I know what I am capable of in attack. But I think that chasing these guys out of screens and changing, that hasn’t always been my thing, let’s put it that way… »
« It’s no different from last year. I played the first three matches, I think, then we inserted Haywood (Highsmith) for the next four matches and we ended up winning in seven matches “, recalls the veteran in reference to last year’s conference final against the same opponents.
Kevin Love Percentage Rebounds Season Team MJ Min Shots 3pts LF Off Def Tot Pd Fte Int Bp Ct Pts 2008-09 MIN 81 25 45.9 10.5 78.9 3.4 5.7 9.1 1.0 2.5 0.4 1.5 0.6 11.1 2009-10 MIN 60 2 9 45.0 33.0 81.5 3.8 7.2 11.0 2.3 2.3 0.7 2.0 0.4 14.0 2010-11 MIN 73 36 47.0 41.7 85.0 4.5 10.7 15.2 2.5 2.0 0.6 2.1 0.4 20.2 2011-12 MIN 55 39 44.8 37.2 8 2.4 4.1 9.2 13.4 2.0 2.8 0.9 2.3 0.5 26.0 2012-13 MIN 18 34 35.2 21.7 70.4 3.6 10.4 14.0 2.3 1.9 0.7 2.2 0.5 18.3 2013-14 MIN 77 36 45.7 37.6 82.1 2.9 9.6 12.5 4.4 1.8 0.8 2.6 0.5 26.1 2014-15 75 34 43.4 36.7 80.4 1.9 7.9 9.8 2.2 1.9 0.7 1.6 0.5 16.4 2015-16 CLE 77 32 41.9 36.0 82.2 1.9 8.0 9.9 2.4 2.1 0.8 1.8 0.5 16.0 2016-17 CLE 60 31 42.7 37.3 87.1 2.5 8.6 11.1 1.9 2.1 0.9 2.0 0.4 19.0 2017-18 CLE 59 28 45.8 41.5 88.0 1.7 7.5 9.3 1.8 2.0 0.7 1.5 0.4 17.6 2018-19 CLE 22 27 38.5 36.1 90.4 1.5 9.4 10.9 2.2 2.5 0.3 1.9 0.2 17.0 2019-20 CLE 56 32 45.0 37.4 85.4 1.0 8.8 9.8 3.2 1.6 0. 6 2.5 0.3 17.6 2020-21 CLE 25 25 40.9 36.5 82.4 0.7 6.8 7.4 2.5 1.0 0.6 1.5 0.1 12.2 2021-22 CLE 74 23 43.0 39.2 83.8 1.2 6.1 7.2 2.2 1.4 0.4 1.3 0.2 13.6 2022-23 * All Teams 62 20 38.9 33.4 87.9 1.0 5.5 6.4 1.9 1.6 0.3 1.1 0.2 8.2 2022-23 * KEY 41 20 38.9 35.4 88.9 1.0 5.8 6.8 1.9 1.6 0.2 1.2 0.2 8.5 2022-23 * MIA 21 20 38.8 29.7 85.7 0.8 4.9 5.7 1.9 1.5 0.4 1.1 0.2 7.7 2023-24 M AI 55 17 44.0 34.4 78.7 1.1 5.1 6.2 2.1 1.8 0.3 0.9 0.2 8.8 Total 929 29 43.9 36.9 82.9 2.4 7.8 10.1 2.3 2.0 0.6 1.8 0.4 16.5
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
2024-04-29 16:49:22
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