The Cleveland Cavaliers are hoping to get a key part of their lineup back soon. The team expects that Kevin Love will return at some point during Cleveland’s upcoming road trip.
“Cavaliers general manager David Griffin expects forward Kevin Love will return during the team’s four-game road trip that begins Saturday,” an Associated Press report said. “Love had surgery on his left knee Feb. 14. The Cavs are 7-6 since Love’s injury and have been plagued by defensive and rebounding issues without him.”
Love has been out for about a month now dealing with a knee injury (more on that here).
For Cleveland, the timing is solid. Not counting Tuesday’s contest against the Detroit Pistons, the Cavaliers have 16 games remaining on the schedule. While Cleveland remains the No. 1 seed and clear favorite to reach the NBA Finals, the Eastern Conference is stronger than it has been in the recent past, especially at the top.
If Love is not in the lineup and at his best, it will be a challenge for the Cavs to advance through the Eastern Conference Playoffs. However, if Love returns during the road trip, that doesn’t become such a concern.
This projected timeline will give Love the better part of a month to get back into game shape to have his game ready for the postseason. Should that happen, Cleveland will be unquestionably tough to beat, even against stiffer competition.