Things have not gone well for the Cleveland Cavaliers in recent weeks. Since beginning the season with a record of 4-2, they have done a lot of losing. Cleveland is riding an eight-game losing streak as they now sit in fourth place in the Central Division and second to last in the Eastern Conference with a record of 10-19. However, they could be getting some much-needed help soon.
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff talked with the media during an unexpected practice on Wednesday. Since the Cavaliers’ game against the San Antonio Spurs was postponed because of the league’s health and safety protocols, the team got in some work and some positive news came from it.
Former All-Star Kevin Love was participating in practice, moving toward a return to the court. Bickerstaff said that Love was able to participate in ‘quite a bit of the live stuff’ during the team’s workout.
“Hopefully that’s a good sign,” Bickerstaff said of the latest step in Love’s slow improvement. “Obviously you wait and see how he responds tomorrow, but he’s making progress and he was with us for most of the day.”
This is excellent news for Love and the Cavaliers, as Cleveland has also been hit hard by absences in the frontcourt.
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Larry Nance Jr. is currently sidelined with a finger injury that will cost him a total of 4-6 weeks. Andre Drummond won’t be suiting up for the Cavaliers again as the two sides work on finding him a new place to play.
Kevin Love, himself, has been sidelined since December 27th with a calf injury. He originally injured his calf during the preseason opener but re-aggravated it on the 27th, which was the third game of the season for the Cavaliers.
Love may have lost a step in recent seasons, but there is no denying the positive impact he has on the team when he is on the court. In the first three games of the season with Love in the lineup, Cleveland went 3-0.
With the NBA expanding the postseason to include 10 teams from each conference, no team is really out of it yet. Getting Love will help the Cavaliers claw back toward that playoff spot.
