Cavaliers F Love cleared for non-contact activities

He found himself in foul trouble again.

The Cleveland Cavaliers may be back to full strength in the NBA Finals. They did not drop consecutive games all season until the Western Conference finals, when Oklahoma City smacked them by 28 and 24 points in Games 3 and 4.

This season he appeared in 66 contests for the Warriors, who set a record for wins during an National Basketball Association regular season, and set career-highs with 3.6 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.

Neither of the two Cavaliers’ NBA Finals appearances – not 2007 against the surgical Spurs or a year ago against the healthy Warriors – offered as much realistic hope as did tying this series with Golden State in Game 4 offered Friday night. You have to have that “always ready” mindset, if the coach needs you, if you’re not going to be ready if he needs you in the fourth quarter because of a lineup change or – you just have to stay ready. Would he turn the ball over too? “We wanted to throw the first punch tonight, and that’s what we did”. He had 13 points in the third quarter after managing two in the first half. “I don’t know what coach Lue is going to go with, but Kevin is our guy and we’re going to stick by him”.

His play at times suggested otherwise.

Cavaliers small forward LeBron James added, “When you have the greatest shooter in the world trying to get an easy one or trying to get in rhythm, it’s our job to try to keep him out”. Instead, he wound up leading Thompson toward the 3-point line. That performance may have been in part down to a tirade directed at them by an assistant coach after Game 2. This is what a team is all about – for them to pick their brother up in a time of need.

In this scenario, Love would function as Frye did with the previous starting five, coming off the bench to hit threes when he can’t do as much damage on defense. The Cavs shifted momentum with the Game 3 romp but now have given it all back.

Nothing like their best stuff, either. They have (some) momentum back and they suddenly believe a bit more after an unbelievably bad first two games in Oakland. Kyrie scored 30 points a game after he had scored just 10 points against the Warriors, evidence of his effectiveness without Love on the floor.

Tyronn Lue made what many think was the obvious move, sitting Kevin Love for Richard Jefferson. “It’s a lot of 1-on-1 that we’re making him do to get shots”, Barnes said.

The defending champion Warriors hold a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series. Thompson will miss Thursday practice after suffering a thigh bruise when struck by the knee of Cavaliers center Timofey Mozgov.

The Golden State Warriors were left red in the face after a stunning game three blowout loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but insist their confidence has not been shaken and promise to be better when the NBA Finals resume. That would have been too nice to describe what happened in Game 3.

Getting out to a good start in Game 4 is crucial.

“We’ll respond”, guard Klay Thompson said.