5 NBA players with a lot riding on a successful 2014

Kevin Love, Cleveland Cavaliers

You wanted to go to a winner, you got sent to a winner, Mr. Love. Now you have to prove you yourself is a winner, deserving of a title.

Kevin Love spent his entire six-year career in the NBA Siberia known as the Minnesota Timberwolves. He has put up pretty good numbers, averaging 19.2 points and 12.2 rebounds per game there. He was named to three All Star games.

What he hasn’t gotten, however, is the attention one gets for being a winner. He says he wants to go to the playoffs and win a title. He wants to be considered among the best players. Playing in Minnesota didn’t do that for him.

Enter Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The best player on the planet right now wanted some Love. He got it. Now it’s Love’s turn to show that he is worthy of the King’s attention.

It is easy to be the man on a bad team. When there aren’t many other players to compete for the ball, you ultimately get it over and over again. In Minnesota, Love was the franchise and he could do what he wanted on the court for the Timberwolves.

Now there are choices in Cleveland. Lebron will get the majority of shots. Will Love be able to adjust his game so that a lot of his points come off of non-scripted plays drawn up for him? He averaged 26 points per game last season. What if that total is quite a bit lower because of James’ shooting? Will he be able to handle that?

Also, will Love be able to answer the bell and do whatever he needs to do to win a title, like play defense?

Love has to show that he indeed is the type of player who can help a team win a title. Yes, Lebron went back to Cleveland to bring the city a title. If it doesn’t happen, though, he won’t get the brunt of the criticism, Love will. James had Wade in Miami, and feels he is in a better situation with Love in Cleveland. The pressure is on Love to prove him right.