Kevin Love facing tall order in 2018 NBA Finals
By Jason Patt
The Cleveland Cavaliers need Kevin Love to be an effective No. 2 scoring option, but they’re also asking a lot of him on the defensive end.
Kevin Love etched his name into Cavaliers lore when he stoned Stephen Curry in the waning moments of the 2016 NBA Finals to help secure one of the greatest comebacks of all time. Never known for his defense, Love stuck with Curry on the perimeter as the unanimous MVP wiggled and danced in an attempt to create separation for an open shot.
While Love made that stand against a struggling Curry who clearly wasn’t 100 percent, asking the Cavaliers power forward to consistently stop a hungry Warriors star in these NBA Finals is an incredibly tall order for a guy who’s currently banged up himself. But that’s exactly what Love has been tasked with, especially in Sunday’s 122-103 Game 2 loss putting the Cavaliers in an 0-2 hole.
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Cleveland has been running a switch-heavy defensive scheme, and Golden State has made it a point to set ball screen after ball screen to get Curry on an island against Love. ESPN’s Zach Lowe notes the Warriors set 40 ball screens for Curry in Game 2, their fourth-highest total since Kevin Durant joined the club.
According to NBA.com’s Second Spectrum matchup data, Love was the primary defender on Curry for 22.2 percent of his offensive possessions in Game 2, the highest mark of any Cavaliers player. Curry scored 12 points individually while the Warriors as a team scored 22 points on these 16 possessions. This data isn’t perfect and still has some kinks to work out, but it was evident to anybody watching the game just how often Love found himself guarding Curry.
To Love’s credit, he did an admirable job given the circumstances. You certainly can’t blame him for the miracle 3-pointer Curry hit at the end of the shot clock in the fourth quarter. Love also forced Curry into a few tough looks at the rim, even recovering on one drive to swat the ball out of bounds:
However, Curry did have a few uncharacteristic misses around the basket. Curry entered the game shooting over 80 percent in the restricted area in the playoffs, but he went just 2-of-6 there in Game 2 and missed three other close shots in the paint.
When Love stopped Curry in Game 7, Curry was clearly hunting a 3-pointer and failed to take advantage of a few openings to drive to the basket. But now Curry is making it a point to drive past Love after the switch, creating opportunities not only for himself but for others as the Cavaliers scramble to help. The Warriors are using slip screens to beat these switches and get easy points as well, like on the first bucket of Game 2:
Then there are the times where Love finds himself in an impossible spot. On Curry’s 4-point play in the fourth quarter, Love initially defended Curry on the left wing. Curry drove middle and dished out to Draymond Green before sprinting to the opposite corner and getting the ball back:
Asking Love to keep up with Curry all over the floor like that is a death wish, and that was the final nail in the coffin for the Cavaliers in Game 2.
Love has taken his share of criticism in Cleveland, and it’s easy to mock him when he gets roasted on defense. His shooting hasn’t been up to snuff in these playoffs either, likely in part due to the thumb injury he suffered against the Pacers. And don’t forget he just came out of the concussion protocol before the NBA Finals began.
Love has a lot on his plate in these NBA Finals as both the primary offensive sidekick to LeBron James and a key defender against the Curry onslaught. Love has performed reasonably well by going over 20 points in both games and giving at least a respectable effort on defense, though his shooting remains erratic. There simply aren’t many good options for slowing down this Golden State juggernaut, but Lowe suggests this adjustment with Love:
"They need to consider going back to their roots, and having Love trap at least some Curry pick-and-rolls. If it makes it easier, have Thompson trap, too. Trapping would have helpers on high alert behind the play. It would at least eliminate instances in which a Curry pick-and-roll involves both Cleveland bigs. The Warriors are calling consecutive screens — first with Thompson’s man, then Love’s — to manufacture that scenario, and scoring almost at will when they get it. LeBron can still switch everything away from the ball to avoid ceaseless Durant duty."
Blitzing Curry on pick-and-rolls might also fail given the Warriors’ incredible talent, but it’s worth a shot going back to it, especially when Golden State is playing multiple non-shooters together. Force Curry to give up the ball and for others to make decisions or knock down jumpers.
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This is all easier said than done when it comes to executing properly, but Love and the Cavaliers need to try something different after their defense got ripped to shreds at Oracle Arena.