The Cleveland Cavaliers will go into their next game against the Minnesota Timberwolves without their veteran leader. Kevin Love has officially been ruled out for the Cavs' game on Saturday with a right hip contusion, according to Dane Moore of Zone Coverage.
Kevin Love will not play tonight (right hip contusion) for the Cavs against the Timberwolves.
Darius Garland is questionable to play (right ankle sprain).
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) December 28, 2019
The 31-year-old star is coming off one of his best games of the young NBA season. Love connected on 10 of his 16 shots for 30 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Unfortunately, Love's outburst wasn't enough to overcome 64 combined points from Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum as the Cavaliers fell 129-117.
So far this season, the five-time NBA All-Star is averaging 16.7 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Love is shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from deep.
Love's 16.7 points per game trails just second-year guard Collin Sexton who is scoring 17.9 points per game. Love has also been the team's best rebounder and along with Tristan Thompson, have given the Cavs one of the best rebounding frontcourts in the league. Love's absence will likely give more opportunity to both Larry Nance Jr. and John Henson.
Along with Love, Cleveland could also be without rookie guard Darius Garland who is questionable to play with a sprained right ankle.
The season hasn't gone very well for the Cavaliers as a whole. After winning just 19 games all last season, they have started 9-22 and are in 13th place in the Eastern Conference.
Like Cleveland, the Timberwolves are struggling to start the season. An overtime win against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday snapped an 11-game losing streak for Minnesota. The Timberwolves now sit at 11-19 and are the 12th team in the West.
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