For the next six weeks, the Cleveland Cavaliers are going to be without Kevin Love and his corner threes, his 20 points and 11 boards a night, his improved ability to find spaces in the offense to operate because of knee surgery. The Cavaliers have been 11.5 points per 100 possessions better when Love is on the court this season, and while there is a lot of noise it that stat it shows his value to the team and ability to play with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.
With him gone (and J.R. Smith out at least a few more weeks), Channing Frye will get the starts coach Tyronn Lue told the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Chris Fedor: everyone needs to pick up their game.
“Everyone has to step up and fill that void,” Lue said. “LeBron, D-Will (Derrick Williams), Champ (James Jones), Channing. Everyone has to step up and be ready to play.”
LeBron, you agree you need to step up?
“I’ve never stepped down,” he said. “Why does it change now? Ain’t nothing changed. I have my guys ready to play every single night.”