Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin has revealed that Kevin Love is unlikely to return at all this post-season after suffering a dislocated shoulder.
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Love suffered the injury during Game 4 against the Boston Celtics on Sunday when he became tangled up with Kelly Olynyk in the first quarter.
After the incident, the 26-year-old immediately ran straight back to the locker room holding his shoulder and had initially been ruled out for two weeks.
The star power forward was naturally emotional after the game and insisted that Olynyk intentionally went out to injure him, although the Celtics star hit back and said that was completely untrue.
Given that Love had found his stride by averaging 18 points and nine rebounds per game through the first three post-season games of his career, it would have been a huge blow for him to deal with.
It appears as though it has become worse with Griffin’s statement as he conceded that it would be unlikely that his shoulder will heal quickly enough for him to return this year at all.
The Cavs GM suggested that the team will now embrace being the underdogs, but given that they still have the likes of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving to lead them, they are hardly lacking talent and will still be considered amongst the favourites to win a championship this year.
Having dealt with Boston in a 4-0 series sweep, they continue to await the winner of the Chicago Bulls vs the Milwaukee Bucks series, with Chicago currently leading their rivals 3-2.
However, they have now lost consecutive games ahead of Game 6 on Thursday night in Milwaukee, and it is far from given that they will set up the clash that the entire NBA is waiting for.
David Griffin says its "highly unlikely" that Kevin Love returns at any point during the playoffs.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 28, 2015
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