No one would ever admit to feeling happy over a player's injury. But the Los Angeles Lakers may have reason.
Probasketball.nbcsports.com is reporting that the Lakers may be the beneficiary of the dislocated left shoulder Kevin Love suffered Sunday as his Cleveland Cavaliers closed out the Boston Celtics with a four-game sweep in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
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USA TODAY Sports reported that the Cavaliers have ruled Love out for their Eastern Conference semifinal round. It was originally reported that Love possibly could return in two weeks.
The Cavaliers announced that Love suffered a torn ligament/labrum tear, which could push the recovery time to 4-6 weeks or longer, according to USA TODAY Sports.
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Love sustained the injury after getting tangled with the Celtics' Kelly Olynyk for a rebound. Love accused Olynyk of purposely hurting him.
If Love misses the remainder of the playoffs, he may miss the one thing he came to Cleveland to do: help a team win a title. The Cavaliers still could win, but the victory might be hollow for Love.
He has an option for next season whether he wants to remain in Cleveland, bit probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com notes how uncomfortable his year has been alongside LeBron James with the Cavaliers.
The Lakers reportedly have been a contender for Love's services in 2016 for months, but Yahoo! Sports reported that the Celtics had become another realistic destination.
"For as much as Kevin Love has publicly resisted the discussion of free agency this season, it has been on his mind. He has never been completely comfortable in Cleveland, with his role, nor his connection to those around him. Throughout the year, league sources say, one destination grew in possibility as his exit strategy: The Boston Celtics.
"Boston has been no sure thing to lure Love, but it had a better shot than most had believed. If Love left the Cavaliers, the Celtics had closed the gap on the Los Angeles Lakers, league sources told Yahoo Sports."
Olynyk's "bush-league" play may have dealt a big blow to the Celtics' chances, Yahoo! Sports reported, but it may have helped the Cavaliers, who showed support for Love when Kendrick Perkins knocked down Jae Crowder on a hard screen and J.R. Smith floored Crowder with a backhand.
But Love had great success during his one college season at UCLA and could get out from under James' shadow and be the cornerstone of the rebuilding of the storied franchise.
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