The Cleveland Cavaliers will be without All-Star forward Kevin Love for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics on Sunday night. Early on Saturday afternoon, the team announced that Love was evaluated before the team's trip to Boston for Game 7 and was experiencing concussion-like symptoms. He has been placed in the concussion protocol. Via NBA.com/Cavs:
Kevin Love was evaluated today prior to the team's flight to Boston this afternoon. He is experiencing concussion-like symptoms and has been placed in the league's concussion protocol. He is now listed as Out for tomorrow night's game in Boston. His status will be updated as appropriate.
Love left Game 6 after just about five minutes after clashing heads with Jayson Tatum. The Cavs forward was setting a screen on the low block, and when Tatum tried to navigate around it, he bumped into Love and their heads came together accidentally. Tatum was left staggered and holding his head, but remained in the game.
Love, however, remained on the floor for a few minutes before heading to the locker room for further evaluation. He did not return to the game, but Jeff Green played well in his place, finishing with 14 points, three rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 31 minutes to help the Cavs get the crucial victory and keep their season alive.
With over 24 hours until Game 7, it's unclear how the Cavs will line up, but it figures that Green will play heavy minutes once again regardless of whether he starts. And the Cavs will once again need him -- and the rest of the supporting cast -- to play well if they hope to get their first road victory of the series and move on to the Finals. It's pretty much a given that LeBron James will have a near triple-double and 30-plus points, but without Love, the Cavs will need someone else to step up and help support "The King."
According to SportsLine data scientist Stephen Oh, Love's injury drops the Cavs' chances of winning by seven percent. With him penciled into the lineup they were 0.5-point underdogs with a 49 percent chance of winning. Without him, they are three-point underdogs with a 42 percent chance to advance to the Finals.
