Kevin Love virtually danced in front of the Warriors’ Stephen Curry for more than 10 seconds in the final minute of Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals before Curry’s shot missed the mark.
As the Cavs ended Cleveland’s 52-year title drought, five-time All-Star Love rewrote his legacy with “The Stop.” No longer was Love just the powerful sharpshooter and dynamic rebounder, No. 3 in the pecking order of the champions’ Big Three behind LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.
Without Love neutralizing Curry, arguably the greatest long-range scorer in league history, there would have been no parade that drew one million fans, some hanging from light posts and nearly crushing James’ convertible before it reached its celebration destination.
During that 57-25 campaign that saw the Cavs make history by rallying from a 3-1 deficit in The Finals, Love led the Cavs in rebounding, finished second in 3-point makes and third in scoring during the regular season. Love helped the Cavs reach four consecutive Finals, although a shoulder injury in a first-round sweep of the Boston Celtics limited him to four playoff games in 2015.
Love was at his most deadly on Nov. 23, 2016, when he scored 34 points in the first quarter of a home victory over Portland. Love hit 11 of 14 field goals, 8 of 10 3s, as James dished out seven assists in the period. Love’s performance still ranks second in league history for most points in a quarter behind Klay Thompson’s 37.
But as Love’s nearly nine seasons in Cleveland ended on Saturday as he reached a buyout with the Cavs that made him a free agent, the 34-year-old star wasn’t defined only by his on-court skills.
Revealing his battle with anxiety and depression in a March 2018 essay for The Players’ Tribune, Love stepped to the fore among professional athlete mental health advocates. Exposing his vulnerability in detailing his panic attacks, he touched many who empathized with or shared in his struggles.
Personal trials were a big part of Love’s time in Cleveland. Arriving in the summer of 2014 in a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Love was the subject of yearly rumors at the trade deadline. He suffered a litany of injuries. He had to navigate James’ cryptic tweets, like the “fit out, fit in” message in February 2015.
When James departed for the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer of 2018, Love affirmed his commitment to the Cavs, signing a four-year, $120 million extension. In hindsight, that seemed like money ill-spent as Love proved incapable of keeping the team in playoff contention without James and Irving, who forced his way out after the 2017 playoffs. Rebuilding seasons of 19, 19 and 22 victories tested Love, especially the 14-40 tenure in 2018-19 of coach John Beilein, hired out of the University of Michigan. There were temper tantrums that left Love apologetic.
The promotion of coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who has known Love since the forward’s rookie season in Minnesota in 2008, gave Love new life.
He helped the young Cavs bond, and fostered their family atmosphere and determination to play for each other. He organized off-season get-togethers, especially just before training camp. He taught them selflessness when he moved to the bench last season and finished second in the league’s Sixth Man of the Year voting.
Those who know Love could imagine the emotions roiling inside him since he last played on Jan. 24 against the New York Knicks, going scoreless in 12 minutes with a -20 plus/minus at Madison Square Garden.
There had to be a conflict of pride and strong self-worth years in the making with the reality that the Cavs believed he could no longer contribute. Dropped from the rotation, Love was told to work out, to stay ready. Such treatment angered fans who felt he deserved better, and he surely felt the same. Even as he led the league for a time in charges drawn, his 15-year career was seemingly circling the drain. He was doomed by a fractured right thumb suffered in late November that sent him into a shooting slump and his liability as a defender on a team that makes that its calling card.
Love doesn’t agree with the Cavs and asked for a buyout on the final year of his contract worth $28.9 million. While freeing him to go to another playoff contender is risky, the Cavs acquiesced in deference to his immense impact to the franchise.
The last remaining player from the 2016 championship was perched at the end of the Cavs’ bench on Feb. 15 in Philadelphia as the Cavs fell behind by 28 points in the second quarter. Bickerstaff, forever in Love’s corner and frequently calling him a future Hall of Famer, didn’t turn to Love to help.
Seeing Love sitting steps from the tunnel in what turned out to be his final game with the Cavs was a melancholy ending to his Cleveland career that began with four successful seasons, including the euphoric title run in 2016. Going back to last March, Love publicly talked of finishing his career here.
When Love’s jersey is raised to the rafters in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, “The Stop” will be among his many contributions mentioned. In terms of his Cavs’ legacy, Love’s lesson of sacrifice in his final two seasons deserves a place alongside those unforgettable final seconds in Oracle Arena.
Get ahead of the weekend by signing up for our free weekly “In the CLE” newsletter — your guide to fun throughout The Land. Arriving in your inbox every Wednesday, this weekend to-do list fills you in on everything from concerts to museum exhibits — and more. Click here to subscribe.
