KevinLove was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, but was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves shortly after. He spent the first six years of his career with the team and, despite emerging as one of the NBA’s best power forwards, he had never been to the playoffs.
That all changed when he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers ahead of the 2014-15 season. Teaming up with LeBronJames and KyrieIrving, the Cavs’ trio went to four-straight NBA Finals and even won a title over the Golden State Warriors in 2016. Love played a major role in their success over that four-year stretch.
Now a member of the Miami Heat, Kevin Love made his return to the postseason after being released by the Cavs earlier this season. It’s his first trip to the playoffs since he went to the NBA Finals with James and Irving in 2018 and, despite flying under the radar, is just one win away from another trip to the Finals.
Kevin Love has only been to the playoffs five times in his career, but has more playoff experience than most players in the league today – considering he has played in 79 playoff games and started in 76 of those games. His numbers aren’t going to blow you away, but he’s consistent, reliable, and effective.
In those 79 playoff games, Love is averaging 13.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 28.4 minutes per game. He shoots 40% from the field, 40% from long range, and 86% from the charity stripe in the playoffs. He has two 30-point games, 20 20-point games, and 36 15-point games.
There have been two instances where Kevin Love was held scoreless in the playoffs and one of those instances occurred on May 19 with the Heat, but he only played a combined 20 minutes in those two games. To honor his playoff career, let’s take a look at some of his most impressive playoff performances.
20. 2017 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 2 vs. Boston Celtics
Kevin Love finished Game 2 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals with 21 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal in 27 minutes – he scored 18 points in the first half and sat out the fourth quarter. He shot 7 of 14 from the field, 4 of 9 from beyond the three-point line, and 3 of 4 from the charity stripe.
The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Boston Celtics 130-86 to take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals – despite both games being played in Boston. Love had the only double-double in the game, but LeBronJames scored a game-high 30 points and KyrieIrving added another 23 points.
19. 2018 NBA Finals, Game 3 vs. Golden State Warriors
Kevin Love finished Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals with 20 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal in 31 minutes – he had 15 points and 10 rebounds at the end of the first half. He shot 6 of 13 (46%) from the field, 3 of 7 (43%) from beyond the three-point line, and a perfect 5 of 5 (100%) from the charity stripe.
The only thing that would’ve made this performance sweeter was a win. The Warriors ended up beating the Cavaliers 110-102 – putting the Cavs in a rough spot at 0-3 in the series. LeBron James had a 33-point triple-double for the Cavs, while KevinDurant dropped a 43-point, 13-rebound double-double.
18. 2016 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 6 vs. Toronto Raptors
Kevin Love finished Game 6 of the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists in 39 minutes – he had 10 points in the first half and added another 10 points in the third quarter. He shot 5 of 11 from the field, 4 of 8 from beyond the three-point line, and 6 of 6 from the charity stripe.
His performance came at the right time, considering this was a series-clinching game. The Cavaliers defeated the Raptors 113-87 in Game 6 to win the series 4-2 and advance to the NBA Finals. LeBron James dropped a 33-point double-double, while Kyrie Irving added 30 points and 9 assists of his own.
17. 2016 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 3 vs. Atlanta Hawks
Cavs are the 1st team in NBA history to hit at least 20 3's in consecutive games. Cavs take down the Hawks, 121-108. pic.twitter.com/hX9gRbwKnb
Kevin Love finished Game 3 of the 2016 Eastern Conference Semifinals with 21 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block in 29 minutes – he had 13 points in the first quarter and scored another 8 points in the second half. He shot 7 of 17 from the floor, 5 of 12 from long range, and 2 of 2 from the charity stripe.
The Cavaliers were steamrolling their way through the Atlanta Hawks and this game was no different. The Cavs beat the Hawks 121-108 in Game 3 to take a 3-0 series lead. Kyrie Irving had 24 points and LeBron James had a near-triple-double, but it was ChanningFrye who led the team with 27 points off the bench.
16. 2018 NBA Finals, Game 2 vs. Golden State Warriors
Kevin Love finished Game 2 of the 2018 NBA Finals with 22 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block in 35 minutes – he had just 7 points in the first half, but scored 13 points in the third quarter. He shot 7 of 18 (39%) from the floor, 3 of 8 (38%) from long range, and 5 of 5 (100%) from the charity stripe.
Unfortunately, the Cavaliers fell short of a win – losing to the Warriors 103-122 in Game 2 and falling down 0-2 in the series. LeBron James had 29 points, 9 rebounds, and 13 assists, but the Cavs were overwhelmed by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant – who combined for 79 points.
15. 2018 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 2 vs. Boston Celtics
The Celtics take a 2-0 series lead with a 107-94 win over the Cavs in Game 2. pic.twitter.com/XLNwzWCMyP
Kevin Love finished Game 2 of the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals with 22 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 assists in 35 minutes of action – he shot 9 of 18 (50%) from the floor, 2 of 6 (33%) from long range, and 2 of 2 (100%) from the charity stripe. He had 9 points at halftime, but scored 11 points in the third quarter.
His teammate, LeBron James, had a career night with 42 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists – the duo combined for 64 points – but it wasn’t enough to will the Cavs to a win. They lost 94-107 to the Celtics in Game 2 and fell down in the series 0-2. It wasn’t the end result they wanted, but Kevin Love did his part.
14. 2015 Eastern Conference First Round, Game 3 vs. Boston Celtics
#CAVS down Celtics 103-95 in game 3 to take a 3-0 series lead LBJ 31pts 11reb 4ast K.Love 13pts 9reb pic.twitter.com/rUkkh2e5qT
Kevin Love finished Game 3 of the 2015 Eastern Conference First Round with 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists in 40 minutes of action – he shot 8 of 16 (50%) from the floor, 6 of 10 (60%) from long range, and 1 of 4 (25%) from the charity stripe. He made at least one three-pointer in each quarter of the game.
The Cavaliers defeated the Celtics 103-95 in Game 3 to take a 3-0 series lead. LeBron James had an impressive showing with 31 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks, while J.R. Smith and Kyrie Irving combined for another 28 points. No one on the Celtics’ roster scored more than 19 points.
13. 2017 NBA Finals, Game 4 vs. Golden State Warriors
Kevin Love finished Game 4 of the 2017 NBA Finals with 23 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, and 1 block in 29 minutes of action – he shot 7 of 14 (50%) from the floor, 6 of 8 (75%) from long range, and 3 of 3 (100%) from the charity stripe. He scored 14 points and made three three-pointers in the first quarter.
The Cavaliers were down 0-3 in the series entering this game, but they didn’t quit on themselves and beat the Warriors 137-116 to bring the series to 1-3. LeBron James had a 31-point triple-double and Kyrie Irving scored 40 points and was 7 of 12 from long range. The Cavs’ ‘big three’ combined for 94 points.
12. 2016 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 5 vs. Toronto Raptors
Kevin Love finished Game 5 of the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals with 25 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks in 23 minutes of action – he shot 8 of 10 from the floor, 3 of 4 from long range, and 6 of 6 from the charity stripe. He scored 19 points in the first half, 12 of which came in the first quarter.
The Cavaliers clobbered the Raptors 116-78 in Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead in the Conference Finals – the Cavs scored more points in the first quarter than the Raptors did in the entire first half. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving had 23 points each, while RichardJefferson added 11 points off the bench.
11. 2017 NBA Finals, Game 2 vs. Golden State Warriors
Kevin Love finished Game 2 of the 2017 NBA Finals with 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals in 30 minutes of action – he shot 12 of 23 (52%) from the floor, 2 of 7 (29%) from long range, and 1 of 1 (100%) from the charity stripe. He scored 15 points in the first half and another 9 points in the third quarter.
The Cavaliers couldn’t take advantage of Love’s impressive performance, losing to the Warriors 132-113 in Game 2 – putting the Cavs down 0-2 in the series. LeBron James had a 29-point triple-double, but the Warriors’ ‘big three’ of Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Stephen Curry combined for 87 points.
10. 2018 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 3 vs. Toronto Raptors
Kevin Love finished Game 3 of the 2018 Eastern Conference Semifinals with 21 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block in 38 minutes – he shot 7 of 14 from the floor, 1 of 3 from long range, and 6 of 7 from the charity stripe. He scored 12 points in the first half and another 9 points in the third quarter.
The Cavaliers defeated the Raptors 105-103 in Game 3 to take a 3-0 series lead – the game was tied with 8.0 seconds left, but LeBron James won the game with a buzzer-beater jump shot from nine feet out. James finished the game with 38 points, while KyleKorver and GeorgeHill combined for 30 points.
9. 2017 NBA Finals, Game 3 vs. Golden State Warriors
Kevin Love finished Game 3 of the 2017 NBA Finals with just 9 points, but he made his presence felt in other areas – he also had 13 rebounds, 1 assist, and 6 steals. He shot just 1 of 9 from the field and 1 of 7 from long range, but 6 of 7 from the charity stripe. His shot wasn’t there, but six steals is impressive.
Unfortunately, his defensive presence wasn’t enough to lift the Cavaliers to a win – losing to the Warriors 118-113, despite having a 5-point lead at the end of the third quarter. The Warriors took a 3-0 series lead with the win thanks to Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Stephen Curry – who combined for 87 points.
8. 2017 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 4 vs. Boston Celtics
2017 Eastern Conference Finals Game 4, the Cavaliers defeated the Celtics 112-99, and took a 3-1 Series lead. pic.twitter.com/S1bSGtoGqQ
Kevin Love did a little bit of everything in Game 4 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals with 17 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks in 42 minutes of action – he shot 6 of 13 (46%) from the field, 3 of 5 (60%) from beyond the three-point line, and a perfect 2 of 2 (100%) from the charity stripe.
The Cavaliers defeated the Celtics 112-99 in Game 4 to take a commanding 3-1 series lead – Kyrie Irving’s 21-point third quarter played a major role in the outcome. He finished with 42 points, while LeBron James added another 34 points – Love, James, and Irving combined for 93 of their team’s 112 points.
7. 2017 NBA Finals, Game 1 vs. Golden State Warriors
Kevin Love finished Game 1 of the 2017 NBA Finals with 15 points, 21 rebounds (playoff career high), 1 assist, and 3 blocks in 34 minutes of action – he shot just 4 of 13 (31%) from the floor, 3 of 6 (50%) from beyond the three-point line, and a perfect 4 of 4 (100%) from the charity stripe, but it wasn’t enough.
The Cavaliers couldn’t overcome Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, who combined for 66 points in the Warriors’ 113-91 win in Game 1 – giving them a 1-0 series lead. The Cavs scored just 39 points in the second half and they shot just 35% from the floor as a team – not a good way to start the NBA Finals.
6. 2017 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 3 vs. Boston Celtics
2017 Eastern Conference Finals Game 3, the Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 111-108, and cut the series deficit to 2-1. pic.twitter.com/Ejaecr4OC2
Kevin Love finished Game 3 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals with 28 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks in 36 minutes of action – he shot 8 of 16 (50%) from the floor, 7 of 13 (54%) from beyond the three-point line, and 5 of 6 (83%) from the charity stripe. He had 15 points in the first quarter.
The Cavaliers had a 5-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, but were outscored by 8 points in the final 12 minutes – the Celtics won the game 111-108, but were still down 1-2 in the series. LeBron James only scored 11 points in the game, but Kyrie Irving led the team with 29 points and 7 assists in the loss.
5. 2016 Eastern Conference First Round, Game 1 vs. Detroit Pistons
Kevin Love finished Game 1 of the 2016 Eastern Conference First Round with 28 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal in 38 minutes of action – he shot 10 of 22 (46%) from the floor, 4 of 8 (50%) from long range, and 4 of 5 (80%) from the charity stripe. He scored 13 of his 28 points in the second quarter.
The Cavaliers defeated the Pistons 106-101 in Game 1 of the first round, taking a 1-0 series lead. In addition to Love’s 28 points, Kyrie Irving led the team with 31 points and LeBron James added 22 points – the trio combined for 81 points. James and Love both finished with double-doubles in the victory.
4. 2017 Eastern Conference First Round, Game 2 vs. Indiana Pacers
Kyrie (37), Love (27) & LeBron (25) all score 25+ in playoffs for first time in Big 3 era. @cavs beat @Pacers 117-111 to take Game 2. pic.twitter.com/DEoF00B4lV
Kevin Love finished Game 2 of the 2017 Eastern Conference First Round with 27 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block in 39 minutes – he shot 6 of 7 (86%) from the floor, 3 of 4 (75%) from long range, and 12 of 12 (100%) from the charity stripe. He had 13 points in the first half and 10 points in the third quarter.
The Cavaliers defeated the Pacers 117-111 in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead in the first round. In addition to Love’s 27 points, Kyrie Irving led the team with 37 points and LeBron James added another 25 points – the trio combined for 89 points. James and Love each finished with a double-double in the win.
3. 2016 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 4 vs. Atlanta Hawks
May 8, 2016: The #Cavs hold off the Hawks and win 100-99. This completes the second-round sweep.
— Across The Cavs (Offseason) (@AcrossCavs) May 8, 2023
Kevin Love finished Game 4 of the 2016 Eastern Conference Semifinals with a team-high 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 assists in 37 minutes of action – he shot 9 of 25 (36%) from the floor, 8 of 15 (53%) from long range, and 1 of 1 (100%) from the charity stripe. He scored 15 of his 28 points in the third quarter.
The Cavaliers defeated the Hawks 100-99 in Game 4, completing their sweep and writing their ticket into the Conference Finals. In addition to Love’s 27 points, Kyrie Irving was two assists away from a 21-point double-double and LeBron James was one assist away from a 21-point triple-double in the victory.
2. 2017 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 1 vs. Boston Celtics
Kevin Love finished Game 1 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals with a playoff career-high 32 points, 12 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block in 34 minutes of action. He shot 9 of 16 (56%) from the floor, 6 of 9 (67%) from long range, and 8 of 9 (89%) from the charity stripe. He scored 18 points in the third quarter.
The Cavaliers defeated the Celtics 117-104 in Game 1 to take a 1-0 series lead in the Conference Finals. In addition to Love’s 32 points, LeBron James led the team with a 38-point near-triple-double and TristanThompson added another 20 points. Love was the only one on the team to record a double-double.
1. 2018 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 2 vs. Toronto Raptors
[FINAL] Cavs defeat Raptors, 128-110.
LeBron James: 43pts, 14ast, 8reb, 1stl Kevin Love: 31pts, 11reb, 2ast, 1blk, 1stl J.R. Smith: 15pts, 1ast, 1reb, 1stl Jeff Green: 14pts, 1ast, 1reb, 2blk George Hill: 13pts, 3reb, 2ast
Kevin Love finished Game 2 of the 2018 Eastern Conference Semifinals with 31 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block in 35 minutes of action – just one of two 30-point games in Love’s playoff career. He shot 11 of 21 from the floor, 2 of 6 from long range, and 7 of 7 from the charity stripe.
The Cavaliers defeated the Raptors 128-110 in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead in the semifinals. LeBron James went off with 43 points, 8 rebounds, and 14 assists – James and Love combined for 74 points – while J.R. Smith and George Hill combined for 28 points. Jeff Green added 14 points off the bench.
What’s Next for Kevin Love?
Kevin Love is nearing the end of his career, but he can still be of use to a team for several more years. His starting years might be over, but he can still be effective off the bench and is one of the better guys to have in the locker room – he has the experience and the personality to bring out the best in his team.
Being in the Eastern Conference Finals for the fifth time, Kevin Love is that much closer to winning his second ring. And while the Heat are just one win away from a trip to the NBA Finals, they’re also one loss away from being the first team to give up a 3-0 lead in NBA playoff history. It all comes down to Game 7.
With that being said, not much is known about what happens next for Kevin Love. He’s on a one-year contract with the Heat and will be free to sign with anyone next season. He definitely doesn’t appear to be ready for retirement, so we can expect him to search for a multi-year deal with a team this offseason.
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