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Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love will play in Game 3 against Indiana Pacers tonight

Despite suffering a thumb injury in Game 2, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love will play in Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers tonight.
Credit: Ken Blaze
Cleveland Cavaliers center Kevin Love (0) warms up before Game 2 of the first round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Quicken Loans Arena.

Cleveland Cavaliers power forward/center Kevin Love will play in tonight’s Game 3 matchup against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Love suffered a thumb injury in the second half of the team’s 100-97 victory over the Pacers in Game 2 at Quicken Loans Arena Wednesday night, and did not return to the game, but with X-rays coming back negative, the Cavaliers will have one of their key pieces in the rotation as they look to take a lead in the first-round series.

“Yes, sir,” Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue responded when asked about Love playing in Game 3 tonight.

As for if the thumb injury affects Love’s shot, Lue said the Cavaliers were fortunate.

“It’s his left hand, so that’s a good sign for us,” Lue said. “At least it’s not his right hand, so we’ll see how he feels.”

The 2017-2018 season has been an injury-riddled one for Love, as he missed nearly two months of action over the second half of the year because of a broken bone in his left (non-shooting) hand, and had to get dental work done when a tooth was dislodged on a concussive blow shortly after his return to the team in March.

“I saw the replay, too. It didn’t look good,” Love said. “It hurt pretty bad initially. I told Ty afterward I could have gone back in, but I think he liked the flow out there and guys made big plays down the stretch, so it’s not going to feel great, but throw some ice on it, tape it up, and it’ll be ready to go.”

Credit: Ken Blaze
Cleveland Cavaliers center Kevin Love (0) grimaces in pain after injuring his hand during the second half against the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of the first round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena.

The first two games of the NBA Playoffs have been a struggle for Love.

Although Love pulled down 17 rebounds, assisted on two baskets, stole a pass and blocked one shot in Game 1, he took only eight shots and made just three, all of which were three-pointers, on the way to nine points in the loss.

Love scored 15 points and corralled eight rebounds over 34 minutes of play against the Pacers in Game 2.

In 68 minutes of play over the first two games of the best-of-seven series, Love is averaging 12.0 points and 12.5 rebounds while shooting 33.3 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from three-point range.

“I think in Game 1, every shot was away from the basket,” Love said after Game 2. “I didn’t even touch the paint, so I felt like I did a better job of that, had a few go in and out, but a few others going my way, and it’s a whole different game for me. I expect that to be different heading forward.”

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