It's been 107 days since Kevin Love last appeared in an NBA game.
Now the Cleveland Cavaliers forward's on-court absence has its end.
The team announced late Friday Love would be in the starting lineup for its matchup with the Washington Wizards. The 5-time All-Star has missed all but four of Cleveland's games this season after suffering a left foot injury that ultimately required surgery.
On Friday, Cavs head coach Larry Drew told reporters that Love was a game-time decision for the game.
"There's a possibility," Drew said prior to the team's shootaround in Washington D.C. "He's feeling pretty good. We're going to see how he is after shootaround this morning and there's a chance he may go tonight."
The return of Love could provide a boost to a Cavs team that at 11-43 currently lays claim to the third-worst record in the NBA. After publicly stating that it hoped to remain competitive following the offseason departure of LeBron James, the Cavs quickly pivoted to a rebuild, as evidenced by four in-season trades that prioritized the acquisition of draft picks.
Love's elongated absence only accelerated Cleveland's change of plans, as the Cavs have been without the lone All-Star remaining on their roster following James' departure and the November trade that sent Kyle Korver to the Utah Jazz. In Love's absence, reserve guard Jordan Clarkson has led the team with 16.6 points per game, with rookie point guard Collin Sexton adding 14.6 points and Cedi Osman averaging 12.6 points.
This return has been a long time coming for Love, who wasn't able to return to on-court activities until January. Last week, he participated in his first 5-on-5 scrimmage since suffering the injury, which may have first occurred during the team's preseason opener in October before later being aggravated.
"I feel good," Love said Friday. "I'll probably test it a little bit tonight, warm up, see if it responds well and potentially give it a go...We looked at the next week before break and knew that I definitely wanted to get out there and play."