NEW ORLEANS — The second half of the Cavaliers' season is about to get under way, and they are about to get some major reinforcements.
The team has confirmed forwards Kevin Love and Larry Nance Jr. will both be in the starting lineup for tonight's game against the New Orleand Pelicans. Love has missed all but two games this year due to a severe calf strain, while Nance has been out for more than a month after undergoing surgery for a broken hand.
Love is a five-time NBA All-Star and one of two remaining members of the Cavs' 2016 championship team but has dealt with injury issues throughout his career, including missing 103 out of a possible 183 games since signing a long-term contract extension in 2018. He missed the 2020-21 opener before coming back to score 15 points and grab eight rebounds in the second game, only to reaggravate the calf strain the very next night.
The Akron native Nance has emerged as a key contributer for Cleveland this season, averaging 9.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while proving to be a solid force on defense. The win-loss record speaks for itself, as the Cavs are just 6-11 without Nance, including the bulk of a 10-game losing streak.
Despite their recent struggles, the Cavs sit just 2 1/2 games out of a possible playoff spot with an overall record of 14-22, and four games away from avoiding the fate of the NBA's play-in round (seeds 7-10). The team is looking for its first postseason appearances without the services of the legendary LeBron James since 1998.