Kevin Love Injury Update: Cavaliers Star Out 4-6 Months After Shoulder Surgery

Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star Kevin Love underwent surgery on his left shoulder Wednesday after dislocating it in Sunday's first-round series-clinching victory over the Boston Celtics.

The Cavs' official website released a statement regarding Love's medical procedure, which included a timetable for his return:

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Cavaliers forward Kevin Love underwent successful surgery this afternoon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City to repair his dislocated left shoulder. The surgery was performed by Dr. David W. Altchek. Continuing treatment and rehabilitation at Cleveland Clinic Courts and Cleveland Clinic Sports Health will be conducted by the Cavaliers’ medical staff and head team physician Dr. Richard D. Parker. His projected recovery time is four to six months.

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Bleacher Report's Howard Beck reported on Tuesday that Love's labrum "tore away from the bone" and that he would need four to six months to recover with surgery being a possibility.

Love will not play for the remainder of the playoffs, but Cleveland hopes to march on and overcome his absence in pursuit of an NBA title.

Celtics big man Kelly Olynyk got tangled up with Love, leading to the injury that could dash the Cavs' hopes of seizing the Larry O'Brien Trophy. After the game, a frustrated Love called the play "bush league," but Olynyk has denied he intended to inflict injury, per the Boston Herald's Mark Murphy.

It may be the last time fans see Love in a Cleveland uniform. Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding reports that Love is a "great possibility" to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason.

ESPN Stats & Info highlighted how effective the Cavs were against the Celtics with Love on the floor:

As much as Love has seemed to struggle with fitting in with the Cavs, he has been instrumental to the team's success and the second-half surge it went on to grab the No. 2 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.

Love was faring quite well in his first postseason series before getting hurt, highlighted by 23 points in Game 3. However, he won't get to play in the pivotal contests moving forward. The sweep of Boston was widely expected, but Cleveland will be facing a far stiffer challenge in the conference semifinals against the Chicago Bulls.

Now the Cavs are certain to be without Love for the next round, in whatever postseason lies beyond, if any, and perhaps for good.