Cavaliers' Kevin Love Out vs. Knicks With Back Injury Suffered vs. 76ers
Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star forward Kevin Love won't play Monday night against the New York Knicks because of back tightness following the team's 114-95 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, according to Fox Sports Ohio's Angel Gray.
Love injured himself after falling down during the Sixers:
However, the 31-year-old told reporters that he expected a different part of his body to feel sore as a result:
This season, Love has appeared in 12 games and averaged 18.2 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists for the 4-8 Cavaliers.
Love was in and out of the Cavaliers lineup last season. After playing just four games, he required toe surgery on his left foot on Nov. 2. The then-30-year-old didn't rush back to the court, finally returning to action on Feb. 8.
Love was sidelined again with left shoulder soreness on March 30, per Joe Gabriele of Cavs.com.
Overall, Love appeared in 22 games for the 19-63 Cavs last season, averaging 17 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists.
It marked the fewest games Love had played in a season since undergoing season-ending knee surgery during the 2012-13 season. The 12-year pro suffered a dislocated shoulder during the Cavs' 2015 postseason run that required surgery.
Rookie first-round pick Kevin Porter Jr. will start against the Knicks in Love's place, per Gray. It will be the 19-year-old's first NBA start. The USC product has appeared in 11 games for the Cavs, averaging 6.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists across 18.9 minutes.
