Cleveland Cavaliers star forward Kevin Love does not plan on playing anytime soon because of a painful injury on his left foot.
News of Love’s injury circulated earlier this week and initial reports had him slated to miss more than a month because of it. Love confirmed the injury on Tuesday and said he will miss at least several weeks because of a painful big toe injury on his left foot. He told reporters the injury has bothered him since the preseason and he recently had trouble walking. He also did not rule out surgery.
Before last night’s 136-114 home win against the Atlanta Hawks, Love was wearing a walking boot. Per The Associated Press, Love said he had an MRI and visited visited Dr. Martin O’Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. He was told to rest the injury and there’s no clear timetable when he’ll suit up again.
“I would like to get back obviously as soon as possible,” Love said. “I had high hopes for the season. I know it’s been off to a really rocky start, but the more I can be out there and help this team, the better. So I’m hoping to get out there as quickly as possible and hoping that it’s only two or three weeks.”
The Cavs issued a statement Tuesday regarding Love’s injury that said: “Cavaliers forward Kevin Love continues to receive treatment and further evaluation for his sore left foot. He remains Out during this time and has also received consultation from Dr. Martin O’Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. A continuing treatment plan is being developed, including a timeline for his return to basketball activity. His status will be updated when his treatment protocol and return to play timeline is established.”
“It’s disheartening. I want to be out there.”
Hear @kevinlove address the media before #CavsHawks: https://t.co/hX5DeOyJJP
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 30, 2018
The injury is one that Love does not even know how to classify, but it did occur in the Cavs’ preseason opener against the Boston Celtics on Oct. 2. It kept him out for the team’s final three preseason games and Cleveland’s last three games. He is averaging 19 points and 13.5 rebounds per game this season, but shooting only 32 percent.
“The only way I’m going to be best for this team is to be healthy and I haven’t been the last month,” Love said, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “It’s disheartening. I want to be out there.”
Love signed a reported four-year, $120 million extension with the Cavs over the summer. Over the last two seasons, he has missed 45 games.
“When I got back to the plane [is] where I had trouble walking, so it was all really management,” he told reporters. “I was able to go out there and play in some pain. I was trying to fake it around you guys in the locker room and not show too much, but it was the other 21 or so hours out of the day where I was in a lot of discomfort. That was weighing on me as well as not feeling like myself and not really being able to get in shape in practice because I wasn’t really able to do too much.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
