Kevin Love: ‘I’m an All-Star Caliber Player’

Kevin Love is putting up 21.7 points (shooting 45.8 percent from the field, including 41 percent from beyond the arc) and pulling down 10.8 rebounds a night this season, and says he remains an All-Star caliber player.

LeBron James and Kyrie Irving receive most of the pub in Cleveland, but Love is quietly playing his best ball since joining the Cavs.

LeBron says that we’re now seeing “the Kevin Love of old”:

“I think you come in every year hoping to play well, play your best and I believe in my heart every year — and it’s not like I forgot how to play — I’m an All-Star caliber player. I don’t necessarily need All-Star appearances to show that,” Love recently told cleveland.com. “If we continue to win and we keep playing well I think there’s a goal and it’s within reach. But it’s not something I’m going out every night saying I have to be an All-Star.

 

“I also think the fact that us winning a championship and winning changes a lot of people’s perspective on things and you don’t really know what that means until you go through that. I think that is different. You mentioned that being the end goal. You have individual goals, but it has to fit within the landscape of what we’re doing.”

 

James and Irving get that kind of recognition. Love hasn’t. Not since leaving Minnesota. Will this be the year that changes? […] “It’d be great,” (Tyronn) Lue said. “We should have three this year, especially the way these guys are playing and being No. 1 in the East right now. Usually when that happens and you’re winning, guys are rewarded. Kevin has been playing at a high level all season along with Kyrie and LeBron. It’d be great for him as well as the team and the organization. It’s something we’re looking forward to.”