Kevin Love Finds Limited Playing Time With Team USA ‘Tough’

There are whispers that the powers that be at Team USA aren’t exactly with Kevin Love’s play and level of aggression thus far, which has resulted in Love not playing a whole lot. The star forward admits that he’s having a tough time proving to the coaching staff that he deserves more playing time. Per Sheridan Hoops: “Obviously I’d like to go out there and be playing with these guys, I really feel like I can help. I know my abilities and know what I’m capable of,’ Love said Monday. ‘You know, Coach K and I have talked about it — this isn’t 2010. I obviously played more in 2010, but I’m a completely different player now and a far better player. So we’ll wait and see what happens. I worked into my playing time in 2010, and hopefully that’ll happen here. I just need to find a way to get into a rhythm in limited minutes, which is tough.’ Love logged only 5 minutes of burn in the American’ 11-point victory over Brazil a week ago, played garbage time minutes in Manchester, England, against Great Britain after picking up three quick fouls without accumulating any other statistics in the first three quarters of that 40-point victory, then logged only seven minutes against Argentina with two rebounds and an assist, and no points. […] Love is playing 25 pounds lighter than he was two summers ago in Turkey, which he says has been to his advantage. ‘That’s helped me. If you look at last season and the season before, I had a breakthrough season in 2010-11, and then last year I felt, and I still feel, I’m one of the best players in the league. I just need to get into a rhythm, and there’s no real chances out here to do that. I was playing more minutes in Turkey than I am now, and they can say I’m not playing great. But I didn’t touch the ball yesterday, and there’s nothing I can really do in that regard. As far as rebounding the ball, I’m always going to do that. But if they don’t think I’m playing great, then fine. But hopefully I can prove that I am once I get a chance to get out there. Guys like LeBron and Kevin and Carmelo are playing a lot of 4. I’ve been playing mostly 5, playing out of position, so who knows?'”