NBA Eastern Conference Finals: 5 players who can make the biggest impact

#3 Kevin Love

Cavs are yet to lose a playoff game with Kevin Love in their side

Tyronn Lue called Kevin Love a top-10 player in the game today. Lue has the right to bloviate about his star forward, but for the sake of objectivity, one needs to realize that this is high praise for a player who was maybe the biggest disappointment for the Cavs till the All-Star break.

Love has been through his share of turmoils with the Cavs. Many have questioned his big-game ability, his inept post-up game, and his anemic defense. Many pundits reckon that to be a superstar in the game you have to do well in at least 5 categories. Love is a great shooter and rebounder, but for a big man his shot-blocking, his low-post ability, his pick-and-roll defense as well his play-making ability doesn’t match up to what is expected from an elite forward.

However, Love has always been and shall always be the quintessential stretch four and for the Cavs that is all he needs to be right now. In eight playoff appearances, he has managed 28-63 (44%) shooting from beyond the arc. He leads the team in rebounding with 12.5 rebounds per game and while Thompson may still be the best offensive rebounder for the Cavs, Love does his fair share of cleaning up the glass.

Against the Raptors, we can expect Love to have a field day as he will be up against Patterson or Ross and there is no way that either can defensively bother the 6'10” pure shot from UCLA. The Raptors struggle to defend the three-point line and they couldn't possibly have feared a tougher nemesis than Love right now.