Many people tend to forget it, but before joining the Cavaliers to form a “Big Three” there alongside LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love was part of the cream of the interiors of the league.
As proof, between 2010 and 2014, the Wolves strong winger posted averages of 23.5 points, 13.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists (45% on shots, 37% on 3-pointers and 82% on throws), totaling on this same time frame three appearances in the All-Star Game and two selections in the second best five NBA. Not to mention a trophy for Best Progression of the Year and a title of Best Rebounder in the League, obtained at the end of a top-flight 2010/11 season: 20.2 points, 15.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists on average, at 47 % on shots, 41% on 3-pointers and 85% on throws!
And it is precisely on one of the meetings of this famous exercise 2010/11 that we are going to linger. At the time, the Minnesota franchise hosted the Knicks in a balanced poster (on paper). On the one hand, Minneapolis players can count on Kevin Love, therefore, but also Darko Milicic and hopefuls Michael Beasley and Wesley Johnson. On the other, the New Yorkers rely on Amar’e Stoudemire, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler (but not yet on Carmelo Anthony, who will land a few months later).
But you will have understood it, it is indeed the interior of the Wolves which will be highlighted in this November 12, 2010. It will however live a complicated first quarter with no point and two small rebounds in the key. If he wakes up somewhat in the next quarter, the 5th choice of the 2008 Draft will culminate “only” 6 points and 9 rebounds at halftime. All in all logical statistics for him, while his teammate Michael Beasley is on the other hand much hotter, returning to the locker room with 19 units.
Real balloon magnet after the break
Kurt Rambis’ men still find themselves dropped to the score since they are 14 points behind. Until this third quarter intervenes, marked by the imprint of a huge Kevin Love.
This one will actually score 11 points and grab 15 rebounds in 11 minutes 32! Unleashed and uncontrollable in the paint, the native of Santa Monica imposes his physique in the racket, reigns supreme there and absolutely no one can prevent him from recovering the many failures of his partners and / or opponents.
If the Minnesota franchise remains led on the scoreboard, it has completely changed its face, going from 57-78 to 87-87 (!) in ten minutes, under the impetus of its young wolf. And in the fourth quarter, the then 22-year-old strong winger will continue his momentum. Decisive in defense (yes, yes), he made Amar’e Stoudemire – five-time All-Star at the time – look like a puny child. Now, nothing seems to prevent the victory of the Minneapolis squad.
Kevin Love will finally punctuate his 3-point masterpiece, in order to offer unexpected success to his team. He finished with 31 points, 31 rebounds (including 12 offensive) and 5 assists on the clock. All at 11/26 in shots and 8/10 in throws. As for his statistics in the only second half, they are crazy: 25 points and 22 rebounds!
Before this legendary evening, they were only 18 to have compiled at least 30 points and 30 rebounds in the history of the League [Wilt Chamberlain possède d’ailleurs 124 matchs de la sorte]. The interior of the Wolves therefore succeeds Moses Malone (1982), the last to have achieved such a feat. It will then be necessary to wait for Dwight Howard, in March 2018, to find traces of such a 30-30 in the NBA.
| Kevin Love | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2008-09 | MIN | 81 | 25 | 45.9 | 10.5 | 78.9 | 3.4 | 5.7 | 9.1 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 11.1 |
| 2009-10 | MIN | 60 | 29 | 45.0 | 33.0 | 81.5 | 3.8 | 7.2 | 11.0 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 14.0 |
| 2010-11 | MIN | 73 | 36 | 47.0 | 41.7 | 85.0 | 4.5 | 10.7 | 15.2 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 20.2 |
| 2011-12 | MIN | 55 | 39 | 44.8 | 37.2 | 82.4 | 4.1 | 9.2 | 13.4 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 26.0 |
| 2012-13 | MIN | 18 | 34 | 35.2 | 21.7 | 70.4 | 3.6 | 10.4 | 14.0 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 18.3 |
| 2013-14 | MIN | 77 | 36 | 45.7 | 37.6 | 82.1 | 2.9 | 9.6 | 12.5 | 4.4 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 26.1 |
| 2014-15 | KEY | 75 | 34 | 43.4 | 36.7 | 80.4 | 1.9 | 7.9 | 9.8 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 16.4 |
| 2015-16 | KEY | 77 | 32 | 41.9 | 36.0 | 82.2 | 1.9 | 8.0 | 9.9 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 16.0 |
| 2016-17 | KEY | 60 | 31 | 42.7 | 37.3 | 87.1 | 2.5 | 8.6 | 11.1 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 19.0 |
| 2017-18 | KEY | 59 | 28 | 45.8 | 41.5 | 88.0 | 1.7 | 7.5 | 9.3 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 17.6 |
| 2018-19 | KEY | 22 | 27 | 38.5 | 36.1 | 90.4 | 1.5 | 9.4 | 10.9 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 17.0 |
| 2019-20 | KEY | 56 | 32 | 45.0 | 37.4 | 85.4 | 1.0 | 8.8 | 9.8 | 3.2 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 17.6 |
| 2020-21 | KEY | 25 | 25 | 40.9 | 36.5 | 82.4 | 0.7 | 6.8 | 7.4 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 12.2 |
| 2021-22 | KEY | 74 | 23 | 43.0 | 39.2 | 83.8 | 1.2 | 6.1 | 7.2 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 13.6 |
| 2022-23 | KEY | 11 | 20 | 45.7 | 41.8 | 85.2 | 0.8 | 6.9 | 7.7 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 12.3 |
| Total | 823 | 31 | 44.1 | 37.4 | 82.9 | 2.5 | 8.1 | 10.6 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 17.6 | |
