Love’s game return still probably three weeks away
Posted on November 20th, 2009 – 3:09 PMBy Jerry Zgoda
Phil Miller’s got practice for me today because I’m already in Portland for the start of a quick two-game Western trip that starts tomorrow against the Blazers. Here’s what he reports about that X-ray Kevin Love had on his fractured left hand:
There’s been good healing progress. He’s probably two weeks away from participating in a full practice, perhaps three weeks away from playing in his first game of the season.
That’d be right in that six-to-eight ballpark estimated when he broke the hand in a preseason game at Chicago on Oct. 16, even if Love was hoping the X-ray would show he could start practicing right away again.
He did some outside shooting today, but can’t do anything physical with the hand yet. Love reports the pain is almost completely gone.
Exactly three weeks would put his return at that Dec. 11 game in Los Angeles against the Lakers, which would be a timely debut.
75 Responses to "Love’s game return still probably three weeks away"
It would be nice to get him back for the LA game. He has many fans from college. Nothing else to play for this season and beyond.
Turner was Flynn like last night but I would be happy with Wall or Turner next year. Turner will be a little more polished after 2 years in college and Wall only 1. It will be fun to watch those two develop this year.
I don’t think anyone except Love really thought he’d be back by the 20th.
yes, just in time for the Lakers to own him like they did last year.
Yeah, the Lakers are probably the worst matchup for Love in the entire league. He can’t guard Bynum or Gasol on the block and he can’t guard Odom on the perimeter.
Swan,
“He(Boozer) pledged allegiance to the Cavs…then went back on them and signed with Utah.”
In response, I recall that but was thinking that the Cavs couldn’t offer him as much money at the time, but I forget how it all played out.
I know that the Wolves will be a player with the money that they have, but there are more teams than usual with cap space. Another big factor is the Bird Rule allowing free agents to sign with their prior/current team. It will be an interesting free agent period to say the least.
I think with the sheer volume of top flight players they have a shot at someone next summer. its just a matter of who and how much. definitely need to hope for somemone because even Evan Turner couldn’t make this team a contender.
I agree with Swan on several things:
1. Bosh not a #1.
2. Players will come here for $.
3. We need a 1 and a couple of shooters.
K-Love’s return will be the best thing to happen to the Wolves this year. Although it will take him a few weeks of game action to get back into the flow of the NBA, I think he will show a dramatic improvement in his play, his stats and his leadership for this struggling team. Hopefully Rambis gives him 30+ minutes per game.
I want to see Love and Al in the triangle and see if it looks better with them both out there.
Jennings is racking it up for me in fantasy again 8-10 for 20 points at the half.
Love is a bad mofo. I still predict that if he stays with us long enough that he’ll go down as the second best Wolf ever.
I Love ends his career as the second best Wolf ever, then Kahn’s plan to build a competitor will have failed miserably…
That depends where you see his ceiling at. I think its much higher than most.
I suppose. This is the year for him to show what he can do.
Is Love’s ceiling as high as Bosh’s, lol, just kidding, don’t want to start that up again, I am already way behind on my paper.
16 years from now when Love hangs it up we will see if Swan is right. C-note start holding your breath….Now!!!
Love will have to up his scoring game dramatically to reach Bosh’s level…and probably grow another 3 inches.
Bosh is arguably the most productive and maybe even the flat out best power forward in the league right now.
Amen on Bosh… 4 blocks last night people. His stat line is consistent 24 and 12 every night. I don’t know if he is a top 10, but he is a stud. and we need a stud.
Bosh is a numbers machine, and he is a beast. But it’s disturbing that he has Calderon, Turkoglu and Bargnani around him, and some decent bench players, but that the Raptors are only 6-7. If you put that talent around KG at 25 and it would have been a 50 win team easily. My guy DeRozan has been a little slow at the start, but I think he’ll come around in time. Go Wolves.
Bosh is listed at 6′10″. He did the KG thing though, right? He is a 7 footer? No?
Also, talking point on long term big FA contracts: Can they graduate the pay scale in reverse… Say offer Bosh or Johnson more UP FRONT. Like say $25M in the first year (or more as a signing bonus) and then have the base salary lower in the later years and make the contract more incentive-laden later?
(allowing for the stud player to not handicap us signing other great players around him later ala KG)
Just checked out Bosh’s site
Perhaps he won’t be leaving Canada.
He just signed a record deal with Warner Music Canada. Hopefully he outsells T-Hud… Although I still loved the “Shut Em Down” montage.
Bosh measured 6′11-1/2″ in the 2003 combine, and he’s very athletic for his size. He plays like a guy who’s 7′1″.
The Raptors’ record is more a reflection on their lack of physical play in the post (because they start Bargnani at center) and a shallow bench. Bosh is averaging 27 points and 12 rebounds….there’s really not anything else anyonce could ask him to do.
Bryan oh Bryan…the KG defense…puts the stats up….there’s not really anything else anyone can ask him to do eh ?
DOMINATE ! I’m reminded of Swingers…he’s got the bear claws and doesn’t know how to kill the bunny.
If 27-12 isn’t dominating, then nothing is. That’s more points and KG, Duncan, Amare, or Dwight have ever averaged in a season. In fact, the only active big men to have posted 27ppg anytime in their careers are Dirk and Shaq. 27ppg puts Bosh up in the company of David Robinson and Hakeem.
There’s only so much one guy can do. Garnett is living proof that you can be a dominant player on a team that gets nowhere.
I suppose you wouldn’t take Chris Paul either…I mean, who cares if he averages 23-10 and is the best point guard in the NBA? He can’t “dominate” well enough to even get the Hornets to .500, right?
When I accuse bloggers here of being irrational “LeBron or Bust” fans, I’m apparently talking about you.
Come on Bryan, you know what I’m saying. KG never dominated when he needed as if he was either afraid to do so, didn’t want to do so, or was unable to do so. Bosh has those same tendencies. You have to know this. You just have to.
I’ll take Paul over anyone in the league. Hear that ? If you’re making David West an allstar and Chandler a player who can “solve teams’ big man problems” and almost making the finals then you are a bad mofo.
I’ll take it back to the early and midpoint of this decade where KG destroyed Duncan statistically but Duncan dominated…DOMINATED everyone with the possible exception of Shaq. I watched Howard pummel Bosh.
Maybe I’m not explaining it well. But Bosh has the appearance of dominating with his stats, but isn’t a dominate player.
I mean, put Chris Paul on the court and you’re scared of him just flat out taking over the game at any point he is on the floor. He scares the crap out of you. Kobe scares the crap out of you. Bron & Wade scare the crap out of you. Ya know ?
Those players have that extra gear. Duncan always had it and would crush everyone he needed to when he needed to do it. KG had it twice 03-04 and 07-08. Thats it. Bosh has never had it. He isn’t a crusher…a nice player who could get viciously mean when he needed to.
Those stats you mention tell half the story and don’t paint a pull picture of what Bosh is. Same with Paul.
And don’t ever put Bosh in the same sentence as Hakeem. Hakeem got the stats and reduced opponents to jelly.
I disagree. Duncan never took over games any more than Bosh does. The clutch factor for the Spurs has always been and still is Manu Ginobili.
Nor is Howard really a player who takes over a game. He can control it with his defense, but he can’t just kick it into high gear and go off….the Lakers clearly proved his offense is far too deficient for that.
In the context of being able to take the ball and completely run over the other team, the only dominant big men in the recent era have been Shaq and Hakeem. Big men just operate in too crowded airspace and lack offensive skills needed to take over a game on offense. They don’t generally have good handles. They don’t generally shoot the three. That’s why every championship big man has required an equally good swingman.
BUT at the same time, every championship swingman, except for Michael, has required an equally dominant big man. That’s why KG didn’t win a ring until he was paired with Paul Pierce, why Kobe didn’t win a ring without Shaq or Gasol, why Wade can’t get anywhere now that Shaq is gone, etc etc etc. If we can get Bosh, we have to take him. Bosh is as dominant a big as there is in the league…you pair him with an all star guard and that team is a contender, no question.
The comparison between Bosh and Hakeem was only to show how elite Bosh’s scoring ability is.
What ?! Duncan never…what ?!
Take a look at any of the Spurs’ seasons post Robinson. The difference between championship rings and outed by the Lakers has always been whether Ginobili was healthy or not.
Same with the Lakers. Shaq was dominant, but who took over when it really mattered? Shaq? Or Kobe?
What ?!
Do you equate “when it mattered” as only the last few minutes of a game ?!
I can’t believe what I’m reading here.
I’ve never seen such dumping on a top 6 player ever.
I equate “when it matters” with games that a dominant player should win for his team. As great as Duncan has been and still is, the proof is undeniable. The Spurs don’t win titles without Ginobili.
The point is that you generally need both to contend, which is why we take Bosh if we can get him. If you think there’s a better big man available, then name names, but I’m 99.99999999% sure that Bosh is the best big man in the NBA right now.
PS Jerry what do you mean that Dec 11 would be a “timely” debut for Love…? Cuz all the Lakers do is prove Love is short and slow….
Al Jefferson. Relatively same production at 2/3 the price.
Al has never come close to averaging 27 points per game. Nor does he have Bosh’s height, athleticism, or versatility.
He gets paid 2/3 what Bosh does because he’s 2/3 the player Bosh is.
The proof is undeniable that the Spurs don’t win titles without Manu…
The proof is even more undeniable that they win zero without Duncan.
Ya. Like I said, you need both.
Really ? 2/3 the player Bosh is ? Go back to last season and compare stats please. Even though they don’t tell the full story.
2 titles w/o Manu.
Or is it 1 ?
Like I said, 0 titles without Manu post-Robinson.
And like I also said, and you also said, stats don’t tell the whole story. Height and athleticism don’t show up in the boxscore.
And as much as you like to point to the Raptors’ record as proof that Bosh doesn’t “dominate”, perhaps you should consider what out record has been with Jefferson. I’m guessing it’s something like 2/3 the wins.
I do consider it, but show me a team that Jefferson has had that has as much talent as Bosh’s.
Also, I’m tired of this versatile big man argument. Big men should play big. Get to the rack and score.
Plenty of bigs are versatile that fit into roles, not being the “best player” on the team. Bosh is overpriced.
Another question, people complain that Jefferson can’t play the 5….do you assert that Bosh can ?
27ppg doesn’t qualify as “getting to the rack to score”…? Are you disqualifying Dirk as a dominant big man as well now?
At any rate, the argument about talent just reinforces everything I’ve said: no one can do it alone. It takes both a dominant big and small. Pair Bosh with a Kobe or Wade or Paul and he’ll look just as good as Duncan ever did. Etc etc etc
Bottom line is Bosh is one of the best, if not the best big man in the league today, and we’d be idiots to pass up a chance to acquire him. Especially if it’s because we think Jefferson or Love are better.
Bosh practically plays the 5 as it is. In fact, he started out his NBA career as a center, because the Raptors wasted a pick on Rafael Aurujo, then our beloved Rob Babcock thought it’d be more fun to draft Charlie Villanueva than Channing Frye or Andrew Bynum.
So yes, I do think Bosh can play the 5, at with his height and athleticism, play it better than Jefferson or Love.
Great, you gain height and athleticism but you get a guy who gets pushed around by strong bigs.
“Pair Bosh with a Kobe or Wade or Paul and he’ll look just as good as Duncan ever did. Etc etc etc”
So you think just one of those super elite wings will make Bosh look like one of the 3 or 4 best bigs of all time ?
By the way, you pair any of those wings you mention with Duncan and you’re talking about the greatest big man of all time.
Duncan’s already arguably the greatest big man of all time.
And Bosh doesn’t get pushed around by any means. Historically, he’s more than held his own against any big man who comes his way, including Duncan and Howard.
Just this year:
25-10 against the Suns
21-16 versus the Cavs
37-12 versus the Grizzlies
32-17 versus the Jazz
35-16 versus the Magic
And he was directly matched up with Howard in that Magic game, who put up just 24-11 by comparison.
If anyone gets pushed around by centers, it’s Jefferson (reference our last game against Portland, for example)
FYI the Spurs this year are 0-2 in games that Duncan has played without Manu, as opposed to 2-0 in games Manu has played without Duncan.
Duncan isn’t better than Hakeem or Kareem.
Arguable. If players are ultimately judged by their accomplishments, than Duncan is better than Hakeem. Kareem has more on his list, but he also played on much more talented teams.
In the modern era for sure, the only big man who would arguably be better than Duncan is Shaq.
They aren’t ultimately judged on their accomplishments alone.
ok in summary:
Duncan = one of the best bigmen of all time, but seemingly past his prime and needs the right player around him (ie Manu) to win a championship.
Bosh = very talented, young, athletic and can put up numbers anywhere (not just the painted area like Duncan) and can stick with (and usually surpass) plenty of the league big men.
I’m not sure Shaq is a top 10 guy…he might squeak in. I am positive Duncan, Hakeem and Kareem are.
And Hakeem had arguably the greatest all around season or two season stretch a big man has had in the modern era.
swan
can you even name 10 big men that have dominated the league like Shaq did for so many years?
Two years versus a whole career? If you’re talking all time, you’re talking a whole career.
And to say that Shaq would “just barely” squeak in is ludicrous. Shaq has better stats AND more accomplishments than Duncan, Hakeem or Kareem.
medschool - all players need great support to win big. That’s my whole point…Bosh is being underrated because people say he’s all stats, no wins, but he’s never been on a team built to win big in the first place.
Duncan is most definitely past his prime though. This is the first year where I’ve really felt age actually has caught up with him.
oooh more Bosh talk….. I’m in, lol.
Don’t forget he is becoming a very good outside shooter, he is at 75% right now from 3, if he can become a good outside shooter he will be amazing. Think Dirk but better on defense, faster, and quicker.
Plus Hedo has made Toronto worse, now I know why Portland backed out of that one and the Magic were fine without him. He dribbles too much and tries to take over the game when there are 2 better players on the team with Bosh and Jose.
Duncan and KG have looked old this year and past their prime, thats why they weren’t in my top 10 players list, everyday they get worse and the younger guys get better.
Stein’s weekend Dime on Bosh
“Obviously, one thing I think everyone notices right off the bat is that he’s bulked up,” says Raptors guard Jarrett Jack, who sees the change more than most since he roomed with Bosh for a year at Georgia Tech.
You’ll also notice some seriously beefed-up statistical production when you examine Bosh’s first month of the new season. Playing two minutes less per game than last season,
Bosh is averaging better than four points and two rebounds more per game than he did in 2008-09, nudging his averages up to 26.8 points and 12.2 rebounds.
ok I’m sold. Bosh as a FA/trade anyway possible, Turner fromt he draft.
You have turned to the dark side of the Bosh, lol
yes shame on me that I would like defense, 27 points and 12 rebounds.
Please name the centers that Shaq dominated. Here is a list of the ones that Hakeem did: Moses, Parish, Kareem, Ewing, D-Rob, SHAQ.
Thank you. Please try again.
Bryan - Shaq has more accomplishments than Kareem ?
6 rings
6 MVPs
19 allstars
10x 1st team
5x 2nd team
5x 1st team D
6x second team D
“Shaq has better stats AND more accomplishments than Duncan, Hakeem or Kareem.”~~~~Bryan
Normally I like your posts…but this version of the blog will be ending soon.
I’m glad that could be your tombstone of the old blog before the conversion.
medschoolmatt- I have been on Bosh’s side for a while, as the previous thread’s 30 posts from me. Swan and I had a lengthy discussion, lol
we stink, I don’t even want to watch now that its on
Shaq only has 4 rings
Oh Shaq doesn’t have a better accomplishments than Duncan either. Come on Bryan…you’re slacking…you’re smarter than this.
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