Love on Cavs' Game 1 loss: 'Sometimes you need to get hit in the mouth'
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't exactly flip the playoff switch in Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers the way so many expected them to. Instead, the Cavs had their lunch taken by a Pacers team that played with no fear and a whole lot more intensity.
It was the first time Cleveland lost a game in the first round since LeBron James rejoined the team back in 2014. Kevin Love, who joined the Cavs the same summer, said the beating the Pacers handed them may have been the wake-up call they needed after resting on their laurels.
"It's like that sometimes," Love told reporters Tuesday. "Sometimes you need to get hit in the mouth and that'll wake you up pretty fast. That'll make you pay attention."
The Cavs' offense was particularly shambolic, as they managed to scratch out just 80 points - their second-lowest total of the season. And while Love did yeoman's work on the glass, hauling in a game-high 17 rebounds, he took just eight shots (and just two inside the arc), earned just one free throw, and finished with nine points in 34 minutes.
Love acknowledged that he needs to be more assertive and get himself more involved in the offense.
"Sometimes I fall into my own trap of just spacing every play," he said. "And that allows other guys to get downhill, Bron to play his game. But I think just mixing it up even when he's not in the game, getting in the post a little bit more, getting offensive rebounds, getting more touches in there, not even to shoot it in some cases, but just to feel the ball down there. ... That's partially on me too, just coming out and attacking first and being more aggressive."
Love doesn't expect Game 1 to be predictive - pointing to the Heat's bounce-back Game 2 win over the 76ers as proof of how quickly a series can change - but he knows the Cavs need to bring way more energy way earlier if they're going to even things up Wednesday night.
"We have to be ready to play from the jump tomorrow," he said. "They really set the tone."