No one else in the league does what he can do, he's boards better than Dwight Howard but shoots 43.5% from the 3-point line. He's getting boards at an unprecedented rate, 15.6 per game. He was the first player since Moses Malone to get 30 points and 30 rebounds. He almost double-doubled in rebounds last night versus Utah, 9 offensive rebounds, 10 defensive rebounds.
He shoots 45% from the floor and an amazing 86% from the free-throw line. He has 25 double-doubles through 30 games and a few of those were from the beginning of the season when Kurt Rambis inexplicably played him less than 30 and somtimes 25 minutes a game, sparking a Twitter wide 'Free Kevin Love' movement. Love is so good that if the Cavs aren't on I'm tuning into watch the awful Timberwolves play because he's so impressive. Everyone gushes about Blake Griffin's athletic ability and how amazing he is to watch play, which is deservedly true. But no one seems to mention Love, in fact in the first all-star balloting returns he was 10th in Western Conference forwards behind Caron Butler.
He's some numbers for people to think about, Love is 14th in free-throws attempted, with 191 attempts, Howard has taken 298 attempts (107 more) and has made only ONE more free throw than Love (167 to 166). He's 12th in free-throws made and 20th in overall free-throw percentage. Love is 18th in 3-point field goal percentage, 18th in scoring, 1st in rebounds. Love is continuing to get better which is the scary thing, October 14 pts, 13 reb, 1.3 ast averages over three games. November 20.1 pts, 15.4 reb, 2.1 ast averages over 14 games, including the monster 31 and 31 he put up on Amar'e and the Knicks (who he has torched this season). December 23.5 pts, 16.5 reb, 2.3 ast in 13 games.
One more thing, let's look at how Love plays against teams with post players who are held in higher regard to him. 22 points, 9 rebounds in a loss to Howard's Magic November 3. 23 points, 25 rebounds, 5 assists in a loss to Gasol and the Lakers on November 9. The aforementioned 31 and 31 destruction of Amar'e and the Knicks on November 12. His only dud 0 points, 7 rebounds playing hurt versus the Lakers on November 19. 24 and 17 on the Thunder, 32 and 22 on Tim Duncan's Spurs. 25 and 18 against the Spurs a week later, 33 and 15 on the Knicks, yes thats 64 points and 46 rebounds in two games versus Amar'e. 22 and 21 again versus the Thunder, 43 and 17 on the Nuggets and 25 and 19 on the Jazz.
Will people still not talk about Love? I know he's stuck on an awful team but he routinely outplays the other team's center and his stats aren't inflated against bad teams, he actually plays better against better teams. If Love can't get any Love from fans and the media than I will lose faith in the NBA and sports fans everywhere.
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