The true value of a veteran player is being revealed on the big stage.
The Miami Heat won 108-101 in the game against the New York Knicks in the first leg of the second round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs held at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York on the 1st (Korean time). Miami started the series on a good note, winning Game 1.
Ace Jimmy Butler led the team with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists, while Gabe Vincent (20 points, 5 assists) and Kyle Lowry (18 points, 6 assists) also contributed.
On this day, there was a hidden contributor to Miami. That’s Kevin Love. Love played 16 minutes that day, recording 9 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. On the surface, it seems like an ordinary record. However, the impact in the game was enormous.
Love, who played as a starter in the first quarter, defended Mitchell Robinson, not Obie Taupin. This appears to be a directive from director Erik Spoelstra to avoid meeting Adebayo the snake with Robinson. On offense, Love created space on the perimeter through pick-and-pops with Butler, which was a big help to Butler’s offense.
After taking a break in the 2nd quarter, Love played in the 3rd quarter. And the 3rd quarter was safe to say that it was Love’s one-man show. Love made two 3-pointers in the third quarter. Love’s true value was revealed elsewhere. Love took possession of the rebound against New York’s active offensive rebound, and after the rebound, Love passed a courier pass to Butler, who was running forward, and scored easily. Love’s long-distance passing, which was famous from the days of the Cleveland Cavaliers, showed its true value.
With the performance of Love, who showed off his tremendous influence on the court, the weight of the tense game leaned toward Miami. Miami, which gained momentum with Love’s performance, maintained its advantage until the end and was able to win a valuable victory in the first game.
Love played for Cleveland until halfway through this season. However, there was no place for Love in Cleveland due to the presence of Jarrett Allen and Isaiah Mobley. In the end, Cleveland terminated the contract after mutual agreement for Love, the team’s franchise star, and Love moved to Miami, which guaranteed him the most playing time 스포츠토토.
This choice seems like a godsend for Miami. An interesting fact is that Love, who joined Miami in the middle of the season, did not perform well in the regular season.
In 21 games with Miami, Love averaged 7.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 29.7 percent 3-point shooting. He’s clearly a disappointing grade.
But in the playoffs, Love is averaging 9.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 43.3 percent 3-point shooting. It’s a perfect reversal.
Miami, who won the first game thanks to Love’s performance, will start the second game in New York on the 3rd.