Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love could miss the rest of the 2015 NBA playoffs because of his shoulder injury, according to team general manager David Griffin.
Love, who suffered the shoulder injury Sunday in Game 4 against the Boston Celtics, accused Celtics center Kelly Olynyk of taking a cheap shot against him. That supposed cheap shot now may end up costing Love the rest of the postseason. Griffin said it was "highly unlikely" Love returns from his dislocated shoulder this season, adding he "doesn't want there to be any expectation" for Love to return.
The injury occurred early in the first quarter when Olynyk appeared to pull on Love's arm in a scramble for a loose ball. Love exited the game and didn't return.
Bleacher Report's Howard Beck offered more insight into Love's injury on Tuesday.
"Source: Kevin Love's labrum tore away from the bone, and will need 4-6 weeks, minimum, to heal," Beck tweeted. "If it doesn't, surgery (is) a possibility."
Given Beck's timeline, Love theoretically could return in time for the start of the NBA finals - assuming his shoulder heals quickly and the Cavaliers reach the championship.
For his part, Love didn't hold back when telling reporters what he thought of Olynyk's play that injured him.
"I thought it was a bush-league play," Love said after the game, according to ESPN. "Olynyk was in a compromising position, had no chance to get the ball, and it's just too bad that he would go to those lengths to take somebody out of the game and do that to someone. I have no doubt in my mind that he did that on purpose. ...
"That's just not a basketball play," said Love, who averaged 18.3 points in the first three games of the series. "You look at the replay. I saw a picture of his arm underneath. It's just not a basketball play. Yeah, expect it to be physical, but when it has to go to that length, that's not the way it's supposed to be. That's not how you play basketball."
Cleveland went on to win Sunday's game 101-93, completing a sweep of the Celtics and earning a spot in the next round against the winner of the Milwaukee-Chicago series.
