Kevin Love is currently averaging 27 14 and 5 on 48%, can he keep it up?

[KevinNYC]

If you look at his current numbers and compare then to his career bests, by percentage, you see that it's his assists, not his points that are the aberration.

Points. 104% of career best
Rebounds 93% of career best
Assists 204% of career best

[comerb]

With the way he plays D coming from the PF spot I just cant see that happening.

He plays OK defense, it's not really anything to complain about. Nothing to brag about either.

[DMAVS41]

As great as those numbers are, Love has to lead a team to the playoffs and then produce in the playoffs to take him seriously as a legit superstar.

It might be a bit unfair, but there are too many guys in the history of the game that would be winning 55 or so games with that roster. Prime Dirk, for example, would have that team at 50 plus wins easily.

So until Love starts doing that, his true impact is a little suspect.

[SacJB Shady]

As great as those numbers are, Love has to lead a team to the playoffs and then produce in the playoffs to take him seriously as a legit superstar.

It might be a bit unfair, but there are too many guys in the history of the game that would be winning 55 or so games with that roster. Prime Dirk, for example, would have that team at 50 plus wins easily.

So until Love starts doing that, his true impact is a little suspect.

Well they're 6 and 4 so far but it's still early. Do you think the T Wolves will make the playoffs?

[DMAVS41]

Well they're 6 and 4 so far but it's still early. Do you think the T Wolves will make the playoffs?

Yes. And they should...

[La Frescobaldi]

As great as those numbers are, Love has to lead a team to the playoffs and then produce in the playoffs to take him seriously as a legit superstar.

It might be a bit unfair, but there are too many guys in the history of the game that would be winning 55 or so games with that roster. Prime Dirk, for example, would have that team at 50 plus wins easily.

So until Love starts doing that, his true impact is a little suspect.

He has never had a team until this season. Every team Love has been on has either been truly awful, or completely injured. He played 3 games with Rubio last year. They started D League 10 day contracts last year...... lots of them... because they didn't even have enough players to play a game.
Their FO has been kind of a joke. Did you know Kevin Love is the only Timberwolf still on the team from his rookie season? 2009. Brewer left and came back..... that's it.

Now THIS year's squad should go to the playoffs, imo, but blaming Love for what the Wolves have done in these past few seasons is based on something other than watching the Wolves. I have read enough of your posts to know you usually have solid points, so I suspect that is the case.

[La Frescobaldi]

If you look at his current numbers and compare then to his career bests, by percentage, you see that it's his assists, not his points that are the aberration.

Points. 104% of career best
Rebounds 93% of career best
Assists 204% of career best

yeah. people are saying his points are going to go down as the season progresses. I doubt it. Unstoppable is unstoppable, whether it's Bernard King or Anthony or Love. They are going to score and all other teams know, they will just have to live with that fact.
But his assists may well take a hit. A) Kevin Martin has been amazing from 3 & Corey Brewer too....... but like Sir Charles always says, 'live by the 3, die by the 3.'.... and B) teams will figure out they have to sprint back on defense instantly after they shoot or they will pay for their slowness because Love plays basketball like it is 1972.

[LAZERUSS]

In year's past Love was stats-padding. This year Love is not stats-padding.

[Pointguard]

In year's past Love was stats-padding. This year Love is not stats-padding.

Yeah, he's for real. All around game too. Even on defense if you throw a lazy pass he's gets his hands on it. Plays smart all the time... active. Always figures out a way to be effective. I'm a fan.

[LAZERUSS]

Yeah, he's for real. All around game too. Even on defense if you throw a lazy pass he's gets his hands on it. Plays smart all the time... active. Always figures out a way to be effective. I'm a fan.

Well, I was being facetious. I don't see Love playing much differently now than he has in year's past. The man has always been a hard-worker. Just look at his physique. How does a 6-8 guy with that body, and with nowhere near the athleticism of say a Dwight, win rebounding titles? A player can "stats-pad" their way to points by simply taking enough shots, but rebounding takes hard work and determination.

It's amazing how much better Love's numbers look now that he has a quality supporting cast.

It reminds me of KG. The guy played his heart out for years surrounded by poor rosters. Then when he was finally given some good teammates, he leads a team to a 66-16 record and a title.

[dunksby]

Love definitely never had a decent team around him, with Rubio stepping up his game, a revived Kevin Martin along with Pek who has been solid. They have earned the respect of the league, fans should give credit where it's due as well.

[VIntageNOvel]

Well, I was being facetious. I don't see Love playing much differently now than he has in year's past. The man has always been a hard-worker. Just look at his physique. How does a 6-8 guy with that body, and with nowhere near the athleticism of say a Dwight, win rebounding titles? A player can "stats-pad" their way to points by simply taking enough shots, but rebounding takes hard work and determination.

It's amazing how much better Love's numbers look now that he has a quality supporting cast.

It reminds me of KG. The guy played his heart out for years surrounded by poor rosters. Then when he was finally given some good teammates, he leads a team to a 66-16 record and a title.

exactly

all this bullcrap bout empty stat
dude was playin with a broken hand, and coming back from injury as good as ever, you cant do that without hard work and determination

and i like the comparison with KG minny

[La Frescobaldi]

Love definitely never had a decent team around him, with Rubio stepping up his game, a revived Kevin Martin along with Pek who has been solid. They have earned the respect of the league, fans should give credit where it's due as well.

Pekovic is one of the most skilled centers in the NBA. He has learned how to ignore his only weakness, which is not much vertical... in fact he frequently has, surprisingly, turned it into a strength.
How?
Most centers have pretty good/great/insane vertical, but just as frequently they are dumber than rocks. This is nothing new: Barkley & Bird knew it in '85, McAdoo & Issel knew it in '75, Chamberlain & Russell & Baylor knew it in '65.
If you go to the hoop hard but simply stay on the ground with a hesitation or stutter step or ball fake.... inevitably these amazingly athletic idiots will hit their heads on the overhead scoreboard trying to block a shot.

You would think players would have learned this by now. It's a simple idea. But I saw Mel Counts & LeRoy Ellis do that stuff their entire careers.... and I watched Greg Monroe & Kenneth Faried, supposedly pretty good centers, do it last night. We're talking about 40+ years of stupidity.
It's epic.

[KevinNYC]

But his assists may well take a hit. A) Kevin Martin has been amazing from 3 & Corey Brewer too....... but like Sir Charles always says, 'live by the 3, die by the 3.'.... and B) teams will figure out they have to sprint back on defense instantly after they shoot or they will pay for their slowness because Love plays basketball like it is 1972.

Well, one thing about his assists is that his coach has been running plays where he is the passer. He wants him to be Vlade Divac type big man that can stretch the court with this shot, but also make plays from the high post.

[DMAVS41]

He has never had a team until this season. Every team Love has been on has either been truly awful, or completely injured. He played 3 games with Rubio last year. They started D League 10 day contracts last year...... lots of them... because they didn't even have enough players to play a game.
Their FO has been kind of a joke. Did you know Kevin Love is the only Timberwolf still on the team from his rookie season? 2009. Brewer left and came back..... that's it.

Now THIS year's squad should go to the playoffs, imo, but blaming Love for what the Wolves have done in these past few seasons is based on something other than watching the Wolves. I have read enough of your posts to know you usually have solid points, so I suspect that is the case.

Like I said. He has to start leading teams to 50 plus wins and performing well in the playoffs. I don't care all that much what has happened to this point.

But this team with prime Dirk is winning around 55 games probably. So I just want to see Love do that and then play well in the playoffs.

It's just hard to properly rate a guy that hasn't played a playoff game in his career. Regular season is almost meaningless to me.