On a winning team, sacrifices must be made. If you were the best player on an awful team, and then you are suddenly playing alongside LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and a solid supporting cast, your production, and what the new team actually needs from you, won't be the same. Such is the case for Kevin Love on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Here's the Akron Beacon Journal reporting:

On a night LeBron James struggled to make shots, Kevin Love shined. On a night James wasn’t much of a factor in Wednesday’s lopsided victory at the Memphis Grizzlies, Love led the Cavaliers in shots, scoring and rebounds.

It would be rash to consider this the new norm based off one game in October, except that’s precisely the way James framed it after the game.

“He’s the focal point of us offensively,” James said.

Whether this is just lip service to build up his former All-Star teammate after his difficult season or the Cavs’ new identity remains to be seen. James has been his team’s leading scorer in each of his 12 seasons in the league, and aside from his first year in Miami, it has never really been close. With the Heat in town for Friday’s home opener, James appears to be acquiescing some control to Love.

“Kevin is going to be our main focus,” James said. “He’s going to have a hell of a season. He’s going to get back to that All-Star status.”