Tyronn Lue has just taken over the job of head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, but he has wasted no time taking issue with one of his players being left off the All-Star Team.
Kevin Love was left off the All-Star roster this season after finishing eighth in the Eastern Conference voting. Players finishing ahead of Love included Chris Bosh, Paul Millsap, and Andre Drummond.
“I just thought, in this league it’s always been about winning and winning has always been rewarded,” Lue said Friday morning, according to ESPN.com. “Being No. 1 in the East and Kevin being one of four guys in the NBA to average a double-double on a winning team, I’ve just never seen being a first-place team and getting one guy in. I’ve never seen that before.”
Well, first thing’s first. The NBA All-Star Game, perhaps more than any other league, has always been more of a popularity contest more than a reward to good players on high-achieving teams. So the idea of Kevin Love not making the cut despite being on a first-place team is slightly off the mark, as are the stats Lue is citing. Love is one of seven players averaging a double-double this season, instead of the four Lue referenced.
For his part, Love seems to be handling his latest omission from the All-Star fun with a good head on his shoulders.
“I think there’s a lot of good players in the East,” Love said. “I’ve said that all along, especially at the forward position, too, with the starters. I think it’s a good team on both sides.”
Love made the All-Star game three out of his first four seasons in the NBA but he has been left off the team each of the past two seasons after moving over from Minnesota to Cleveland. Perhaps that is more of an indication of the competition at the position Love is up against in the East compared to the West?
[ESPN]
