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As the\u00a0Miami Heat beat the Indiana Pacers\u00a0Friday night to get a win in NBA Cup group play, the star of the show was Bam Adebayo, who put up a dynamic game amid a slow start to the season. However, it was\u00a0Heat veteran Kevin Love who put up a productive game, proving time and time again how age is just a number, garnering the reaction of head coach Erik Spoelstra.<\/p>\n
In the victory to the Pacers, the 36-year-old was in the starting lineup due to the\u00a0injury to Heat star Jimmy Butler\u00a0and finished with 15 points on six for eight shooting, including three of four from beyond the arch. He would also collect seven rebounds, recorded two assists, and even had four steals as Spoelstra\u00a0expresses his gratitude for having a player like Love on his team, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just really appreciate Kevin,\u201d Spoelstra said. \u201cI appreciate that he\u2019s able to morph into different roles. Guys like him have that cachet that on any given night they can be that for short bursts. What he did in basically 12 minutes and change is pretty amazing. But it\u2019s because he\u2019s about the right things.\u201d<\/p>\n
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<\/center><\/p>\nLove had missed the first eight games of the season due to \u201cpersonal reasons,\u201d and when he was back with the team, he had to work on his conditioning to get back into game shape. As he\u2019s been giving his veteran experience to the team, they paid back with kindness as Love spoke about the\u00a0\u201cunbelievable\u201d support from his teammates.<\/p>\n
\u201cCertainly eight or nine days away, I was able to take care of a lot,\u201d Love said via The Miami Herald. \u201cThe support was unbelievable from my teammates, coaching staff, organization. But now having to work your way back in is also something that is tough in itself. You watch and see where you can help and impart a little wisdom away from the court, as well. So now that I\u2019m back, I\u2019m just trying to add that freshness, that lightness to the locker room and hopefully help out there, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was really tough,\u201d Love continued. \u201cObviously, you want to be there, especially at this point in my career, too. I want to be there to support the guys, add value, add leadership. But the organization, they were so amazing in supporting me, letting me have my time and allowing me to come back refreshed in my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
Love re-signing with the Heat\u00a0this offseason was not surprising in the slightest as the team and himself have embraced each other in the roughly two seasons being in Miami. Spoelstra has spoken time and time again about the versatility of Love and how he fits with his offense.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe knows how to fit in, he knows how to complement or do more as necessary,\u201d Spoelstra said about Love when he returned against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 10. \u201cWe need it. I think it will help our rebounding, the offensive IQ that he brings, and the spacing certainly will help, as well, and his competitive spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Love has been public about his awareness of mental health, which could have played a part in his absence, but it has been described as a \u201cpersonal family matter.\u201d However, the empathy that he received from the rest of the team was \u201camazing,\u201d per Love, as he is, in some ways, the replacement for Udonis Haslem, who had been with the organization for two decades.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was amazing,\u201d Love said. \u201cI certainly didn\u2019t want to make it about myself, I had a little bit of, I don\u2019t want to say reluctance going back to work, but I certainly didn\u2019t want people asking all sorts of questions and making it about me, I just wanted to come back and kind of get integrated back, and it was that. As soon as everybody saw each other and asked is everything OK \u2014 of course, I said yes \u2014 that we were able to just proceed and try to get me back to playing again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last season, Love was tasked with the role of being the primary backup for star center Bam Adebayo, but the plan was changed to start the season due to his aforementioned absence. It would be Thomas Bryant who filled in that spot until Spoelstra would give more time to Heat rookie Kel\u2019el Ware, who stands at seven-foot tall and has elite athleticism.<\/p>\n
However, neither yet has the skills that Love has, which is to not only add skill on the glass but also space the floor as he is a clear threat from three-point range. Plus, he has been described as a\u00a0\u201cconnector of all connectors\u201d\u00a0by Spoelstra in terms of his leadership and how he can use his experience for the benefit of the team.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith Kevin, it\u2019s kind of easy. It\u2019s not like rocket science, you\u2019re talking about a highly decorated, multi year all star who has embraced and accepted a role coming off the bench,\u201d Spoelstra said. \u201cIf you could get players of his caliber to do that all the time in their mid 30s and bring that Veteran experience, but also the talent like on any given night, he can still be who he was in short bursts. If you can get guys to embrace that, there\u2019d be a whole lot more guys like that that would have an impact around the league. He makes our best players better because of experience and spacing. As we know he\u2019s a fantastic rebounder, but that experience is something that has really helped our group. It\u2019ll be good to have him back.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n