DENVER (AP) - Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love was helped off the floor by medical personnel after taking an inadvertent elbow to the head from JaVale McGee when the Nuggets center went up for a shot on Wednesday night.
The team said in a statement that Love would not return due to a head injury. He had missed all five of his shots in the first quarter before being knocked out of the game.
On the play, McGee caught a pass in the lane and was turning to shoot when his elbow struck Love squarely on the side of the head.
Love stayed down for several minutes as trainers tended to him. He was helped to his feet and gingerly walked off the court and into the locker room.
The UCLA product is the NBA’s leading scorer since the All-Star break, averaging nearly 29 points.
Earlier in the contest, Love gave Kenneth Faried a hard shoulder to the chest as the Nuggets rookie flew down the lane after a rebound. Faried tumbled to the floor and had to be helped off, only to quickly return.
The Timberwolves were already missing Luke Ridnour, who is sidelined with a sprained right ankle. In addition, coach Rick Adelman said before the contest that Wayne Ellington is dealing with back spasms.
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