WASHINGTON (AP) - Kevin Love’s return to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ lineup after missing 50 games following surgery on his left foot was a brief one.
Love started and played the first six minutes in the Cavaliers’ 119-103 loss to the Washington Wizards on Friday night. He scored four points.
He shot 1 for 5 from the field and missed all three of his 3-point attempts. Love made two free throws and had a rebound and an assist. He left the game midway through the first period and did not return.
“I was moving well,” Love said. “Just rushed a couple of my shots, but just felt really good to be back out there. Our plan all along was to give me one quick blow and get me out of there.”
Love won’t play in the second half of a back-to-back against Indiana on Saturday.
“Kevin got a quick burn,” Cleveland coach Larry Drew said. “The plan all along was to play him about six or seven minutes, and we knew coming into this game that that was going to be the plan and now we see how he responds tomorrow.”
Love signed a four-year, $120 million extension with the Cavaliers in July. He played the first four games of the season, averaging 19 points and 13.5 rebounds before undergoing surgery.
“I don’t think I missed this much time, consecutively, in my entire career,” Love said. “So there’s going to be no semblance of rhythm or anything like that getting back, especially in six minutes, but the ball was finding me.”
After Saturday’s game, Cleveland plays two home games, on Monday against New York and Wednesday against Brooklyn, before the All-Star break.
“It was fun to be out there,” Love said. “I almost felt a little, this is my 11th year, I’ve seen a lot, done a lot but like coming back off the bat that was a great feeling. It was good to be back out there for sure.”
Love was naturally getting eager to play.
“I have enough suits to get me through three months, but damn I’m tired of wearing a suit every game and sitting out there,” Love said “I was happy to wear some different street clothes in here today and put a jersey on and kind see how it fit, go out there and, I know it was only six, seven minutes, but it felt good.”
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