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Kevin Love dominates Raptors to earn Top 3 spot after Cavs win

By Chad Porto

CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 26: Lauri Markkanen #24 and Dean Wade #32 celebrate with Kevin Love #0 of the Cleveland Cavaliers after Love scored during the third quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on December 26, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Raptors 144-99. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 26: Lauri Markkanen #24 and Dean Wade #32 celebrate with Kevin Love #0 of the Cleveland Cavaliers after Love scored during the third quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on December 26, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Raptors 144-99. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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Kevin Love looked like his All-Star self in dominating win over the Raptors.

The Cavs defeated the Raptors 144-99 on Sunday night, with both teams heading into the game shorthanded. The Raptors, however, were missing far more key pieces to their starting rotation than the Cavs were, which may explain why Kevin Love was able to body so many of the Raptors’ bigs.

Love turned back the clock as a starter against Toronto and posted a hyper-efficient 22 points and nine rebounds in just 19 minutes of play. He shot 7-12 from the floor and 6-9 from three-point. Maybe he’s not this efficient against the Raptors if they were rolling in with a full team but they weren’t, he was and that’s that.

The Cavs are 7-1 over their last eight and move to 20-13 on the season. For context, last year’s Cavaliers team didn’t get their 20th win until their 54 games played; which came in April. The Cavs are clearly much improved.

The three best from Sunday’s win over the Raptors

The Best Three Performers

  1. Tie: Lauri Markkanen & Dean Wade
  2. Darius Garland
  3. Kevin Love

For the one pointer from the game, we’ve got a tie. Lauri Markkanen and Dean Wade. Markkanen played a bit out of position, moving over to the four spots, and put up 20 points and seven rebounds. Dean Wade also had a nice game with 17 points and a box +/- of +28. He’s one of the Cavs best defensive players, and it’s good to see him playing as well as he is.

The two-pointer from the game goes to Darius Garland, which sees him just one point shy of Jarrett Allen on the season. Allen has led the yearly standings pretty much from the onset but Garland is making his claim. He did a nice job of that on Sunday, putting up 22 points, eight assists, and a bonkers box+/- of +37.

The top spot goes to Love, who of course did all of his damage in just 18 minutes of play. That’s mindboggling and the reason why he walks home with three points to his yearly standings with this game’s three-pointer.

Yearly Standing:

  1. Jarrett Allen (34 points)
  2. Darius Garland (33 points)
  3. Ricky Rubio (29 points)
  4. *Tied* Kevin Love Cedi Osman (23 points)
  5. Lauri Markkanen (22 points)
  6. Evan Mobley (14 points)
  7. Dean Wade (5 Points)
  8. Isaac Okoro (4 points)
  9. Dylan Windler (1 point)

Next. Darius Garland and Kevin Love in the Cavs Top 3 following the Celtics loss. dark

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