Kevin Love In Concussion Protocol After Taking Elbow To The Head

This hasn’t exactly been the redemptive trip to the Finals Kevin Love was probably hoping for. After scoring 17 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in the Game 1 loss, Love had the worst night possible in Game 2. He scored five points and corralled three rebounds in 21 minutes, and had to remove himself from the game after being concussed by a Harrison Barnes elbow.

Love crumpled to the ground and held his head after taking the elbow while going up for a rebound in the second quarter, and it was clear then that the blow wasn’t something that would be easily shaken off. He was taken off the floor and evaluated by the Cavs’ trainer and team doctor, and was allowed to re-enter the game after they failed to detect any concussion symptoms. One wonders about how thorough that examination was, given that Love had to remove himself from the game in the third quarter, and was very clearly dazed on the floor. At about the 14-second mark here, you can see his final play of the night:

Love is now in the NBA’s concussion protocol, which leaves his status for Game 3 up in the air. Before he can be cleared to play on Wednesday, he must complete a series of tasks with increasing levels of physical exertion, and he must be determined to be symptom free after each task.

As for the big picture, whether Love plays probably matters very little for the Cleveland Cavaliers. This team looks about as overmatched as a conference champion possibly can, and there’s no reason this morning to think that the series will last any longer than four or five games. It’s possible Cavs fans have seen the last of Kevin Love this season, but at least they won’t have long to miss him.