Miami Heat forward Kevin Love shared an epic starting five of all the players that he’s been able to compete alongside in his NBA career.
Kyrie Irving, LeBron James …
played a little game of ‘Starting 5’ with Kevin Love, but … there’s a catch 👀@CBSSports @CBSSportsNet pic.twitter.com/QokeBgN2fd
— Ashley Nicole Moss (@AshNicoleMoss) April 1, 2024
“I’ll say Kyrie Irving – I know I’m going to leave out somebody – Jimmy Butler, myself, LeBron James, Bam Adebayo,” Love said.
He was then asked to predict what record that team would have.
“Imma say 65-17,” Love said.
The Heat forward didn’t go out and say his team would go undefeated, offering an honest response as to why he chose that record.
“No, because we gotta factor in games missed, the cap, there’s a lot of things that I have to consider within all that – load management,” Love answered on why that team wouldn’t go undefeated.
Love has played with some great players in his NBA career, winning a title with James and Irving during his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers and making an appearance in the NBA Finals last season while playing with Butler and Adebayo.
A five-time All-Star, Love has put together quite the career of his own, averaging 16.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game while being named to two All-NBA teams.
The 35-year-old has embraced a smaller role in Miami at this stage in his career, but he’s still been an impactful player for the Heat this season. In 47 games for Miami, Love is averaging 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Love is a great player to place in an all-time starting five, as he’s shown an ability to adapt in his NBA career. After going from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a trade to Cleveland to team up with James and Irving, Love saw his shots per game go from 18.5 in the 2013-14 season to just 12.7 in the 2014-15 campaign.
Still, he accepted the smaller role and was a huge reason why the Cavs made the NBA Finals in four straight seasons during James’ second stint with the franchise.
Now, Love is looking to help Miami get over the hump and win an NBA title after the team made the Finals in the 2019-20 season as well as last season. All the experience Love has in the playoffs is certainly helpful for Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra to have in his rotation and in the locker room.
There’s no doubt that Love’s all-time starting five would have been a tough group to beat when all five players were in the prime of their respective careers.
