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KEVIN LOVE

USA Basketball picks 57 players for men's Tokyo Games pool

USA Basketball is a step closer to choosing the team that will play in this summer’s rescheduled Tokyo Olympics, releasing the names Thursday of 57 players who are part of the pool to fill the squad. It’s also already drawing major interest from some NBA stars who have yet to taste Olympic gold. USA Basketball will pare the list to a 12-person Olympic team by early summer. Jordan, who now plays for Brooklyn, is also a newcomer to the pool even though he was on the 2016 Olympic team. “But for USA Basketball to receive the commitment of so many outstanding players remains an indicator of the great honor of representing your country means to these men.”

Murray's 50 points power Nuggets past crumbling Cavaliers

Denver Nuggets' Jamal Murray (27) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers' Cedi Osman (16) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in Cleveland. According to Elias Sports Bureau, he's the first player in league history to score 50 or more points without shooting a free throw. “To do it as efficiently as he did it is really remarkable,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone. On his 26th birthday, Jokic had 16 points and 12 rebounds in getting his seventh triple-double this season. AdCavaliers: F Taurean Prince missed his second straight game with a sprained left ankle.

AP source: Cavs to sit Andre Drummond while pursuing trade

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)CLEVELAND – Andre Drummond wasn't part of the Cavaliers' future plans. AdAs the Cavs lost their seventh straight game Sunday, Drummond sat on Cleveland's bench wearing a sweatshirt that had “Farewell” written on the front. The Cavs would like to acquire future assets for Drummond, who is in the final year of a contract that will pay him $28.7 million this season. Drummond is only 27 and could be an enticing player for any team looking for a big man. Bickerstaff experimented with Drummond and Allen playing together, but it hasn't worked, with the Cavs consistently outscored on the perimeter.

Cavaliers F Nance to miss 6 weeks with broken left hand

Minnesota Timberwolves' Josh Okogie, left, drives around Cleveland Cavaliers' Larry Nance Jr. (22) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, in Minneapolis. Cleveland will be without versatile forward Larry Nance for six weeks after he broke his left hand during Saturday's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. They won only 19 games in 2020 but have been one of the league's biggest surprises so far this season. AdNance is averaging 9.3 points and 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 19 games. Earlier this week, Cleveland was outscored 60-12 on 3-pointers by the Los Angeles Clippers.

LeBron scores 46, Lakers beat Cavs to stay perfect on road

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers' Dylan Windler (9) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 25, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)CLEVELAND – Back home, LeBron James kept the Lakers perfect on the road. When James was short with a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter, the unidentified Cavs executive celebrated. It was only James' second trip back to Cleveland since he left the Cavs for the second time as a free agent after the 2018 season. “It's more of a somber-tone-type-of-day.”The Lakers are spending the night in Cleveland before flying to Philadelphia — Bryant's hometown — on Tuesday.

NBA updates mental health policies amid ongoing pandemic

The NBA is urging teams to make increased commitments toward providing mental health resources to players and staff, releasing updated guidelines Wednesday to reflect the challenge of playing amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The NBA has mandated that teams offer access to mental health professionals in recent seasons — a program the league calls Mind Health was launched nearly three years ago — but that obviously predates the pandemic and how countless aspects of day-to-day life has changed in recent months. Those are a few of the ways the NBA has changed amid the virus. “All this is a little bit like the Twilight Zone,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said when asked about the mental strain of playing amid a pandemic. “The usage of mental health tools and support platforms has increased as have the modalities to assist those in need.

Cavaliers' Love to miss extended time with calf injury

Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Love, right, passes against Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)CLEVELAND – Cavaliers forward Kevin Love could miss more than a month with a right calf injury he aggravated Sunday night in a game against Philadelphia. The 32-year-old’s injury is a setback for the Cavs, who are off to their first 3-0 start since 2016. The five-time All-Star made his season debut and played 38 minutes in the Cavaliers' double-overtime win at Detroit on Saturday. Love is in his seventh season with Cleveland, which is counting on him to lead a young team showing early signs of growth this season.

Back to work: NBA's non-Disney clubs start team workouts

The teams that didn't qualify for the restart of the NBA season at Walt Disney World could begin voluntary workouts Wednesday, Sept. 23, to start preparing for their next game whenever that is. Karl Anthony-Towns got to work in Minnesota and his old coach started to mold his new team in New York. After six months without one, it felt so good for some NBA teams to practice again that even Allen Iverson might've enjoyed it. “It gives us some sense of continuity, some sense of togetherness,” said Love, who didn’t want to miss the voluntary workouts. Coaches who didn't know what to expect were pleasantly surprised by the level of play they saw.

The ESPYS focus on honors, pandemic and racial justice

Love received the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the ESPY Awards on Sunday, June 21, 2020, for sparking a national conversation about mental health. The focus of Sunday night's show on ESPN was hope and inspiration in the time of coronavirus. Two years ago, he wrote an online essay detailing his struggles with mental health, including having a panic attack during a game. As a result, other athletes and fans began sharing details of their own mental health challenges and sharing resources on how to get help. During the COVID-19 crisis, he's shared tips on how to cope with the stress and isolation caused by the pandemic.

Cavs' Love regrets recent 'childish' outbursts during games

(AP Photo/Tony Dejak)CLEVELAND, OH – Kevin Love knows he should have better handled his recent frustrations. Love said the situation was overblown in the media and that he and Altman spoke before Sunday's game against Minnesota and are on good terms. “I went in there and talked to Koby about it in conversation,” Love said following the morning shootaround as the Cavs prepared to host Detroit. Not long after LeBron James left as a free agency following the 2017 season, the Cavs signed Love to a four-year, $120 million contract. "That’s why I speak to you guys not Kevin Love the basketball player, as a human because it’s no B.S.