Heat’s Kevin Love reacts to first game since February after nagging injury

Love would play over 15 minutes as he scored eight points on two for eight shooting from the field (both makes from deep) and collected three rebounds. There’s no doubt he was trying to get back in to rhythm, especially in shooting the ball as Miami needed some spacing as the veteran explained.

“I was close, probably the Golden State game would’ve been the first time I maybe could’ve seen some action,” Love said. “It just happened to be tonight, I think we needed some spacing, but you got to tip your hat to TB, he’s been playing awesome. Really stepping up and finding a groove. It’ll probably be game to game, tonight was a night where we needed that spacing and guys to operate.”

As Love mentioned, during his absence, players like Thomas Bryant stepped up in a huge way as he was usually the primary backup for star Bam Adebayo. In his first season with Miami, he has had a handful of memorable performances, including when Bryant thrived against the Blazers in the 60-point when he had 26 points and 12 rebounds.

Erik Spoelstra talks about Thomas Bryant, what Love brings to the Heat

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said to ClutchPoints that Bryant has been a “real professional” and been an example of players that have stayed ready and performed at a high level amidst the team having a continuous problem with injuries. Fortunately, depth has usually been the strongest suit for Miami as when guys are missing time as seen with Love and Tyler Herro, there have been players on the bench that have had that “next man up mentality” and shown out.

Compared to Bryant, Love has been vital to the team as he brings a multitude of traits to Miami that other players in the front court don’t have. As Spoelstra mentioned, it’s the spacing he brings when shooting the ball from three-point range and at his age, he also has “such great veteran experience.”

“It takes a real professional like Thomas to have an understanding that this is what depth is all about,” Spoelstra said. “Obviously, we’ve used all of our depth, but the depth becomes a little bit more complex when you have more guys available. And [Bryant] has really given us such tremendous minutes the last six weeks while Kevin was out. Kevin gives us something different. It spaces the floor in a different way, you get some overreactions that lead to open shots either for him or for somebody else that you can’t necessarily script or make a play call for. And he has that such great veteran experience for these kinds of games, these kinds of matchups, and then, hopefully, you know, what’s ahead for us in the playoffs.”

Bam Adebayo says Love brings energy to Miami’s locker room

As mentioned before, Love would usually be the first big-man to come in to the game when Adebayo takes a breather before the injury. He is especially happy to see Love back as he touts him as “one of our leaders” and that he “doesn’t do anything but fuel energy into us.”

“Obviously he’s one of our leaders, one of our vocal guys, it’s good to have him back, he gets to talk in the locker room,” Adebayo said. “He doesn’t do anything but fuel energy into us and to have him in on the floor it creates spacing for me and Jimmy.”

Love hoping for another playoff push for Miami like last season

It does seem like while Love will continue to be integral for the Heat since they signed him in the buyout market last season, it will take some time for him to get back to full health. However, he does have seven games left of the regular season to be fully adjusted back into the swing of things, but it might not take too long as he said after the Knicks victory that he does “feel fresh” and hopes for “another push like we had last year.”

“I feel fresh, my body feels really good and I’ve been working hard behind the scenes to keep myself activated, in very good shape,” Love said. “Again that is part of what this place is about, even when you’re not out there, you’re not playing, you keep yourself ready because the team whether it’s one play away or the team might need a different look and once you’re healthy, different guys coming in and out of the lineup. I look at as a silver lining is I’ll be fresh for what hopefully is another push like we had last year.”

Miami is 42-33 which puts them seventh in the tightly packed Eastern Conference where they are trying to get out of contention for the play-in tournament. Their next challenge is against the Philadelphia 76ers who are trying to do the same Thursday night inside the Kaseya Center.