OAKLAND, Calif. _ Center/forward Kevin Love passed the tests required to be released from the NBA's concussion protocol and will be available to play in Thursday night's opener of the NBA Finals, the Cavaliers announced.
Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said Wednesday that if Love were deemed healthy, he would start against the defending champion Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena.
The Cavs' second-leading scorer and leading rebounder, Love missed Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics on Sunday in TD Garden after a head-to-head collision with Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum in Game 6. It was his second concussion of the season; he also sat out a March 28 game at Charlotte after being hit in the mouth the previous night at Miami.
Jeff Green started in place of Love in Game 7 of the East finals and scored 19 points with eight rebounds.
The Warriors will be without forward Andre Iguodala, who will miss his fifth consecutive playoff game with a left lateral leg contusion/bone bruise. The 2015 Finals MVP, Iguodala was injured in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals when he bumped knees with Houston Rockets' star James Harden.
