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Kevin Love leaves Cavaliers game with back injury, doesn’t return

Kevin Love, Paul Millsap, Thabo Sefolosha

Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kevin Love, center, loses the ball while defended by Atlanta Hawks’ Paul Millsap, left, and teammate Thabo Sefolosha, of Switzerland, in the second quarter of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

AP

When it rains, it pours for the Cavaliers (and I don’t just mean blood out of David Blatt’s nose).

With LeBron James already sidelined by left knee soreness, Kevin Love couldn’t make it through Cleveland’s game against the Hawks tonight.

Joe Gabriele of Cavs.com:

This puts a lot on Kyrie Irving’s shoulders, and you saw how that role worked for his team his first three years in the league.

Most importantly, Cleveland needs its stars to develop chemistry together. That obviously can’t happen if they’re injured.

The Cavaliers should wind up with a fine playoff seed in the East. They’re already fifth in the conference, and this is considered a low point for them.

But any missed opportunities for LeBron, Love and Irving to play together and build a rapport now could really hurt come the playoffs.