Kevin Love On Cavs’ First Day Back In Practice Facility

The Cleveland Cavaliers opened their practice facility this week, becoming one of the first teams to do so.

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“It was the longest I’ve ever gone without shooting a basketball,” Cavs Forward Kevin Love told ESPN, Friday. “So I didn’t care. I just wanted to get some shots up.”

He says the players were all screened before being allowed on the courts: “Asked us a few questions. How we’re feeling, if anybody has been sick in the house, if we’ve been sick, if we’ve basically adhered to all the guidelines that are put in place, not only by the NBA but state to state.”

Coaches wore latex gloves and facemasks throughout the practice: “Latex gloves make your hands sweat more than I ever knew!” one Cavs coach told ESPN. “Definitely took a little to get used to with the gloves, but definitely the safest technique right now if you think about it.”

Love, personally, is just excited to be back on the court. “I feel like anybody who needs an escape or in everyday life is looking for any type of normalcy back doing something they love,” he said. “For me, I played 25-ish years of organized basketball, and this is the longest I’ve ever gone without touching [a basketball]. And it’s something I really, really enjoy doing.

“So for me, it definitely was a big dopamine hit, and it just felt great to get in there and sweat outside of doing my workouts at home or getting on a treadmill. Going out there and having some sense of normalcy and getting on the court and actually shooting was pretty uplifting.”