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Kevin Love eager to return to new-look Cleveland Cavaliers lineup

Kevin Love, who has been out of the Cleveland Cavaliers lineup since breaking his left hand two weeks ago, can’t wait to get back on the court with his new teammates and says in an interview with ESPN, he will get in where he fits in upon his return.

“We have a lot of selfless guys added, young guys who are playing extremely hard,” Love said Friday in an appearance on ESPN’s The Jump, a week removed from Cleveland’s roster overhaul and with several weeks left in his recovery from a broken hand. “I think you’ve seen that in the last two games in wins over Boston and OKC. So we just continue to keep playing hard.

“I’ll fit in when I come back — and hopefully I’ll have enough games to get my legs beneath me and get my rhythm back.”

The Cavaliers entered this week’s All-Star Game on a four-game winning streak, with the last two coming with the newly formed lineup which includes newcomers Jordan Clarkson, George Hill, Larry Nance Jr. and Rodney Hood – all acquired on the NBA’s trade deadline.

Love, who was selected for his fifth All-Star Game, knows it will take some time to get adjusted to the team’s new identity.

“And it’s going to take a few weeks. And you know, when I get back it’s going to take another month for everybody to get adjusted and on the same page. But I like what we have.”

Love did address some of the team’s chemistry issues which prompted the team’s roster overhaul and said it was tough for Isaiah Thomas to get in sync with the team coming off a major injury.

“It’s tough coming off an injury like that,” Love said. “For me, I came off shoulder surgery … having to miss six or eight months with that is so tough to come back from. I think when you lose some of that explosiveness at his size, and being a guy that’s used to having the ball in his hands so much, it’s tough to come in a try to make a huge impact right away. And I think he wanted to be so great so fast.”

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