A healthy Kevin Love was expected to make a world of difference for the Timberwolves this season, and through the first six games that’s been exactly what’s happened.
Minnesota is off to a 4-2 start to the season, and Love’s dominance in multiple statistical categories is a big reason why.
Love’s numbers aren’t just great or above average, however. To this point in the young season, they’ve been historically remarkable.
From Mark Remme of Timberwolves.com:
- According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Love is the fourth player since 1954-55 to have 30-plus points, 15-plus rebounds, 8-plus assists in a game in which he played less than 35 minutes (he played 34:39).
- Love is one of four players in NBA history to record 30-plus points, 15-plus rebounds, eight-plus assists and 3 3-pointers in a game. The others are Vince Carter, Larry Bird and Dirk Nowitzki.
- Love is the first player in NBA history with 160 points, 80 rebounds and 30 assists in his first six games of the season, via Elias.
- Love is the first player in NBA history to average 27 points, 14 rebounds and five assists through six games.
- Love is the first player to have 30 points and 15 rebounds three times in his first six games since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1988-89.
Pretty incredible stuff here, and Timberwolves fans will just hope he stays anywhere near this level of production over the course of the season, after seeing Love play in just 18 games a year ago due to injury.
