It wasn’t easy, but the Cavaliers survived their playoff opener thanks to two players who saw their playoff runs end prematurely last season.
Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving came up big as the Cavs held off the Pistons for a 106-101 victory in their first-round opener.
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Irving scored a game-high 31 points and added six assists while Love scored 28 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.
"It felt good. Between Kyrie and myself, we’ve had many conversations," Love told ABC after the game. "We want to prove ourselves."
Irving hit 5 of 10 attempts from the 3-point line, but it was his driving ability that really opened things up against the Pistons. Whether he scored on his own, dished off to a teammate or got fouled, he made things happen, allowing LeBron James to pick his spots. That’s something that was sorely missing in the last five games of the NBA Finals after Irving’s knee popped in Oakland.
And Love was a force down low, thriving while playing as an under-sized center against Andre Drummond. Love was impressive in just the sixth postseason game of his career and the first since Kelly Olynyk separated Love's shoulder in Game 5 of their opening-round series with the Celtics last year.
Oh, and James had 22 points and 11 rebounds against the Pistons. With a healthy Love and Irving to go with James, the Cavs might finally have their "Big 3" primed for another deep playoff run.