LeBron James: Kevin Love's shooting confidence is down

Cavaliers forward LeBron James says that the reason Kevin Love is passing up shots is because his confidence in shooting the ball is down.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James says that the reason Kevin Love is passing up shots is because his confidence in shooting the ball is down.

Love took seven shots in the first quarter of Cleveland’s 97-84 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, and did not take another shot the rest of the game. He scored a season-low five points, but did have 15 rebounds in 32 minutes.

"I think for Kevin, I think his confidence maybe just shooting the ball is a little down. But for me as a player, I got him good looks,” James said, according to the Northeast Ohio Media Group. “I want him to shot the ball and shoot it with confidence."

Love acknowledged that he gets good looks at the basket during games, but the reason he is missing shots is not because of a lack of confidence. Love is shooting 42 percent from the field and 33 percent from three-point range.

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“I’m just doing what's being asked of me right now and playing where I'm being asked to play," he said. “That's just how it is right now."

Love is averaging 16.9 points a game, his lowest averaging since the 2009-10. His 10.5 rebounds a game is his lowest output since his rookie season.

"I'm going to continue to keep working and getting extra shots up, getting in the weight room so if my number is called and there's some sort of continuity and flow, that I'll be able to be assertive and be as efficient as I can,” Love said.

Cleveland (30-20) has won 11 games in row and is half-game out of the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference.

- Scooby Axson