As a player, when your name can be used in the same sentence as all time greats like Kareem, Hakeem, Moses, and Walton, you know you have done something spectacular. That’s precisely the case of Minnesota’s 4th year big man Kevin Love, as his 13 consecutive double-doubles to begin a season has put him in some select company.
His consecutive streak to begin the season makes him the first player since Hakeem Olajuwon to accomplish such a great start to the year since “The Dream’s” amazing ’92-’93 campaign.
After Kevin notched the first 30 point – 30 rebound game in the Association in the past 28 seasons back in 2010 and setting the modern day NBA record with 52 consecutive double-doubles last season, I guess we should have seen this coming.
After leading the NBA in rebounding last season with an impressive 15.2 boards per game and winning the Association’s Most Improved Player Award, it came as a shock that the Timberwolves would even consider including Love in the Pau Gasol 3 team trade that would have netted the LA Lakers dynamic point guard Chris Paul.
That may help explain why the dominating big man has reportedly chose to create a deadline of this week for the Wolves brass to offer him an extension or risk losing him this Summer via free agency.
A renewed focus on getting in better shape and an increased accuracy offensively make Love a prime candidate for his 2nd consecutive All Star nomination and would make him an excellent addition to the 2012 US Olympics team roster this Summer.
Check out highlights from Love’s breakout ‘10-’11 Campaign:
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen has also provided content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, Cleveland.com, CSN Philly.com, Buckets Magazine, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
