5 Bold Predictions for Cleveland Cavaliers-Detroit Pistons Playoff Series

3. Kevin Love will have a major impact on the series.

This isn’t based simply on emotion, a guy who couldn’t catch a whiff of the playoffs in six seasons in Minnesota and could only watch the final three rounds last spring will be on a mission to make up for lost time. Over his final nine games, Love made 30 of his 65 three-point attempts and had seven outings of nine or more rebounds.

In the Cavs’ one victory over the Pistons, he scored 29 points and was 5-of-7 from long-range. Before dislocating his left shoulder courtesy of Kelly Olynyk, he was coming off a 23-point, nine-rebound Game 3 performance against the Celtics. Expect him to have one game like that against the Pistons and maybe more.

Next: Don’t look for LeBron to beat a path to the line — not just yet.