Cavaliers' Kevin Love details tough battle with COVID-19

The Cleveland Cavaliers remain one of the more positive surprises, to date, of the 2021-22 NBA season but lost a key contributor when forward Kevin Love entered the league's health and safety protocols back on Nov. 1. 

In total, the one-time NBA champion missed eight games before returning for what became Wednesday's 109-99 loss at the Brooklyn Nets that dropped the Cavaliers to 9-7 on the campaign. Love played roughly 21 minutes in that defeat and spoke with reporters following the game about his experience with COVID-19. 

"I went through it, man," Love explained, per Kelsey Russo of The Athletic. "The first four or five days were pretty tough. All the usual symptoms that I think people might get. Crazy muscle aches, sensitive skin, can’t smell, taste, crazy body muscle spasms, fatigue. Then just chest and head got hit pretty tough as well. Definitely don’t wish that on anybody. After about five or six days, I started to come out of it, and probably Friday, I was able to start working out again. So, start getting my stamina and wind back these next few games." 

The Cavaliers are considered 100% fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, but the shots, like any vaccines, don't offer complete immunity. Recently, the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL encountered worrisome COVID-19 outbreaks, and the Senators had multiple games postponed due to the virus. 

Meanwhile, the Cavs are right back at it Thursday evening when they host the Golden State Warriors without having at least four key players available.