BOSTON -- LeBron James marched down the court holding up three fingers on each of his hands in celebration and Kevin Love giddily skipped behind him in the same direction Thursday night. Love had just hit a 3-pointer off a James pass in the final minute of the Cleveland Cavaliers' 103-95 Game 3 win over the Boston Celtics.

It was Love's second made 3 in the final 2:13, putting a cap on a 23-point, nine-rebound night for the seven-year vet.

And it was a prompt for James to speak up in support of the Big Three's most maligned member.

"He's played an unbelievable series," James said of Love, who is averaging 18.3 points and 9.0 rebounds through the Cavs' 3-0 start to the playoffs.

"He's been highly criticized this year, and I don't know why," he continued before correcting himself. "I know why. I know why. I know."

So what has been the cause of all the scrutiny Love has faced?

"For a team that finally gets together, when you have a Big Three, they got to find something," James said. "When I was in Miami, Chris Bosh was that guy at one point. So, I know why. I've seen it before, and when you've been in the position when you've had your own team and now you come and join forces. ... They started pointing fingers at anybody. They got to find somebody. And Kevin was the guy that they tried to find and tried to tear him down.

"The one thing about him, he's always stayed positive, I've always believed in him. I don't really get too involved in what everybody says. I know what type of player he is, what type of competitor he is, and I know he relishes this opportunity to be part of this franchise and be a part of the postseason. So, with everything said with the first eight months of the season, he's definitely used that as motivation, I believe. I think he's a big-time player. He's a very cerebral basketball player, and in order for us to be the team that we want to be long term, Kevin is going to be Kevin. Which he was tonight."

James was echoing the support for Love he expressed to ESPN prior to Game 1 when he said it was his "utmost responsibility" to get the best out of the three-time All-Star in the postseason.

Love said the criticism he hears from the outside is nothing like the encouragement he receives from inside the Cavs' organization.

"People have focused my whole career on what I couldn't do rather than what I could do," Love said. "So, I know that my teammates and the coaching staff has my back and the organization has my back, and I'm sending love right back to them. Tonight was one of those times where my number was called to step up and to hit a big shot."