Love To Undergo Knee Surgery, Will Miss Rest Of Season

Mark Remme

Wolves Editor/Writer

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Wolves forward Kevin Love will undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee to remove a buildup of scar tissue this week and will miss the remainder of the season, the team announced on Monday. Wolves President of Basketball Operations David Kahn said he believes the procedure will take place on Wednesday in New York City, and he expects Love to be ready for full offseason workouts no later than early June.

The typical timetable for this type of procedure is 4-6 weeks, according to the team.

“I think disappointment will suffice for now, I can’t think of a better word,” Kahn said. “But as he put it, I’ll put it in more reader friendly words, it’s been one heck of a season. He feels very badly about it, which is understandable.”

Love underwent surgery to repair the broken third and fourth metacarpal in his right hand on Jan. 15 and has missed 47 games since suffering the injury Jan. 3 against Denver. He had gotten to the point in his recovery over the past few weeks where he was putting up shots with great rhythm and looking much more like the Kevin Love of last year than the one who shot 35 percent from the field after breaking his hand for the first time in the preseason. He was scheduled to be re-evaluated with hopes of making a return to the court for the final few games of the season.

This procedure, however, ensures he will not play again until 2013-14. He will also have his hand evaluated in New York this week.

Kahn said Love has felt discomfort in his knee and hip for some time and discussed that with the training staff when he was playing this season.

“As time went on, with the intent of playing this season, the knees started hurting more,” Kahn said. “It got to the point over the last few days that it should be addressed now. It was affecting his ability to run, even. At that point we tipped the balance toward we should do it now.”

Love finished the 2012-13 season with 18.3 points and 14.0 rebounds per game. He made his initial return from his first broken hand injury on Nov. 21 against Denver and scored 34 points and added 14 rebounds in his debut. He played in 18 more games before his season-ending injury in Denver on Jan. 3.

Kahn said it’s a disappointing end to what he called a “lost season” for Love, but he’s confident the Wolves’ two-time All-Star will be ready to return with full health at the start of next year.

“That’s why we’re doing it now as opposed to the end of the season,” Kahn said. “So I think it’s been there for a while, and I think this should clean it up for the long haul. And I imagine his knee will be pain free and his hip will be pain free once he recovers.”

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