NEW YORK -- Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love says he is “100 percent playing” in the team’s matchup against the Miami Heat on Wednesday -- the second stop on this three-game road trip.

Love was ruled out of Monday’s game versus the New York Knicks because of a lower back contusion. He told cleveland.com prior to the game that he originally planned on playing in New York -- even after taking a hard fall one day earlier that he expected to cause some soreness -- but felt worse than anticipated when he woke up Monday morning. While Love jammed his knee versus the 76ers, which he classified as “nothing serious,” he said he was actually feeling pain and tightness in his lower back and hip that required some treatment.

“On a back-to-back, didn’t seem that was the right thing to do right now,” Beilein said about trying to have Love play Monday night.

After missing 60 games in 2018-19, Monday marks Love’s first absence this season. With Love sidelined, combined with Larry Nance Jr. being held out once again because of a sprained left thumb, Cavs head coach John Beilein opted to start rookie Kevin Porter Jr, as Cedi Osman slid over to Love’s usual 4 spot.

Love is averaging 18.2 points and 12.1 rebounds in 32.7 minutes this season.

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