Kevin Love participated in a Cleveland Cavaliers’ practice over the weekend for the first time since injuring his shoulder last May during the 2015 NBA Playoffs. The star power forward is pegged to return to actual game action when the Cavaliers face the Indiana Pacers in a preseason game on Thursday.

"I felt good. Just getting into the rhythm of the plays more than anything. Just getting my legs under me with contact. Five-on-five felt really good,” Love told Chris Haynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Love was playing in his first-ever playoff series as the Cavaliers faced the Boston Celtics in the first round of the postseason. Love ended up playing in just four games in the playoffs after he got injured, with his shoulders popping out of place, while fighting for a rebound against Celtics big man Kelly Olynyk.

Both Cavaliers head coach David Blatt and teammate LeBron James said that Love looked good in his return from the shoulder injury with Blatt stating that they are planning to bring back the power forward slowly.

In the Boston series, Love averaged 14.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists before hurting his shoulder. In the regular season, his first with the Cavaliers since playing for six years for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Love averaged 16.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 75 games played.

Love’s presence in Cavaliers’ practices is a much needed development in Cleveland as the management is still in a contract impasse with their other big man, Tristan Thompson, who continues to hold out for a better deal.

Love, who is the starting power forward in Cleveland, signed a five-year $113.22 million deal with Cleveland this offseason while Thompson, a back-up for the power forward and centre positions, is also demanding a max contract. Reports out of Cleveland claim that the contract holdout by Thompson could go on until the regular season.

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