MINNEAPOLIS — On Saturday, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love said he didn't think the NBA needed to look into an incident in which he stepped on Houston Rockets forward Luis Scola's face. But when the punishment came down from the league Monday, Love openly accepted his two-game suspension.
"I think it was warranted," Love said Monday after practice. "As long as Luis and the Houston Rockets are OK with it, then I'm OK with it. But I think it was a learning experience for me. Definitely, it won't happen again."
The play occurred Saturday in Minnesota's 100-91 victory over the Rockets at Target Center, a victory that improved the Timberwolves' record to 12-12. Early in the third quarter, Love and Scola got tangled down low on a shot attempt by Scola. Scola thought he was fouled but didn't get the call as he fell to the ground. As the action moved in the other direction, Love began to run down the court but got his legs mixed up with Scola's arms.
Love's left foot came down on Scola's face, but no foul was called. Videos of the play made their way to YouTube not long after the incident, and fans took to social media to weigh in on whether Love deliberately stepped on Scola.
Love said Saturday and reiterated Monday he had no ill intentions on the play, saying he "wasn't trying to stomp him, like other people have said." Love also said he went to Houston's locker room to talk to the Rockets and Scola. The two players talked for about 15 to 20 minutes and patched things up.
"We're all good now," Love said. "I know that Luis is OK with it. He even had some funny stuff to say about his kids after the game. They sent him a video saying a couple things about me. I thought it was pretty funny."
The incident with Scola was the second time in a week that Love had a mini-altercation with an opponent. When the Wolves hosted the Pacers on Wednesday, Love and Indiana's Danny Granger exchanged words and a bit of shoving after a rebound attempt and subsequent foul by Love.
If this past week has taught Love anything, it's that he needs to keep his emotions in check.
"There's going to be hard fouls in this league. You just have to play through it," Love said. "It's a learning experience for me. All I can do is go out there and play my hardest and play my game the right way."
The suspension is the first for Love at any level of basketball — "I'm not a repeat offender," he said — and he's hoping basketball fans recognize he's not a dirty player.
After the dust-up with Scola, however, he may have to convince them otherwise — and he's OK with that. But he doesn't think it'll hurt his reputation in the long run.
"If it does, then I think for the common fan's standpoint, I'll just have to win their respect back and make them like me again," Love said. "But I have no problem doing that because I know the type of person I am. I feel like . . . the people that know me know the type of person I am."
Love won't have to convince anyone of the type of player he is; his numbers speak for themselves. The fourth-year forward out of UCLA earned his first All-Star nod last season, when he averaged 20.2 points and a league-high 15.2 rebounds per game. This season, Love has increased his scoring to 25.0 points per game while still pulling down 13.6 boards per contest.
Love is a big reason the Timberwolves are .500 and turning heads across the NBA. But with his two-game suspension, Minnesota will have to play without its leading scorer when it hosts Sacramento on Tuesday and plays at Memphis the following night.
In Love's absence, the Timberwolves will need other players to pick up the scoring.
"He's pretty key," Wolves coach Rick Adelman said. "These other guys, they've wanted opportunities to play and they're going to get it. We'll see what they do. . . . Everybody's going to have an opportunity. Derrick (Williams), (Anthony Tolliver). We're going to have to do it by committee. People have to step up. That'd be like someone getting hurt. It's the same thing. You have to step up."
Love knows the timing of his suspension isn't great. The Wolves have gained some momentum with victories in three of their past four games and five of their past seven.
"That's it more than anything. We've got to get past these next two games," Love said. "We'll just take it one game at a time. I'm going to stay in shape. I'm going to be ready to go when the time comes and have some rest. Hopefully, I can help the team out. I just wish I could be here to cheer them on for both games, but that's not going to be the case. I'm definitely going to be cheering on from home."
