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Cavaliers’ Kevin Love out for next series, and J.R. Smith is suspended

Celtics forward Kelly Olynyk pulls on Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love's arm to keep him away from a loose ball.

Celtics forward Kelly Olynyk pulls on Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love‘s arm to keep him away from a loose ball.

(Jim Rogash / Getty Images)
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The Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday ruled out starting forward Kevin Love for the team’s next playoff series — and perhaps longer — after the former All-Star dislocated his left shoulder Sunday during a victory that completed a first-round sweep of the Boston Celtics.

The Cavaliers also will be without J.R. Smith for the first two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals after the starting guard was suspended by the NBA for his actions during Sunday’s contentious Game 4 against the Celtics.

The developments are potentially damaging blows to the East’s second-seeded team, which is likely to face a tough second-round matchup against third-seeded Chicago. The Bulls led the Milwaukee Bucks 3-1 in their best-of-seven series entering Monday night’s Game 5.

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Love, playing in his first postseason as a pro, was injured when he got tangled with Celtics forward Kelly Olynyk while chasing a loose ball in the first quarter. Olynyk appeared to clamp down on Love’s arm and pulled so hard it popped out of the shoulder joint. Love had an MRI exam and other tests performed Monday and the team said he sustained a dislocation with torn ligaments and labrum. The team said Love would obtain more medical opinions. There is a possibility he could need surgery, which would end his season.

Smith was suspended after swinging backward and smacking Boston’s Jae Crowder in the face. Smith was ejected and Crowder sustained a sprained knee ligament.

Olynyk drew a one-game suspension for his actions, to be served in the first game of next season. Also, Cleveland’s Kendrick Perkins was fined $15,000 and his flagrant 1 foul changed to flagrant 2 for a hard screen on Crowder.

Conley has surgery

Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley had facial surgery in Memphis after he was inadvertently elbowed by Portland’s CJ McCollum Saturday night during Game 3 of the teams’ Western Conference first-round series. The Grizzlies had previously announced that Conley would not play Monday in Game 4 as Memphis tried to complete a series sweep in Portland.

The club provided no other details about the surgery undergone by Conley, who was briefly hospitalized before returning to Memphis on Sunday, nor did it say when he might return. Conley is averaging 16 points in the series against the Trail Blazers.

Etc.

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