New colors and new look for Love's new start

Even after these four months, Kevin Love's appearance in a Cleveland No. 0 jersey last week against the Timberwolves might still have struck some fans in these here parts odd.

Not so with some of Love's friends and peers around the NBA the first time they saw him wearing Cavaliers wine and gold.

"To be honest, it didn't," Oklahoma City superstar Kevin Durant said. "I don't know, I'm just glad he's out of the West. It didn't feel too awkward. Kevin has been a friend of mine since I was 14 years old. To see him out there playing as hard as he could … he's changing up his role. You can tell he's a pro. That's what pros do. They adapt. That's what he's doing over there in Cleveland. I'm happy to see his success."

Durant's Thunder teammate, Russell Westbrook, was slightly more succinct — as he tends to be — when asked about his former UCLA teammate.

"No, I mean, he found a new home," Westbrook said. "It's definitely not strange. He's all good."

Just putting the pieces together?

Love's Cavaliers have had an eight-game winning streak and are 18-11 after a 5-7 start, but they've also lost by 28 points at home to Atlanta, lost in LeBron James' return to Miami on Christmas Day and have left plenty of questions about their defensive tenacity, particularly now that veteran Anderson Varejao is out for the season with a torn Achilles' tendon.

"They're figuring it out, that's what new teams do," Durant said. "It happens. It's part of the process. I know fans and the media expect things to happen so quickly, but it's a marathon. That's how every player views this league. You want to get better at the right times."

Parting words

Love on his departure from Minnesota and his floundering former franchise: "Time heals all wounds. They'll be OK. I know it's tough right now. They have like a three-year plan. But they have a great coach, and they have a great, great solid foundation for the future."