The intertwining paths of Klay Thompson and Kevin Love trace their origins to a baseball field in a Portland, Ore., suburb.
Long before the NBA All-Stars faced each other on their sport’s biggest stage, they shared a Little League team. Thompson was the speedy leadoff hitter; Love the hard-throwing pitcher. Even then, while playing a sport that won’t be their legacy, the pre-teens recognized in one another the potential for greatness.
“Klay always had a quiet confidence about him,” Love said Saturday before his Cavaliers practiced for Game 2 of the NBA Finals.