I know I am the Purveyor of Positivity and it's out of character for me to rip people, but I am becoming sick of KEVIN LOVE. His whiny act bugged me repeatedly tonite in the loss to Houston, and I must concede ever since he ripped the organization in that Yahoo! story two weeks ago I have waited for him to back his his prattle with team-carrying performances.

Instead, he continues to be broke from three-point range (24 percent this year, 0-for-7 tonite) and complains more than any player I have seen. He shoots and shoots and shoots and generally is wide open from deep, and cannot get close. He was beaten for key rebounds tonite and couldn't stop STUD JAMES HARDEN on a huge hoop late. James exploded straight down the key and the slow-footed Love seemed to lack the desire to even foul him. Too, he led the Wolves in turnovers with five.

James Harden is a max-contract guy, Kevin Love is not playing like one. I know he's coming off a broken-hand injury, and I am willing to cut him some slack for the shooting, but other facets of his game continue to bug.

To wit, I have seen him repeatedly miss and not hustle back on defense. He did it several times tonite, and it's unacceptable for (a) the highest-paid player on the team and (b) for a guy who torched the organization for lack of direction. When you rip the way he did you have to personify hustle every single play and he doesn't. He seems afraid to pick up fouls because it may affect his opportunity to fill his stat sheet if he has to sit.

Those who claim he is nothing but a big box score at best are looking accurate. His defense at times is deplorable. But the thing that irked me the most tonite happened in the first half, and it was a subtle exchange between him and JJ BAREA. JJ shoots too much sometimes and at best is a role player, but he's scrappy as hell and always gets the most out of his game. Barea has ring cred, and Love does not.

Kevin made a nice pass to Barea under the basket in the second quarter, and Barea refused to shoot it. JJ is five-foot-nothing and most likely would have had it blocked. Love passed to the shortest guy on the court under the basket and became pissed off JJ didn't shoot it. His arms went to flailing and he screamed something at Barea. Then as the ball went the other way Love continued the histrionics and seemed more interested in showing up Barea than hustling back on defense.

Why? Why become pissed at the littlest guy on the court for not launching a stupid shot amongst the trees? Why not shake it off and become the team leader you swear you are? If you rip the direction of the team publicly go out and outwork everybody so we know the passion comes from your heart.

Kevin clearly is frustrated his shot is way off and is not handling it with aplomb. He has bitched about calls and lack of ref cred all of his career, and when he got into Barea tonite it bugged the heck out of me. Execute your defensive prowess with more effort, and  watch some James Harden tape if you want to know what a true max-contract guy plays like. James is smooth, tries hard on defense and didn't act like a child when he was traded from maybe the best team in the NBA. Instead, he goes out every game and guides the Rockets like the born leader he is.

We need a better overall game from Love while THE SPANISH KID rounds into form -- he's not close, by the way -- and more is required from Kevin to assist this team to the postseason. I hated what he said in that Yahoo! story and it makes him look awful when he shoots terribly, doesn't hustle on defense and shows up players on the court. It has to stop.