Kevin Love: No problem with LeBron

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Kevin Love responded Tuesday to LeBron James' tweet from over the weekend that stated "stop finding a way to FIT-OUT and just FIT-IN."

"Listen, I was caught off guard when I heard it," Love said after practice. "I talk to LeBron every day. I know there has to be some sort of an angle. You guys have deadlines to make. There are 24-hour news services, and stuff has to be put out there."

James initially denied the tweet -- which also included the message "be a part of something special!" -- had anything to do with Love following the Cleveland Cavaliers' 120-105 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

The term "fit out" was a phrase Love used during the preseason.

In a bizarre chain of events, James later confirmed the tweet was in reference to Love to a small group of reporters then took to Twitter again Monday morning to double down on his denial, writing, "If I have a problem with a teammate or anyone I'll say [it] to their face and not over social media. That's corny and wack!"

James said Tuesday that he did not have any conversation with Love about the tweet.

Love was asked if he still believed the tweet was directed at him, despite James' latest denial.

"I don't know," Love said. "I truly feel if LeBron had a problem with me or needed to talk to me, for good or for worse, he would have come up and talked to me.

"I talk to LeBron every day. He said if he had a problem with me or any of the coaches or training staff, he'd go right to them. Initially, I was confused. I don't feel bad. You guys can write what you want to write. There's no problem with us. I'm going to keep saying that I'm trying to help this team. That's all that matters. I don't need any validation."

James said he has an open-door policy with all his teammates.

"That's what I'm all about, man," James said. "I'm not sugarcoating or hiding behind it. I got to see him every day, so if I have something to say to him, I'll say it to his face. The rest of the guys too. And I hope if they came to me and was like, 'Well, you're not leading us; we don't believe what you're saying, or you're not [practicing what you preach],' whatever the case may be, I would hope they would come to me as well."

Love told the Akron Beacon Journal after Sunday's game that he was unaware of James' tweet going into the Lakers game before scoring a season-high 32 points on 11-for-18 shooting.

He knows that the Cavs will continue to be scrutinized, even if they continue their winning ways, as they have come out on top in 13 of their last 14 games.

"It's more of a circus because we have so much talent here," Love said. "It comes with the territory with LeBron and with this being a big story in sports this year and beyond. We know it's going to continue to happen. We just have to keep fighting through it."

All the attention paid to Love took some focus away from the Cavs' rematch with James' former team, the Miami Heat, Wednesday in Cleveland. James said it will be a far different affair than when the Cavs lost in Miami 101-91 on Christmas Day.

"I mean, obviously, a lot of emotions went with it, just being back in that building for sure around my teammates and those fans was great," James said. "Obviously, both sides have moved on since then."

James said there is one tie to Miami that remains with his Cavs' experience this season, however.

"This is my third time having a start-up," James said. "It's like a start-up company. First my rookie year, my first year in Miami and now being back here, it's like a start-up company. You get guys around that you feel can help the company build, and you guys have one goal. So it's my third time doing it."

Is Cleveland meeting the projections in James' business plan?

"Early, we met our quota," he said. "We had some early falls early on, but we're getting there."