Kevin Love in concussion protocol, out for Cavaliers in Game 7 in Boston

The Cavaliers have yet to win a game in Boston in the Eastern Conference finals and now, in the biggest game of all, they are going to be without their best rebounder and their second-best scorer.

Kevin Love has been ruled out of Game 7 in TD Garden on May 27 because he suffered a concussion midway through the first quarter in Game 6 when he and Jayson Tatum of the Celtics bumped heads.

Coach Tyronn Lue was on an early afternoon conference call May 26 and said he expected Love to play in the 8:30 p.m. game at TD Garden. He added he hadn’t decided who would play if Love could not. The job would likely go to Jeff Green or Larry Nance Jr.

Love’s status was clarified soon after the conference call ended.

As far as Lue is concerned, the Cavaliers played well enough defensively to win Game 5. But they were sloppy with the ball (15 turnovers), were the Gang that Couldn’t Shoot Straight (9-of-34, 26.5 percent on three-pointers) and consequently lost, 96-83, in TD Garden.

The Cavaliers got the series back to even at 3-3 on May 25 by thumping the Celtics, 109-99, at Quicken Loans Arena. Each team is 3-0 at home, setting up what should be a dramatic Game 7. The winner advances to the NBA Finals. The losers clean out their lockers on May 28.

“We have the blueprint,” Lue said. “We understand what we need to do defensively and offensively. I think if we take care of the basketball, I think we’ll be in good shape, especially on the road.

“We’ve got to do a better job of just getting off to good starts and not letting their crowd get involved in the game early. And limiting our turnovers. Then I think we’ll be in good shape.”

Now Love, who was averaging 14.8 points and 10.4 rebounds in the 16 playoff games before the injury, won’t be part of Lue’s blueprint.

The Celtics shot only 36.5 percent in Game 5, but escaped victoriously because they committed only eight turnovers and outrebounded the Cavaliers, 45-39. That enabled them to attempt 11 more shots.

The numbers flipped in the Cavaliers’ favor in Game 6: They committed nine turnovers, the Celtics 13. The Cavs won the rebound battle, 44-31 and attempted 87 shots to 74 by Boston. The Celtics had a higher shooting percentage, 51.4 to 47.1, but the 13 additional shots tilted the final score in the Cavaliers’ favor.

It also helped the Cavaliers that the Celtics hit just 11 of 20 free throws in Game 6. The Cavs were 18-of-22 from the stripe.

Something else that is part of the blueprint: Lue wants starting guard George Hill and the bench players to perform like they did in Game 6. Hill scored 20 points — his postseason high for 2018. The bench crew will be especially critical to the Cavs’ chances with Love out.

The Celtics led, 25-20, after one quarter, but the tide turned when Lue put LeBron James, Green, Kyle Korver, Nance and Jordan Clarkson on the floor to start the second quarter. That group outscored the Celtics, 26-13. Clarkson had 11 points and five rebounds. Nance had 10 points and seven rebounds. Green, who played 31 minutes because Kevin Love played only five minutes before a head-on collision with Jayson Tatum forced Love to leave the game, scored 14 points. It was the first time this series he was in double figures.

“We’re just excited to have a Game 7,” Nance said. “There’s nothing to be left out there, so we’re taking it all to Boston.

“We’re going into Game 7 with the baddest dude on the planet on our team. I like our chances.”

Nance, of course, was referring to James.

The Cavs faced elimination in Game 6. James scored 46 points. They faced elimination in Game 7 against the Pacers in first round of the playoffs. James scored 45 points.