Kevin Love made his return from a long layoff, but the Cleveland Cavaliers remained winless in preseason action, as they took an 87-81 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night in Canada.

Love has not played since Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics earlier this year after sustaining a shoulder injury, which required a season-ending surgery.

The former All-Star played in just 13 minutes, but he managed to rack up six points and four rebounds on top of two assists and two steals.

"It's the best I've felt in a long time," Love said after the game via ESPN. "When the regular season starts it's a whole different grind, but it's a good starting point, for sure."

Love admitted, though, that there were anxious moments, particularly during the first play of the match when his previously-injured shoulder was immediately put into test.

"That was a good thing and a bad thing," Love said of the hit during the opening play of the game. "It's been tested a number of times in practice, I keep working on the strength. I'm sure there'll be a few scares here and there but that's kind of mentally just getting over the hump a little bit. I feel great."

Cavaliers coach David Blatt was pleased with he saw from Love in his first preseason game, but the second-year head coach said that he was not surprised. Blatt said that the former UCLA standout, who signed a five-year deal worth $113 million this summer, worked hard during the offseason to get in his best possible shape.

"I can tell you that physically he is in as good a shape as he's ever been, and you can see it on him, too," Blatt said. "You can see it on his body, you can see it on the way he moves. He really, really worked hard, Kevin, since the time of the injury and since the time of the contract. There's a lot to be said for a guy that does that."

But despite welcoming Love back to the lineup, the Cavaliers, who played without superstars LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, remained without a win in six preseason matches.

Jonas Valanciunas was a force down low, as he finished with 12 points and four rebounds, while Kyle Lowry racked up six points to go along with eight assists and three steals for the Raptors.

The Cavaliers will wrap up their preseason campaign against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, while the Toronto Raptors will go up against the Washington Wizards on Saturday.

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