After meeting with a specialist in New York on Thursday to examine his broken hand, Kevin Love could be cleared within a five-to-six-week window to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves, a league source told Yahoo! Sports.

Love fractured two knuckles on his shooting hand while doing pushups Wednesday morning in his home. The Wolves issued a statement Thursday saying the rehab process remains six to eight weeks, but sources tell Y! there's a possibility that estimate will ultimately be on the long end.

"While doing various pushups, including knuckle pushups, which are part of my regular workout routine, I hurt my hand," Love said in a statement. "I immediately knew something was wrong and called head athletic trainer Gregg Farnam."

While his basketball skills trainer Rob McClanaghan had been present for Love's workout in his home, he wasn't overseeing Love's workout. As he has done for several years, McClanaghan was visiting Minneapolis to do on-court basketball workouts with Love in post-practice settings. Love was undertaking his own personal regimen when the injury occurred.

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For Love to return by late November, it could give the franchise a chance to make up lost ground on the playoff chase. Point guard Ricky Rubio is expected to return from a knee injury sometime in December.

Love developed into one of the NBA's elite players a season ago, averaging 26 points and 13.3 rebounds for the Wolves.

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