INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Cleveland Cavaliers backup point guard Matthew Dellavedova earned the reputation as a dirty player during the team's playoff run last season.
After an on-court run-in with Chicago's Taj Gibson during the Eastern Conference semifinals, putting the power forward in a leglock, Dellavedova irritated the Atlanta Hawks when he rolled up on Kyle Korver's ankle, taking the sharpshooter out of the conference finals. Later in the series, Hawks forward Al Horford retaliated, was given a flagrant foul 2 and ejected for diving on Dellavedova and making contact above Dellavedova's shoulders.
Coaches and teammates in Cleveland have defended Dellavedova repeatedly, laughing off criticism and saying that the defensive-minded lead guard simply plays hard and gives supreme effort on every possession.