CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Philadelphia 76ers guard Justin Anderson admitted after Friday's 122-105 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers that he might have precipitated Kyrie Irving's flagrant foul 80 seconds into the game.
Anderson knocked Irving's All-Star teammate LeBron James to the floor after hitting him at full speed on a back screen, not thinking the four-time MVP would fall.
Moments later, the second-year guard from Virginia, was chasing down a loose ball in the corner and Irving shoved him with two hands in the back, sending him flying into the Philly bench.
"He was just protecting his teammate, I think he saw LeBron went down," Anderson said of Irving's reaction.