Horford ejected.

Ok from what I've seen with the Cavs and Hawks that Deladovea or what ever his name is will go down before this series is over. Rolled up on Kovers leg now and out for the playoffs now tried rolling up Horfords leg and Horford layed a elbow on him and gets ejected. Cleveland fans whined about KO. Basketball sin is to roll up on a players leg. Hawks if you don't win there is an other mission to take care of before it's over.

Celticspride,

Why whatever would that mission be (he asked innocently)?

By the way, your avatar is just perfect for your board name.

Sam

I'm not sure he's more than a tough Aussie myself. but much like Ainge used to, he gets under guys skins for sure.

I watched both replays multiple times last night and didn't see an intent besides to go after a ball with no holding back. Korver and Horford, in fact Hordford pulled him down on that play.

now the play against Gibson from the Bulls series he DID lock Gibsons leg.

even so, calling Horford for a flagrant two and ejecting him from the game SHOCKED me. Regular season game..OK I can see that, but the refs are supposed to let the players win/lose the games in the playoffs. Unless a guy throws a punch/connects and causes injury to the other player...they are not ejected from a playoff game should be the rule.

Horford indeed had a hold of Dellavedova's arm, and he also tripped over Carroll. However, I have several problems with Dellavedova on this play.



The key part for me starts at 25 seconds into the video. Dellavedova doesn't just fall down; he launches himself, twice, toward Horford, which means Horford's lower leg. He in fact comes very close to doing to Horford what he did to Korver.

As for Horford grabbing Dellavedova, I don't see that the way he has his hand on him can apply enough force to drag him from inside the key to out by the three-point line.

Likewise, he brushes Carroll, but it's not like he does a full-on trip over him.

If he's being tripped and pulled down, why doesn't he just fall down? Why, one game after taking out Korver by launching himself into Korver's lower leg, is he launching himself again at Horford's leg, even after Horford let go?

I wasn't able to find a video of it, but another thing I noticed is that Dellavedova's "box out" of Horford was him launching himself off his feet into Horford's body, like a hockey player leaving his skates. Launching himself into other people seems to be this guy's go-to move.

I initially gave Dellavedova the benefit of the doubt on the Korver play, but the more I look at it, the more I see someone recovering a loose ball in a reckless manner that led to another player being injured. And when I see him, in the very next game, going into another player's lower leg, the benefit of the doubt evaporates for me.

People wanting to defend him can point to Horford grabbing him, but players get grabbed in similar (and much worse) ways a thousand times a game and don't wind up doing what he does. I can't recall anyone having multiple incidents like this.

(Sam and Bob -- this is just a Jekyll moment for me. It will pass.)

Dirty play by Dellawhatever, after what he did to Korver, diving so close to another players legs, he should have been thrown out.

Hey, Outside, nice to see you posting.

Sam

I guess the NBA kinda admitted that a flagrant two was the wrong call last night in the GS/Hou game.

I mean Howard hits Bogut square in the face , right in front of the ref and gets a flagrant one.

Shame that the refs got it so wrong in the Clev/Atl game...or wait, they said they had no choice.

I guess it's too bad the refs didn't get it right last night.

or maybe the damn NBA should get their shit together. The inconsistency of those two calls should ANGER all players/fans/sportwriters and anyone else who watches the games.

Not to protect Delladova, but Harford literally tried to either knock his head off or bust every tooth out of his head (or both) with his elbow smash attempt. He did not hit Delladova, but he surely tried to hurt him.

Was he penalized for what he tried to do or for what he did? Either way Harford needed not to respond the way he did because he has to know that he is such a very important part of his team.

Horford was reacting and protecting himself, the game is physical, but I don't see any other players throwing their bodies at another players knees.