Dellavedova’s wrestle-mania, NBA-style

MATTHEW Dellavedova’s Cleveland Cavaliers are just one win away from knocking the Chicago Bulls out of the NBA playoffs, but it was the Australian’s apparent wrestling move not his jump shot that was the talk after the game.

The Cavaliers defeated the Bulls 106-101. The home court win gave the Cavaliers a 3-2 lead in the semi-final series and they will move on to the NBA Eastern Conference finals to play Atlanta or Washington if they beat the Bulls in Chicago tomorrow.

Whether Dellavedova will be on the court for the game won’t be known until NBA officials take a look at the incident that resulted in Bulls forward Taj Gibson kicking at the Australian who was lying face down under the basket.

“I was trying to box him out and he pushed me in the back and then we just got tangled up,” is how Dellavedova explained the incident.

It almost led to an all-in brawl with players from both sides rushing to Dellavedova and Gibson.

“Bizarre,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, describing the tussle, told reporters. “No comment,” Cavaliers’ coach David Blatt said with a smile.

Dellavedova’s manoeuvre came early in the fourth quarter with the Cavaliers up 83-71.

“Taj elbows Delly in the back of the head and puts him on the ground,” Cavaliers’ star LeBron James said.

“They kind of get tangled up a little bit and then he [Gibson] kicks him [Dellavedova] in the ass.”

What aggravated Gibson was Dellavedova, while face down, was able to lock his legs in a scissor-type wrestling hold.

Gibson said he didn’t kick Dellavedova while the Australian said he didn’t mean to lock up Gibson’s legs.

“He just leg locked me, and I was trying to get my foot out there,” Gibson, who was hit with drinks and other rubbish thrown by Cleveland fans after his ejection, said. “He was pretty strong for a little guy.”

James dominated the Bulls with 38 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, three blocked shots and three steals.

In Houston, James Harden had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists as the Rockets bounced back from two lopsided losses to avoid elimination in the Western Conference.

The Rockets 124-103 victory against the Los Angeles Clippers trimmed the deficit to 3-2.