CAVS CULT HERO DELLAVEDOVA REFUELS FOR GAME 4
After an NBA final performance worthy of knighthood (superstar teammate LeBron James is all for it) that landed him in hospital with dehydration, fan favourite Matthew Dellavedova will be under close watch tonight against the Warriors,
CLEVELAND— They worship LeBron James around here, love him and idolize him. It will forever be that way because of what he’s done for the city, its people and its sporting reputation.
But if they ever get around to erecting a statue of him in the public square — and they may very well do it one day — they might want to clear some space next to him for one of a pesky little Aussie agitator who has become something of a cult figure around here.
Matthew Dellavedova, undrafted and unheralded and only thrown into the fray in any meaningful role because of the misfortune that befell Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Kyrie Irving, has taken the NBA final by storm, an aggressive defender who has perplexed Golden State’s Stephen Curry no end and a good enough shot-maker that he poured in 20 points as the Cavs won Game 3 here Tuesday night.
It’s gotten so out of control that James was asked here Wednesday — only half in jest — whether he’d support a movement to have the Australian government bestow a knighthood on Dellavedova so the Cavs would have a King and a Sir.
“That’s pretty good, yeah,” James said.
That’s obviously taking things to ridiculous extremes but it does speak to how Dellavedova has captured the attention of the fans so far in the series. He’s pestered Curry into a couple of bad shooting nights, his hellbent-for-leather, dive-on-the-floor-any-time-possible style endears him to even the most casual fans. He’s got a little of the aw-shucks everyman in him, the same way Matt Bonner used to fascinate Raptors fans.
“To be honest, I’m not paying any attention to any of it,” he said of his profile and credit for slowing Curry. “Just locked in on the goal and the job that needs to be done.”
His legend grew a bit more after Game 3 when Dellavedova had to be taken to an area hospital for fluids and monitoring after he suffered severe post-game cramps. One of the first breathless overnight reports had him taken out of the Quicken Loans Arena on a stretcher; that was false, but it speaks to the impact he’s had on the media and fans here.
“We’re doing a lot of things and trying to tick off all the boxes in terms of hydration and nutrition and different forms of recovery,” he said, adding he expects to play a full load in Thursday’s Game 4. Dellevadova’s emergence has caught some fans by surprise, even though his teammates have appreciated his grating style all year. And Cleveland’s coach David Blatt said he’s known what Dellavedova does since he saw him at a summer league game last year.
“I’ve been around the block a few times and you recognize character when you see it,” Blatt said. “You recognize guys that are team-oriented and have their values and their ideals for how to play this game in the right place.
“You don’t see it as much as you’d like but when you do, it’s easily recognizable.”
And the kid’s got a good sense of self, too.
“Am I an annoying player?” he asked rhetorically Wednesday afternoon. “Well, I’ve never played against myself so . . .
“But, yeah, I think I would (find himself annoying).”