May 12, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard
Matthew Dellavedova(8) falls to the ground after he collided with Chicago Bulls forward
Taj Gibson(22) in the fourth quarter in game five of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Did the Chicago Bulls get outplayed in Game 5 of the NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference semifinals? Absolutely they did. But that ejection of Taj Gibson was absurd. So Matthew Dellavedova is allowed to leg-lock Gibson, but the PF is not allowed to retaliate at all?
That seemed a little bit hypocritical to me, and I would have agreed with a double-technical or double-ejection decision.
Game 5 on Tuesday resembled less of a basketball game and more of a wrestling match at times, and it will be a darn shame when this series is over. I just wish the referees had let both players stay in the game, because the finish would have been intense. Instead, the Cleveland Cavaliers won 106-101. If the refs had not intervened, it probably would have been another buzzer-beater ending. Jimmy Butler did not agree with the call; however, the SG does think Taj needs to be smarter.
“I don’t think is flagrant 2-worthy,” Butler said to ESPN. “But Taj still can’t let that happen. Just got to stay cool, walk away and onto the next play.”
Gibson was starting in Pau Gasol‘s spot, because the Spaniard is still battling a hamstring injury. And so the Bulls were already shorthanded when it came to big men. The play happened with 10:25 remaining in the fourth quarter, and I can’t help but think Gibson’s production would have helped on the glass at the very least.
On the play in question, Dellavedova tried boxing out Gibson (after an admittedly hard screen), and after they both ended up on the floor, Matty decided to lock one of Gibson’s feet from moving. Taj, understandably, was not pleased and gave Dellavedova a kick to the rear.
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I will reiterate this again: The Bulls got outplayed for most of the night. LeBron James was magical, dynamic and efficient. He scored 38 points on 24 shots with 12 rebounds, six assists, three blocks, three steals and no turnovers. Wow. Only three players in history have put up those numbers in the playoffs. He also had an iconic block on Derrick Rose which he was tracking from the moment the PG touched the ball, and that shot would have tied the game.
Let’s get back to the play though. It was a little bit off-putting that the fans were throwing objects at Gibson as he was escorted off the floor, and he had some pretty choice words for Cavaliers fans after the game.
“That’s what happens when you’re in Cleveland,” Gibson said to ESPN. “Second time in a row they threw stuff at us. It’s classless, but we’re here to play basketball. I can’t focus on that kind of stuff.”
Hopefully Taj does not get suspended for Game 6, because the referees have already screwed up this series quite enough already.
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