CLEVELAND — The banged-up Cavaliers have yet another bruise.
Scrappy guard Matthew Dellavedova, who has emerged as an unlikely star during this postseason, was hospitalized early Wednesday after suffering from severe cramps after Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
Dellavedova scored 20 points and played 38 minutes in Cleveland’s 96-91 win over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night as the Cavs took a 2-1 lead in the series. Dellavedova has been starting in place of All-Star Kyrie Irving, who broke his kneecap in Game 1 and was just discharged from the Cleveland Clinic following surgery.
The Cavs said Dellavedova received IV treatments at Quicken Loans Arena following the game before he was taken by ambulance to the hospital for further procedures. A team spokesman said Dellavedova, who walked to the ambulance under his own power, was cramping in “multiple areas.” The team will have an update on the 24-year-old Australian at Wednesday’s practice.
As is his style, Dellavedova came up with several loose balls in Game 3 by diving on the floor, and he flattened a chair on Cleveland’s bench while hustling on one play.
“He’s going to throw his body all over the place,” LeBron James said. “He gave everything’s he’s got.”
Medical issues are nothing new to the Cavs, who are playing without Irving and forward Kevin Love.
Also during Game 3, guard Iman Shumpert suffered a bruised left shoulder, the same one he dislocated earlier this season and sidelined him for six weeks.
Shumpert ran into a clean screen set by Golden State’s Draymond Green in the first quarter. He was taken to the locker room for treatment and returned, but he played with virtually one arm for the remainder of the game.
Thumbnail photo via Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports Images
