NBA players who aren’t in the game aren’t supposed to leave the bench area and step on the court.
We’ve seen players in the past step onto the court during an altercation, and the punishment is a one-game suspension.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love might be in trouble for this reason after he wandered onto the floor following Tristan Thompson’s ejection in the final seconds of Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.
You can watch video of Love leaving the bench here.
Thompson appeared to elbow Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston as the Dubs wrapped up a 124-114 Game 1 win. Thompson later got into it with Draymond Green, who was taunting the Cavs center before he left the floor.
Love already was on the floor as everything unfolded, and he took a few steps toward the scuffle after it erupted.
There’s been a lot of debate on this rule over the years, and it’s fair to question whether it’s even needed. But if the NBA is going to enforce it, Love could be in trouble. He clearly walked onto the court.
The Cavs forward doesn’t expect to be suspended, though, as he told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols he simply had walked onto the court to get into an official’s eyeline, not to get involved in the fight.
