Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love, who suffered a dislocated left shoulder in Sunday’s Game 4 of the Eastern Conference opening-round playoffs against the Boston Celtics, won’t play in the team’s second-round series because of the injury.
The dislocated shoulder occurred when the Celtics’ Kelly Olynyk grabbed his left arm when they scrambled after a rebound. Love called the action a “bush league play.”
Love told reporters, “That’s just not a basketball play … the league will take a look at it and it better be swift and just.” The NBA gave its answer on Monday, suspending Olynyk for one game, which he will serve next season.
On Monday, the Cavaliers released a statement detailing the nature of Love’s injury:
The Cavaliers led 18-10 with 5:22 left in the first quarter when the injury occurred. Love immediately grabbed his left arm and ran for the locker room. Kendrick Perkins meted out a blind screen on Jae Crowder in apparent retaliation and J.R. Smith punched Crowder later in the game, injuring the Celtic small forward, who fell awkwardly to the hardwood. The NBA issued punishments to all of the malefactors, including suspensions to Smith and Olynyk.
According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Love is “likely out a minimum of two weeks.”
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