10 Things You Didn't Know About Matthew Dellavedova

4. He Has Been Accused Of Dirty Play

Despite winning much support thanks to his recent performances, opinion of the Australian guard hasn't been universally positive. A string of incidents in prior series against the Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls made Dellavedova the target of "dirty" accusations, with opposition players and fans branding him a reckless, unsafe force on the court. He was involved in the season-ending injury of Hawks All-Star Kyle Korver, an incident which sparked several follow-up skirmishes. Atlanta's 6'10" centre Al Horford dropped an elbow on Dellavedova's head after a loose-ball struggle, and Taj Gibson of the Chicago Bulls kicked out at the Cleveland man following a similar incident. Dellavedova's highly intense style of play naturally leads to many skirmishes, with the Australian more than willing to fight for every loose ball no matter the positioning of his opponent. Many have stepped in to defend the player, including former NBA legend and TV analyst Charles Barkley, who praised Matthew for his hard-nosed style of play.