MANILA, Philippines – Back-up Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Matthew Dellavedova was voted the dirtiest player in the NBA by league players and coaches, per a poll conducted by the Los Angeles Times.
A total of 24 NBA players and coaches participated in the poll, with Dellavedova coming on top after earning 13 votes.
Oklahoma City big man Steven Adams came in second with 7 while Golden State center Andrew Bogut received 5, coming in third.
Matt Barnes of the Memphis Grizzlies received 4 votes while Oklahoma City big man Serge Ibaka received 2 to come in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Dellavedova’s had a reputation as a dirty NBA player for quite some time now.
The 25-year-old Australian injured Atlanta Hawks forward Kyle Korver in last NBA season’s Eastern Conference Finals during a dive for a loose ball, hurting Korver’s ankle.
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Dellavedova also earned flagrant two fouls from big men Al Horford and Taj Gibson of the Hawks and Bulls, respectively, during scramble plays in the postseason.
Horford and Gibson were ejected following the incidents.
“He's as dirty as they come," a Western Conference coach said about Dellavedova in the LA Times piece.
"When you're hurting people, that is not okay.”
One Eastern Conference assistant coach was kinder with his criticism.
"He ain't dirty. He just plays hard,” the coach said about the third-year player.
Dellavedova’s had an impressive campaign for Cleveland so far this season, averaging 8.3 points, 4.9 assists, and 2.4 rebounds a game while shooting 43% from downtown, according to ESPN. – Rappler.com