Bad news for Stephen Curry and the Warriors.
Surprise package Matthew Dellavedova will be good to go when the NBA Finals stages Game 4 gets going this coming Friday, June 12 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland Ohio.
The Cavs are looking to take a 3-1 lead with another win which could push them on the brink of the 2014-15 NBA title.
Dellavedova left the arena on an ambulance after the Cavs snagged game three and spent Wednesday night at the Cleveland Clinic due to severe dehydration. After some IV treatments, Dellavedova would later on be released and rejoin his teammates as they prepare for a pivotal game 4 of the NBA Finals.
"I was [in the hospital] for a little bit, but mainly just to rest up and recover," Dellavedova said in a report from Yahoo Sports. "We all take it pretty easy [Wednesday] just to get our treatment, and we've watched tape and things like that. So, yeah, I'll be ready to go [Thursday]."
His return should be a big sigh of relief for the Cleveland Cavaliers who have a lot of their players out on injuries.
Already out for the rest of the finals are Kevin Love (shoulder) and Kyrie Irving (knee) and the last thing the Cavs need right now is another player taken out by the injury bug.
Another player who has been cleared to play is Iman Shumpert. After colliding with Draymond Green in game three, Shumpert underwent an MRI to check on his shoulder and it seems that there is nothing serious that would keep him from playing onwards.
"I'm all right, this isn't the regular season," Shumpert said via ESPN. "It would take a lot for me not to play, there would have to be structural damage."
Dellavedova and Shumpert have been filling in the void left by Love and Irving and their effort and hustling plays on defense have provided a big boost to Lebron James and the team.
Dellavedova has done an excellent job on reigning most valuable player Stephen Curry, applying a pesky physical defense while also getting the job done on the offensive end.
But despite his clearance to play, head coach David Blatt remains cautious and may cut down his minutes. Dellavedova is not keen to the idea so this should be something to watch in Game 4.
"Delly's tank is low," Blatt said, "but we're doing everything we can to fill it back up."
The Cavs were practically counted out after Irving went down to injury in game 1. Many felt that the Warriors practically had in the bag.
However, things didn’t turn out that way with James and the rest of the Cavs employing an old school tactic of defense plus hustle.
Such has thrown the Warriors off and it remains to be seen what adjustments Steve Kerr will have up his sleeves heading into Game 4.
Another loss would be costly for the Warriors and a lot of that lies on the shoulders of Stephen Curry who has yet to show the deadly form that earned him this season’s MVP award.
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