Difference-maker Matthew Dellavedova leads with his heart
CLEVELAND — The Cult of Matthew Dellavedova grows by the day. By each game. By each dive for a loose ball. By each circus shot and by each IV and hospital stay for dehydration.
The NBA Finals' most unlikely difference-maker is a 6-4, 200-pound undrafted second-year guard from Australia who played some Australian rules football when he was younger and brings that physical approach to the NBA.
In Cleveland's Game 3 victory against Golden State, giving the Cavaliers a 2-1 series lead, Dellavedova had 20 points, five rebounds and four assists and made a wild shot off the glass for a three-point play and made two free throws in the game's final minutes, curtailing Golden State's comeback.
He needed an IV at the arena and an overnight stay at a hospital to treat severe cramping. Cavs coach David Blatt said Dellavedova is available for Game 4 on Thursday, but when he told Dellavedova he was going to limit his minutes, Dellavedova responded, "No you're not."
Filling in for the injured Kyrie Irving throughout the playoffs, Dellavedova has turned into an indispensable player on an injury-depleted lineup.
"Everything that he has, he lays out on the floor," LeBron James said. "I think he dove on the ground last night, an NBA Finals record, six times. Last night, he was on the ground again after the game in the hospital, so you could probably say seven times. He gives us everything that he has, and we all appreciate it as his brothers in the lineup beside him."
If a Cavs player is on the floor or in the middle of scrum, there's a good chance it's a Dellavedova, who learned early that if he were to make it in the NBA, he needed to overcome.
But there's more to Dellavedova's game than just energy and hustle. He can score, run the offense and play tenacious defense. Dellavedova is playing so well and making Warriors guard and NBA MVP Steph Curry work hard for shots and points that Curry was asked about an undrafted free agent possibly outplaying him.
"He's an NBA player," Curry said. "He's here for a reason, so there is a reason he's able to impact the game for them. He's made some plays the last couple games that helped them win games. So there is no discrediting him as a player just because of where he's come from and his background.
Dellavedova has been accused of being a dirty player during the playoffs and has been involved in debatable plays with Chicago's Taj Gibson, Atlanta's Kyle Korver and Golden State's Draymond Green.
James has offered unconditional support for his teammate, and Blatt said, "He's a courageous kid that plays right. There was a lot of nonsense swirling around about his style of play. Anyone who really looks at him objectively and fairly recognizes someone that just plays hard, heartfelt and tough basketball."
Dellavedova played college basketball in the Bay Area at St. Mary's in Moraga, Calif., and a California-based reporter asked Dellavedova if he considers himself an annoying player.
"Well, I've never played against myself, so …," he replied.
"Would you find yourself annoying?"
"Yeah, I think I would," Dellavedova said. "In college guys would try all kinds of things to just distract me or get under my skin and things like that."
Dellavedova does the same, and he did it to Cavs guard Kyrie Irving two summers ago when Dellavedova joined the Cavs.
"I'm definitely not surprised as much as everyone else is," Irving said. "First time I went to Vegas, first time I played against him, he commanded my respect. Whether that be in a pick‑up game or us playing a scrimmage in practice, it was going to be hard fought, and I knew exactly what I was getting myself into.
"So once you step into that – I want to call it a ring with Delly – you better be ready to rumble. So for anyone that's ready to go, he's ready to go all the time."
Dellavedova has spawned Internet memes – the most popular is Dellavedova at the podium with Steph Curry sitting his lap – and caused a sensation from here to Australia.
A reporter from Australia asked James if would support a movement to knight Dellavedova and call him Sir Dellavedova. James laughed.
"That's pretty cool," James said. "Whatever is in the favor of good for Delly, I'm all for it. So whatever that guy wants or needs, I'm all for."
His working-class parents, Leanne and Mark, are in town for the Finals and are amazed at the attention their son is getting. His agent, Bill Duffy, said the parents called it surreal.
"He's just living his dream," Duffy told USA TODAY Sports. "Anybody who knows him – his family, his college coaches and those of us who work with him – you know what's going on in the inside. I'm not surprised. I'm fortunate he's been given this platform. You can measure everything physical element, but you can't measure heart and you can't always measure basketball IQ."
