No suspension for Horford after flagrant foul
Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford is not at risk of missing Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Horford’s flagrant foul 2 in Game 3 will stand, but there will be no additional punishment from the NBA, according to league spokesman Tim Kuck.
Horford and Cavs guard Matthew Dellavedova got tangled up in the final minute of the second quarter of Game 3 on Sunday. As the two were boxing each other out, Dellavedova fell to the floor after tripping backward over Atlanta’s DeMarre Carroll — who was already on the floor — and into Horford’s right leg. Horford responded to the contact by elbowing Dellavedova.
Following a referee review, Horford was assessed a flagrant foul 2 and ejected, and Dellavedova received a technical foul.
“I’ll definitely learn from this and will make sure to keep my composure and things like this don’t happen,” Horford said. “But the game before, I got hit in the knees and it kind of played over again.”
Referee Ken Mauer, the crew chief for the game, told a pool reporter that Horford received a flagrant 2 because, “He made contact above the shoulders, to the shoulder and head area, of Dellavedova.”
The play came a game after Dellavedova collided with Atlanta’s Kyle Korver while pursuing a loose ball, causing a season-ending high right ankle sprain for Korver.
After the Cavaliers’ 114-111 overtime win in Game 3, LeBron James rebutted suggestions that Dellavedova is a dirty player.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and Kevin Arnovitz contributed to this report.
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