He'll pass: No Game 4 coffee for Dellavedova
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Matthew Dellavedova will be in the lineup for Game 4 of The Finals, but after suffering from dehydration in Game 3, he won’t be sticking to one of his tried-and-true pregame rituals.
The Cleveland Cavaliers starting point guard will eschew his tradition of his pregame — and sometimes halftime — cup of joe.
“There will be no coffee tonight,” Dellavedova said after Cavs shootaround Thursday. “It’s not a good thing, probably, for your hydration.”
Dellavedova’s coffee kick is so ingrained in the Cavs’ team fabric that, on occasion, injured center Anderson Varejao will go fetch him a cup and bring it to him in the locker room before tipoff.
However, Dellavedova said that he’s exerting himself too much these days to risk the caffeinated beverage. Dellavedova had to be taken by ambulance to the Cleveland Clinic following Tuesday’s win over the Golden State Warriors to receive an IV and additional treatment and has been on a regimented diet, massage, hydration and stretching program since.
“The Finals’ intensity is probably a little bit different to the regular season,” Dellavedova said. “You just try to lay it out there. So, you’re just pushing yourself.”
Dellavedova, who has averaged 40.5 minutes in the two Finals games since Kyrie Irving was ruled out with a fractured left kneecap after Game 1, said he will not have a minutes restriction in Game 4, a fact that doesn’t surprise LeBron James.
“I mean, whatever he has in the tank, he’s going to give it all,” said James. “If he has to go through dehydration and cramping again, I think he’ll probably do it again. He gives it all to our team and we just try to reciprocate that back to him, let him know that we’re out there giving it our all as well.”
Dellavedova said the adrenaline generated by the Cleveland home crowd will have to take the place of a jolt of java.
“I think having 20,000 screaming fans is probably a little bit stronger than a cup of coffee,” Dellavedova said.
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