The first games of the first round of the NBA playoffs have been intense, with teams battling it out for a spot in the next round. However, one game in particular has drawn attention for a controversial incident that has sparked allegations of dirty play.
Commentator Brian Scalabrine alleged that a head coach ordered his players to intentionally injure an opposing star player. The allegations stem from a play where the opposing player fell hard after being jumped on for a rebound. Scalabrine believes the play was deliberate and questioned the ethics of such behavior in a playoff series.
Former forward Brian Scalabrine, who played in the NBA from 2005 to 2010, was among the first to respond to the allegations. He wrote on his social media feed, ‘That was a dirty play. There’s no place for that in the game.’
Most specialists consider that it was an unintended move. The player who made the play said that everything was in the heat of the game. The head coach himself toned his statements down without completely retracting them. In an interview with ESPN, the commentator speculated that the head coach may have asked his players to be more aggressive towards the rival since they are in a long playoff series.
The NBA has not commented on the matter, but it is likely that the league will investigate the incident. If the allegations are proven true, it could result in serious consequences for the head coach and the team involved.
