NBA suspends Kelly Olynyk

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Kelly Olynyk has been suspended 1-game by the NBA without pay. The announcement was made on Monday by Rod Thorn, the league's President of Basketball Operations. The center was called for a foul in the Celtics' Game 4 loss to the Cavaliers on Sunday, where fighting for a loose ball with Kevin Love, he yanked the left arm of the Cavs' forward downwards.

The controversial play looked intentional in Love's eyes as he immediately grabbed his left shoulder and ran to the locker room, where it was later reported that it was dislocated due to Olynyk pulling his arm out of its socket.

"I thought it was a bush-league play," Love said afterwards. "Olynyk was in a compromising position, had no chance to get the ball and it's just too bad that he would go to these lengths to take somebody out of the game and do that to someone. I have no doubt in my mind that he did that on purpose." [ESPN Boston]   

Olynyk sounded surprise to learn of the accusation as he said there was no intent to injure Love at all.

"That's ridiculous," said Olynyk, who also told reporters that he unsuccessfully tried to contact Love on Sunday night. "I would never intentionally hurt Kevin or anyone else. He locked my arm up, I locked up his as we were fighting for a loose ball. You lock up arms all the time in this league." [Boston Herald]

"I wish him a very speedy recovery, and I hope he can come back to help his team in the playoffs," the C's forward added. [Boston Herald]

Olynyk will serve his suspension in the first game of the 2015-16 regular season.

Love, who can opt-out this summer to become a free-agent, will get a second opinion on his shoulder, it has been reported that he could miss up to two-weeks of action or at least the whole second round of the playoffs. The Cavaliers, favorites to come out of the East, defeated Boston in a four-game sweep and will play the winner of the Bucks and Bulls series in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

It's also been reported that Danny Ainge will look to pursue Kevin Love come July.

Smith suspended, Perkins fined

The NBA dropped the hammer on J.R. Smith as they also announced on Monday that the Cavs guard would be suspended for two-games without pay following his ejection for swinging his elbow and striking Jae Crowder's face, resulting in a flagrant-2 foul in the third quarter of  Sunday's Game 4 Celtics loss.

Crowder was helped off the court by teammates and did not return as he landed and twisted his left knee in the process, spraining his ACL.

Smith will serve his suspension in Game 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals as the Cavs will host either Milwaukee or Chicago, who lead the series 3-1.

Cavalier center and former Celtics fan favorite; Kendrick Perkins' Flagrant-1 foul in Game 4 has been upgraded to a Flagrant-2 and has been fined $15,000.

Perkins set a hard screen on Jae Crowder at the 1:44 mark of the second quarter, sending the C's guard to the floor. The two players had to be separated after Crowder got to his feet and went after Perk only to have the Cavs center take a swipe to Crowder's face. Neither players were ejected, but both received technical fouls.



Joel Pavón
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