MBK | Dellavedova Headed To NBA Finals
5/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MORAGA, Calif. -- Matthew Dellavedova is set to become the third former Saint Mary's basketball player to participate in the NBA Finals as the Cleveland Cavaliers completed a sweep of the Atlanta Hawks last night in the Eastern Conference finals.
Dellavedova, the Gaels' all-time leading scorer, a 3-time all West Coast Conference selection and the 2012 WCC Player of the Year, is averaging 7.0 points 2.6 assists and 21.9 minutes in his 14 playoff appearances for the Cavs.
The Maryborough, Victoria, Australia native made international headlines with his gutsy play in Cleveland's last two series victories. Notably, he filled-in as the team's starting point guard for the injured Kyrie Irving and scored 17 points in 45 minutes in the team's game 3 victory against Atlanta.
He has also become a fan favorite in Cleveland for his hustle and defensive intensity. Teammate LeBron James repeatedly lauds Dellavedova for his team-first attitude and tireless work ethic.
"He works his tail off every single day," James said after the team's controversial game 3 win over Atlanta, during which Dellavedova was accused of crossing the line with his aggressive style of play. "He beats the odds, and he comes to play as hard as he can every single night. I'm a little bit off about it because this is my guy, this is my teammate, and this is a guy that goes out and works his tail off every single night, and people are trying to give him a bad rap. He doesn't deserve it, and I don't like it."
Dellavedova joins Tom Meschery and Patrick Mills as the only former Saint Mary's players to advance to the NBA Finals. All three players have their retired number hanging in the McKeon Pavilion rafters. Meschery's number "14" was retired by the Golden State Warriors in 1967.
Saint Mary's is among an elite group of college programs to have former players participating in the NBA Finals in each of the last three seasons. Among the other programs included in this active streak are Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, Texas and Florida.
Last season, Mills became the first Gael to earn a NBA Championship when the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Miami Heat in five games.
The 2015 NBA Finals, which will feature Cleveland against either (UPDATED) Golden State, are scheduled to begin on Thursday, June 4 with a 6 p.m. tipoff.
2015 NBA Finals Schedule
Game 1: - Thu. June 4, Cleveland at Golden State, 6:00 PM , ABC
Game 2: Sun. June 7, Cleveland at Golden State, 5:00 PM, ABC
Game 3: Tue. June 9, Golden Stateat Cleveland, 6:00 PM, ABC
Game 4: Thu. June 11, Golden State at Cleveland, 6:00 PM, ABC
Game 5 *: Sun, June 14, Cleveland at Golden State, 5:00 PM, ABC
Game 6 *: Tue, June 16, Golden State at Cleveland, 6:00 PM, ABC
Game 7 *: Fri, June 19, Cleveland at Golden State, 6:00 PM, ABC
*if necessary
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