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Rivers: Dwyane Wade ‘didn’t intend to hurt Rondo’ 05.08.11 at 2:37 pm ET
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Reaction to the play that left Rajon Rondo with a dislocated left elbow in Game 3 of the Celtics playoff series with Miami has been mixed. After the game, Dwyane Wade said he’s “not a dirty player.” (Click here for video of the postgame press conference.)

Brendan Jackson at Celtics Hub has the play broken down frame by frame and came to the conclusion that Wade did in fact take Rondo down with a leg sweep.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers defended Wade’s part in the play for the most part. “It was a hard foul,” Rivers said. “Let’s put it like this: He didn’t intend to hurt Rondo. I don’t honestly believe in 99 percent of cases in our league the player ever intends to hurt anybody. But he did, and it just happens.”

Rivers also added this in response to Rondo’s return to the court:

“Players play,” the coach said. “We can all tell our war stories, but very few players are able to do that in that situation. They would try, though. There’s a bigger group in our league than you think that would have tried. I love our league and that’s the part about it that I think people miss. They see the other stuff, but these guys love playing. They have more love and passion about the game than people give them credit for, and yesterday was just another example of an NBA player not caring about his health and just trying to help the team.”

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  • paul

    it’s a huge mistake for Doc to talk this way. It’s more and more clear that Wade, a player most of us really love, has been trying to hurt people. Doc needs to stand up for his guys. Wade finally succeeded in actually taking out the Celtics best players, though it turned out to be only for a few minutes. Who’s to say that if Wade continues to evade consequences for his behavior, that he won’t actually seriously harm someone? The impunity that he and the Heat are obviously feeling is very, very dangerous, and Rivers should know that.

  • paul

    Ask yourself this, Doc: what if Rondo had landed on his head, instead of his elbow? We could be talking about a catastrophic injury. Should you really be giving Wade a pass? Shouldn’t you stand up for your guys?

  • http://www.sportsmandan.wordpress.com Daniel Martin

    Ok I am a celtics fan I and I do believe that wade was going for it but I do think it was on purpose I don’t know why rivers would so easy on him saying after the first game they played dirty, wade went at it again at ray allen getting in his face. Rajon rondo showed so much character in that game last night that was very embarrassing for who ever he stole the ball from with his hiper extended arm…………….. Seriously that’s pitiful, just fun to watch rondo doing that

  • scott

    dirty play. dirty player. stick up for your players. wades been dirty this whole series and he finnaly hurt someone.

  • joe

    Wade is the cleanest player in the NBA, they got tangle up and Rondo got hurt… it happens… but absolutely unintentional…

  • nick

    its not wade’s fault. Honestly he is one of the hardest working players and because he hustles doesnt mean hes a dirty player. When rondo’s leg went out from under him wade lost his balance. Damn, dont be so quick to judge

  • Eastbballfan

    You Celtic fans should know what a “dirty player” is considering you’ve had KG on your team since’08

  • Ryan

    Did he intend to dislocate his elbow? No. But it was a dirty play, intentionally taking him to the floor. He did the same thing to Pierce when Pierce fouled him earlier in the game. Wade’s trying to play tough, but is pulling dirty BS out. Like Doc said after Game 1, that’s not tough, that’s chippy.

  • perp

    @nick

    Rondo’s leg went out from under him BECAUSE Wade swept them. Just look at any frame by frame and it’s clear.

    Cheap take down move. Princess Wade gets a call when someone breathes near him but he can yank Rondo to the floor, smash Allen in a clear path layup, and tug on Pierce and not get one single call against him.

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