Could Kevin Love Be Suspended For Stepping On The Court?

Lost in the all of the madness that took place in Game 1, Kevin Love – who was checked out at the time – stepped onto the court during a scuffle at the end of the overtime:

By the letter of the law, Love could be suspended one game for the few extra steps:

"“During an altercation, all players not participating in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of their bench. Violators will be suspended, without pay, for a minimum of one game and fined up to $35,000.”"

But will the NBA actually do it?

In a similar situation, in the 2014 playoffs, Paul George was not suspended for leaving the bench after much debate.

The NBA justified not suspending George because “People just misunderstand (the rule),” Rod Thorn, the NBA’s president of basketball operations, told Bleacher Report. “It’s the ‘vicinity of the bench.’ It’s not that if your foot is on the line or one step over the line. … You’ve got to use some common sense, too.”

Did Love not leave “the immediate vicinity of their bench” like George, or did he leave “the immediate vicinity of their bench” like Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw who were suspended as a result for a playoff game in 2007?

This season, Trail Blazers starting shooting guard CJ McCollum left the bench during an altercation and was then suspended for it.

The real question is not whether or not Love should be suspended, but instead, would the NBA actually suspend him? The Cavaliers were already jobbed by the refs enough in the devastating Game 1 loss to Warriors.

My prediction? Love will not be suspended at all for this action because they can defend it and say he was going back to the bench when the altercation truly began.

Another positive for Love and the Cavaliers is the fact that between the many mistakes by the refs, the poor play of Kevin Durant, and the confusion of J.R. Smith, this situation could easily be overlooked in the topic of conversation today.