Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love will not be suspended for Game 2 of the NBA Finals after stepping onto the court Thursday while he was not checked into the game when a scuffle broke out in the closing seconds of Game 1.
Tristan Thompson, who shoved the ball in the face of Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green in the closing seconds of Game 1 after already being ejected, was fined $25,000.
With five seconds remaining in the Warriors' 124-114 win on Thursday, Warriors guard Shaun Livingston pulled up for a midrange jumper. Thompson contested the shot, but his elbow appeared to connect with the right side of Livingston's chest, though replays called into question whether Thompson made contact.
Thompson's foul, called a flagrant foul 2 by official Tony Brothers, was downgraded to a flagrant 1.
"I contested a shot that shouldn't have been taken," Thompson said after the game. "I mean, it's like the unspoken rule in the NBA: If you're up 10 or 11 with about 20 seconds left, you don't take that shot. I make the contest, and next thing I know, I was being kicked out for a good contest that we learn in training camp. I don't know why I got thrown out."
Prior to Thompson's exiting the court, Love was seen walking onto the court as Brothers went to the scorers table to relay his ruling. Love was quickly summoned off the court by an assistant coach.
By rule, a player who is not in the game at the time of a skirmish is not permitted on the court. However, Love said Thursday that he was not worried about receiving disciplinary action from the league for the sequence.
"No," Love told ESPN. "I was already on the court trying to get the refs' attention before the scuffle."
Information from ESPN's Dave McMenamin and Chris Haynes was used in this report.
