The NBA has a problem with dirty play in the playoffs, and we in Cleveland, have seen first hand that there is one.

Look, we are not talking here about physical play.  The league has homogenized itself and the “hard” fouls of the 70’s and 80’s aren’t present anymore.

Can you imagine what would have happened to Kevin McHale today, when he clotheslined Laker forward Kurt Rambis driving to the basket in the 1984 Finals?  He would have been given a Flagrant II foul (we love the roman numerals the league uses here), been ejected, and probably suspended for at least one more game.

Instead, the Celtics won in seven games.

The difference back then is the players in those days were sending a message.  There were going to be no easy points to be had.  The Pistons of the late 80’s and early 90’s, led by Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn, kind of started the gratuitous violence, the cheap shot plays that have now been outlawed.

We in Cleveland can all remember Mahorn’s elbow to Mark Price’s head in 1989, which ruined the Cavs chance at winning the Eastern Conference championship that year. Cleveland was 41-12 heading into that contest.  They were 16-15 the balance on the season.

Now back to the league’s problem.  In game four of the first round series against Boston, we are all familiar with Kelly Olynyk’s dislocating the shoulder of Kevin Love.  Love is out for the playoffs, likely missing his first appearance in the NBA Finals.

Olynyk received a one game suspension, to be served on opening night of the 2015-16 season.  That’s not really a big price.  The Celts were already down 3-0 in the series, so what consequence was there for any Boston player?  They were done.

In the next series, against the Chicago Bulls, there was another cheap shot in the game that decided the series.  With the Cavaliers up 3-2, Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic clotheslined Cavs’ guard Iman Shumpert as he was driving past him.  Mirotic wasn’t ejected for the play.

Again, even if he had been kicked out of the game, what’s the real penalty here.  Shumpert’s squad was advancing, and he could have missed a game or two (he didn’t) because of Mirotic’s play.  If he was assessed a flagrant foul, he likely would have missed the Bulls’ opener this fall.  Big deal.

In both cases, what is the risk for the team that is going home?  None, absolutely none.

Olynyk’s foul put Love out of the post-season, and Shumpert could have been seriously hurt as well, missing time in the playoffs.  The penalty should be much tougher for the player committing the act.

Would either player have done the same thing is he knew a 10 game suspension was at stake?  Would a coach condone that type of play knowing he would lose a player for that amount of time?

Not likely.  This is where the “brotherhood” Al Horford talked about should be focused on, not players making hustle plays.

We write this because tomorrow night is another night where the Cavaliers are playing a game that can eliminate their opponent.  WIth tensions running high because of Horford’s ejection last night, it would not be surprising for the Hawks to send a cheap shot toward a Cavaliers’ player.

To prevent stuff like this, the NBA must enact tougher policies on these types of plays.  Before another key player on any team, not just the Cavs ends up missing the balance of the playoffs, just like the player who is delivering the blow.

JK