Greg Monroe may not have had intent to injure Derrick Rose, but he did on Friday night. At the time, the officials didn't think it rose to the level of a flagrant foul, which the point guard complained about after the final buzzer. It didn't seem like the Milwaukee Bucks big man would face any repercussions for his perceived dirty play, though. That was wrong. The NBA looked at the tape and decided to dole out some justice on behalf of the Cleveland Cavaliers newbie on Saturday afternoon.
Monroe gets the dreaded upgrade
The play in question occurred during the fourth quarter of Friday's game between the Cavs and Bucks.
Rose went up for a reverse layup and was hacked by Monroe, whose left arm rattled the point guard's neck and head. When the point guard hit the ground, his left ankle turned, causing the sprain. Rose managed to stay in the game to shoot two free throws before exiting for the night. Meanwhile, Monroe was charged with a common foul on the play.
On Saturday, the league decided to review that decision. Upon a second glance, it did appear that Monroe violated the league's code to the tune of a Flagrant 1, which involves contact deemed to be unnecessary in the course of action. The change means the big man will be under a more scrutinized eye and be at risk for discipline in the future. It won't make Rose heal any faster, though.
Rose's prognosis
Rose has been through his share of serious injuries over the course of his career, which is why the Monroe foul drew immediate fear from fans of the Cavaliers. Knee injuries have particularly been the bane of Rose's existence as an NBA baller, though he does have some ankle concerns in his distant past that forced him to wear a brace.
He was hoping for a clean bill of health when he joined Cleveland during the offseason.
Luckily, it doesn't seem as if Friday night's injury is too serious. Monroe got the best of him in the moment, but Rose is only listed as being day-to-day going forward. Jose Calderon was set to draw the start at point guard on Saturday night against the Orlando Magic, a game where Rose may not have received major minutes anyway, as it's the second night of a back-to-back and Rose is a veteran player.
Rose was angry about the call after the game, though. The Bucks should be on alert for the next time the two teams play, as a Cavs player may be in the mood to exact some measure of revenge against Monroe for his Friday night transgression.
