The NBA has backed up Cleveland Cavaliers guard Derrick Rose’s angry claim that Bucks center Greg Monroe should have been whistled for a flagrant foul for the move that left Rose with a sprained ankle on Friday.
The NBA upgraded the seriousness of the foul to a flagrant-one on Saturday, a day after Monroe was assessed only a common foul by game officials on the play.
Rose, a former NBA Most Valuable Player, has been ruled out of Cleveland’s Saturday home game against the Orlando Magic.
He was steamed on Friday when Monroe, contesting Rose’s attempt of a reverse layup, caught the Cavaliers player around the neck.
Rose came down hard and turned his left ankle.
“That’s a common foul — wow. Come on,” Rose said after the game.
League officials agreed, deciding Monroe’s move met the definition of a flagrant-one foul — unnecessary contact committed by a player against an opponent.
