NBA Clears Coach Doug Christie of Tanking Allegations
The NBA has cleared Sacramento Kings coach Doug Christie of accusations of tanking following his directive to intentionally foul Seth Curry in the fourth quarter during the Kings’ recent loss to the Golden State Warriors.
This coaching decision, wherein Christie told guard Doug McDermott to foul Curry with 3:15 remaining, ignited a social media backlash. Fans and analysts suggested the Kings were blatantly trying to lose the game. Following the Warriors’ 110-105 victory, Draymond Green criticized Christie’s strategy, claiming it exemplified the NBA’s ongoing tanking issue, prompting the league to investigate the matter.
However, Christie and Kings officials have maintained since the accusations surfaced that this was simply a coaching miscalculation. One Kings official remarked, “If we wanted to tank, we’re doing an awful job of it.” Christie’s intention was to preserve one of his three remaining timeouts to draw up a play for the next possession. Unfortunately, he overlooked the fact that the Kings were already in the bonus, resulting in Curry receiving free throws instead of a sideline inbounds.
The league’s investigation concluded that Christie had no intention of giving the Warriors a shooting foul or causing the Kings to lose. Despite the overwhelming criticism online, evidence supports the Kings’ position. Since February 21, when their record stood at a dismal 12-46, Sacramento has gone 9-13 and is now tied for fourth place in the standings.
Christie has publicly rejected the idea of tanking, stating, “Tanking is the last thing (I’d do). I respect the game too much. These young men, in my opinion, when you do things like that, it hurts them.” In the game against the Warriors, the Kings made a significant comeback, rallying from a 13-point deficit late in the third quarter to take the lead with 9:40 left in the game.
Interestingly, Christie’s decision to foul Curry did pay off in a way, as it allowed the Kings to execute a successful play that led to a three-pointer by McDermott, giving them a three-point advantage with 2:53 remaining. This incident highlights the ongoing struggle the NBA faces regarding tanking practices, evidenced by fines levied against teams like the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers earlier this year for violating player participation policies.
The NBA is set to undergo significant changes to its lottery system next season to address the tanking crisis and restore competitive balance. Nevertheless, as recent observations suggest, the issue persists, with a notable uptick in blowout games this season. It appears that the Kings are not among the teams guilty of such practices.
