‘Cheats?’ NBA set to run an investigation against the Mavs to determine alleged foul play involving the team TANKING to avoid playoffs

NBA investigates Mavericks for tanking against Bulls

‘Cheats?’ NBA set to run an investigation against the Mavs to determine alleged foul play involving the team TANKING to avoid playoffs

Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving (Image via Getty Images)

The NBA is looking into the Dallas Mavericks’ decision to rest their entire starting lineup in their 115-112 defeat to the Chicago Bulls on Friday night, a game that had playoff implications for both teams.

The Mavericks, who were still mathematically alive for the play-in tournament, benched Kyrie Irving, Maxi Kleber, Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Green and Christian Wood for the game. Luka Doncic played only the first quarter before joining them on the sidelines.

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The move was widely seen as a deliberate attempt to lose the game and improve their draft position. The Mavericks owed the New York Knicks a first-round pick that was top-10 protected, and by losing to the Bulls, they secured the 10th spot in the draft lottery. They also eliminated themselves from the postseason race, as they needed to win their final two games and hope that the Oklahoma City Thunder would lose their last game to make the play-in.

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NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement on Saturday that the league was investigating the “facts and circumstances” surrounding the Mavericks’ actions and motivations.

Also Read: Jason Kidd confirms Mark Cuban made the call for Mavs to lose and INTENTIONALLY miss the playoffs

NBA spokesman: “The NBA commenced an investigation today” on Mavericks

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Mike Bass (Image via PR Week)

“The NBA commenced an investigation today into the facts and circumstances surrounding the Dallas Mavericks’ roster decisions and game conduct with respect to last night’s Chicago Bulls-Mavericks game, including the motivations behind those actions,” Bass said.

The NBA has rules against tanking, which is defined as “an intentional effort to lose games or otherwise adversely affect a team’s performance in order to obtain a more favorable position in the draft.” Teams that are found guilty of tanking can face fines, suspensions, forfeitures of draft picks, or other sanctions.

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The Mavericks have not commented on the investigation or their rationale for sitting their starters. Head coach Jason Kidd said before the game that he wanted to rest his players for “health reasons” and that he was still trying to win. Owner Mark Cuban did not mention any plans to tank when he spoke to the media on Wednesday.

Some fans and analysts have criticized the Mavericks for their lack of competitiveness and integrity, while others have defended them for making a smart business decision. Tanking has been a controversial issue in the NBA for years, as some teams have tried to rebuild their rosters by losing games on purpose and hoping for better draft picks. However, few teams have been as blatant and sudden as the Mavericks were on Friday night.

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