Kings’ late foul was a strategic misstep, not an intentional loss.
SACRAMENTO — The NBA is investigating what sources from the Sacramento Kings describe as a strategic error by coach Doug Christie — rather than deliberate tanking — during the closing moments of Tuesday’s defeat against the Golden State Warriors.
With the Kings ahead by one point and 3:15 left on the clock, Christie instructed forward Doug McDermott to foul Seth Curry, even though the team was already in the penalty.
This decision was characterized as a miscalculation, according to sources who spoke to ESPN, as Christie aimed to utilize a timeout before it was automatically lost when the game clock fell below three minutes. Sources indicated that Christie mistakenly believed the Warriors were in the bonus, which would allow Curry, an 86.4% career free throw shooter, to take free throws, despite having more favorable options available to foul.
The Kings ultimately lost the game 110-105.
The error was highlighted after the final whistle when Warriors forward Draymond Green, during a lengthy discussion regarding the NBA’s tanking issue, suggested that the Kings had intentionally aimed to lose.
“I saw a team tonight foul Seth Curry with three minutes to go for no reason,” Green remarked. “I get fined when I do wrong. Fine the hell outta people.”
Green later expressed that teams should face fines more frequently for overt tanking actions.
Curry converted one of two free throws, leveling the score at 101. Christie then designed a play for a McDermott three-pointer during the timeout, which succeeded, giving Sacramento a three-point lead after they had been down by 16.
However, Sacramento ultimately squandered that advantage in the closing moments, falling to a record of 21-59, which ties them with the Utah Jazz for the fourth-worst record in the league, positioning them for a high draft pick in a competitive NBA draft.
The Kings have been missing nearly all their high-salaried veterans during this final stretch. Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and DeAndre Hunter have undergone season-ending surgeries, while DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook were not available for Tuesday’s matchup.
Despite a clear focus on developing their younger players and an organizational acknowledgment that finishing low in the standings can be advantageous, team sources insisted that the coaches and players were committed to winning Tuesday’s contest, and the late-game foul was purely a tactical blunder.
The Kings have secured seven victories in their last 16 games, moving ahead of the Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, and Washington Wizards in the standings.
“Tanking is the last thing [I’d do],” Christie stated following a recent win against the Jazz. “I respect the game too much. These young men, in my opinion, when you do things like that, it hurts them.”
