The Dallas Mavericks better have a good reason for sitting some key players during Friday's loss to the Chicago Bulls. The NBA will investigate the team's motivation for sitting those players, league spokesman Mike Bass said Saturday.
Bass said the league would look into the"acts and circumstances surrounding the Dallas Mavericks' roster decisions and game conduct" from that game, whichFrom NBA spokesman Mike Bass: “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 Bulls-Mavericks game, including the motivations behind those actions.
With the playoffs still possible, Dallas sat Kyrie Irving, Maxi Kleber, Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Green and Christian Wood. Luka Dončić played into the second quarter before he was removed from the contest. Prior to the contest, it was reported Dončić wouldThe loss eliminated the Mavericks from the playoffs.
Making the playoffs also might have cost the Mavericks a first-round draft pick. The team still owes the New York Knicks a first-round pick from the Kristaps Porzingis trade. That pick, however, is top-10 protected. With Friday's loss, the Mavericks currently hold the 10th pick in the 2023 NBA draft. If that holds, the team would not give up its first-round pick this season and would have a better shot at securing the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft lottery.
Considering what was on the line, and how the Mavericks approached Friday's game, an investigation makes sense. It will be up to the league to determine whether the Mavericks intentionally tried to lose the contest to reap some rewards down the road.
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