The NBA says it is investigating the Dallas Mavericks after the team chose to sit multiple key players in its loss to the Chicago Bulls on Friday.
Head coach Jason Kidd said before the game that it was an “organizational decision” to sit guard Kyrie Irving and four other players, even though the Mavericks were not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.
All-Star guard Luka Dončić played 13 minutes and scored 13 points in the 115-112 loss. He did not speak with the media after the game.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are currently the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference and will compete in the play-in tournament.
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“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,” a league spokesman said on Saturday.
Mavericks governor Mark Cuban could be fined if it is determined that the team tanked on purpose. In 2018, Cuban was fined $600,000 for “public statements detrimental to the NBA” after admitting Dallas was losing on purpose.
The 2017-18 team finished 24-58 and in the subsequent draft selected Oklahoma guard Trae Young with the fifth overall pick. Young was then traded to the Atlanta Hawks, who had picked Dončić with the third pick, shipping the Slovenian superstar to the Mavericks.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA investigates Mavericks after they sat out key players vs. Bulls