What appeared to be a blatant intentional foul on Seth Curry during Tuesday’s matchup between the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors has ignited a firestorm across the NBA. Supporters from both fanbases, along with several players, have decried the move as a transparent attempt at tanking by the Kings in the closing minutes of a tight game.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the NBA is investigating the sequence orchestrated by Kings head coach Doug Christie. With just three minutes remaining, a Kings player committed an intentional foul on the younger Curry brother, a move that effectively handed the Warriors the momentum and, eventually, the victory.
At the time of the foul, the Kings actually held a 101-100 lead, yet the Warriors went on to secure a five-point win. The nonsensical nature of the strategy immediately raised red flags across the league, as the move seemed designed to ensure a Sacramento loss rather than a victory.
Why would the Kings want to tank?
One of the most persistent criticisms of the modern NBA is the tendency for bottom-tier teams to “tank,” strategically losing games late in the season once they are eliminated from playoff contention. While it remains a taboo subject for front offices, the incentive structure of the league often makes losing more valuable than a meaningless April win.
With a dismal 21-59 record, the Kings are currently deadlocked with the Utah Jazz for the worst record in the Western Conference. Every additional loss marginally improves their lottery odds, moving them closer to securing a top pick in a 2026 NBA Draft class loaded with franchise-altering prospects.
Had the Kings held on to beat the Warriors, they would have risked slipping in the reverse standings and losing their grip on a projected top-three pick. In the eyes of many league observers, a mistake this glaring at such a critical juncture is rarely an accident; it is often a calculated business decision.
Reactions to the potential tanking scenario
Warriors veteran Draymond Green didn’t hold back when asked about the bizarre sequence following the final buzzer. “I saw [the Kings] foul Seth Curry with three minutes to go for no reason! In the penalty! I get fined when I do wrong. Just fine the hell out of people. We love taking money from players,” Green said.
For his part, Doug Christie vehemently denied any intentional effort to throw the game. “Tanking is the last thing [I’d do]. I respect the game too much,” the Kings coach told reporters. “These young men, in my opinion, when you do things like that, it hurts them. It’s not in our DNA.”
SurveyDid the Kings try to tank against the Warriors?
Did the Kings try to tank against the Warriors?
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