The NBA has opened an investigation into the Sacramento Kings after a head-scratching late-game decision that helped the Golden State Warriors storm back for a 110-105 win at Chase Center. With 3:15 left and Sacramento up 101-100, Kings forward Doug McDermott fouled Warriors guard Seth Curry, sending him to the line and helping flip the momentum. Golden State then outscored Sacramento 9-1 over the final 2:38 to complete the comeback and send league officials back to the video room.
League review and team explanation
The NBA is reviewing both the play and the in-game communications around it. Team sources told ESPN that coach Doug Christie intended to call a timeout before the three-minute mark and misread the foul situation. According to those sources, the move was a tactical blunder rather than any kind of attempt to lose on purpose.
How the finishing sequence unfolded
Play-by-play data shows McDermott drilling a 3-pointer with 2:53 remaining to put Sacramento ahead 104-101. The Warriors answered quickly, with Stephen Curry and Brandin Podziemski steering the closing stretch and erasing the Kings’ lead. The full recap and play-by-play are logged by CBS Sports, which records the late sequence and the final 110-105 score. The loss nudged the Kings deeper into lottery chatter as the regular season winds down.
Players and pundits react
Warriors forward Draymond Green did not bother with subtlety, ripping the decision in his postgame comments. “I saw a team tonight foul Seth Curry with three minutes to go in a game for no reason,” he said, urging the league to levy tougher penalties on organizations in similar situations. Bleacher Report captured Green’s remarks and his call for stricter enforcement, which quickly fed a round of social media debate over tanking and competitive integrity. The criticism only intensified scrutiny of Sacramento’s late-game choice.
Kings insist there was no intent to lose
Inside the Kings’ camp, the message has been the opposite of Green’s interpretation. Team sources told local reporters that coaches and players were trying to win and that the late foul was not an instruction to give the game away. Coach Doug Christie has said publicly that “tanking is the last thing” he would do and that the organization values competitive integrity, according to The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento officials have also pointed out that the roster has been shorthanded late in the season, with younger players getting development minutes while the team attempts to stay competitive.
Where this fits in the league's anti‑tanking push
The timing could not be more awkward for the Kings. The NBA has been actively discussing structural changes to discourage tanking and recently presented several comprehensive anti-tanking proposals to team owners, according to ESPN. The league has already fined teams this season, including penalties against the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers, signaling a tougher stance on behavior that might undermine competitive integrity, as reported by Sky Sports. Depending on what the review uncovers, the NBA could respond with fines or other measures aimed at discouraging similar late-game decisions.
What's next
The league’s review of game tape and in-game communications could take several days. Investigators typically examine broadcast and internal video along with recorded messages between coaches, players, and officials before deciding whether discipline is warranted. For Sacramento, the process is an unwelcome spotlight as the franchise tries to walk the tightrope between developing young talent and staying legitimately competitive down the stretch.
