NBA Clears Kings of Tanking, Cites Coaching Blunder

League investigation finds Sacramento's late-game foul was a mistake, not an intentional effort to lose.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 8:54pm

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a basketball game, with the court, players, and ball broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes of color, creating an abstract, deconstructed visual representation of the game.The NBA's investigation into the Kings' late-game foul reveals the dangers of over-scrutinizing coaching decisions in the name of combating tanking.Today in Sacramento

The NBA has completed an investigation into the Sacramento Kings' decision to intentionally foul the Golden State Warriors late in their April 7 game, determining that head coach Doug Christie made a mistake and did not intentionally try to lose the game. The league found that Christie thought the Kings were not in the penalty, so he instructed his team to foul in an attempt to stop the clock and use a timeout, rather than an effort to give the Warriors free throws.

Why it matters

The incident sparked accusations of tanking against the Kings, who have one of the worst records in the NBA this season. The league's findings show how the intense scrutiny around tanking can lead to overreactions, even in cases of simple coaching errors.

The details

With just over three minutes left and the Kings leading by one point, Christie directed his team to intentionally foul Seth Curry of the Warriors, even though Sacramento was in the penalty. This gifted Golden State two free throws, and the Kings went on to lose 110-105. The baffling decision led to widespread criticism of the Kings for tanking, but the NBA's investigation determined Christie had simply made a mistake, thinking he could use a timeout after the foul rather than automatically putting the Warriors on the line.

  • On April 7, the Kings lost 110-105 to the Warriors.
  • On April 9, the NBA announced the results of its investigation.

The players

Doug Christie

Head coach of the Sacramento Kings, who directed his team to intentionally foul the Warriors late in their April 7 game.

Seth Curry

Golden State Warriors player who was fouled intentionally by the Kings late in the April 7 game.

Steph Curry

Golden State Warriors player who was playing with his brother Seth for the first time since high school in the April 7 game against the Kings.

Draymond Green

Golden State Warriors player who criticized the NBA's tanking problem after witnessing the Kings' late-game foul.

Doug McDermott

Sacramento Kings player who was instructed by coach Doug Christie to intentionally foul Seth Curry late in the April 7 game.

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What they’re saying

“The NBA's investigation determined that Christie mistakenly believed that the Warriors were not in the penalty and therefore instructed his team to foul in an attempt to stop the clock and utilize one of the team's remaining timeouts.”

— NBA PR Statement

“Normally this would be derided as one of the more consequential coaching mistakes in the NBA this season but because Sacramento has been one of the worst teams in the league everybody (including the league itself) thought there was a more nefarious purpose at play.”

— Liam Mckeone, Author

What’s next

The Kings will play their final two games of the season, hoping to avoid finishing with the worst record in the Western Conference.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the dangers of the NBA's intense focus on 'solving' the tanking problem. Mistakes and coaching errors are a natural part of the game, but the league's eagerness to investigate any questionable decisions can lead to overreactions and unfair accusations, as seen with the Kings' case.