NBA

Mavericks fined $750,000 for picking under-strength team in Bulls defeat

By Sports Desk April 14, 2023

The NBA has fined the Dallas Mavericks $750,000 for violating the league's resting policy in a 115-112 defeat to the Chicago Bulls last week.

Kyrie Irving, Josh Green, Tim Hardaway Jr, Maxi Kleber and Christian Wood were omitted for the game last Friday, while Luka Doncic only played the first quarter at American Airlines Center.

A loss at the hands of the Bulls ensured Dallas missed out on the play-in tournament but retained their number 10 slot in the 2023 NBA Draft lottery, still owing the New York Knicks a top-10 protected pick as part of a 2019 trade to acquire Kristaps Porzingis.

Mavs coach Jason Kidd called the selection an "organisational decision", adding: "It's not so much waving the white flag. It's [that] decisions sometimes are hard in this business. We're trying to build a championship team. With this decision, this is maybe a step back. But hopefully it leads to going forward."

The NBA on Friday announced the franchise will pay for "conduct detrimental to the league".

A statement released by the league said: "The Mavericks violated the league's player resting policy and demonstrated through actions and public statements the organisation's desire to lose the game in order to improve the chances of keeping its first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. 

"The league did not find that the players who participated in the game were not playing to win."

Joe Dumars, the NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations, said: "The Dallas Mavericks' decision to restrict key players from fully participating in an elimination game last Friday against Chicago undermined the integrity of our sport. The Mavericks’ actions failed our fans and our league."

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