The NBA has launched an investigation into a critical late-game decision by Sacramento Kings coach Doug Christie during Tuesday's narrow loss to the Golden State Warriors. The league is scrutinizing whether the move constituted a potential tanking tactic, a serious violation of competitive integrity.

With the Kings clinging to a one-point lead and just over three minutes remaining, Christie instructed forward Doug McDermott to foul Warriors guard Seth Curry. The decision backfired significantly, as the Warriors were already in the bonus, sending Curry—a career 86.4% free-throw shooter—to the line for easy points.

According to sources close to the team, the controversial foul call was a strategic blunder, not an intentional effort to lose the game. Christie reportedly intended to use a timeout before the clock dipped below three minutes, which would have resulted in an automatic loss of that timeout. In the heat of the moment, he miscalculated the penalty situation, targeting Curry instead of a less reliable free-throw shooter on the floor.

While the Kings maintain it was an honest mistake, the NBA is taking a close look. In a tight Western Conference playoff race, every game matters, and the league is vigilant about ensuring all teams compete to win until the final buzzer.