NBA To Open Investigation on Why Dallas Mavericks Sat Out Key Players During Crucial Play-in Spot Game

After signing Kyrie Irving, fans were excited with seeing the veteran pair up with Luka Doncic for a chance to bring the team to the NBA Finals. However, while Irving and Doncic have shown great chemistry, the team has seen a precipitous fall, now eliminated from the playoffs. When Irving joined, the team was fifth in the Western Conference and a contender for the playoffs. The Dallas Mavericks are now being investigated by the NBA with regards to why the team decided to sit out key players "in their next-to-last game of the season, even while the team still had a mathematical chance of making the play-in tournament."

The investigation pertains to Saturday's match against the Chicago Bulls. Dallas saw a 115-112 loss to the team. Kyrie Irving sat out the entire game while Doncic was out most of the game. The Mavs blew an 11-point fourth-quarter League spokesman Mike Bass said, "The NBA commenced an investigation today into the facts and circumstances surrounding the Dallas Mavericks' roster decisions and game conduct with respect to last night's Chicago Bulls-Mavericks game, including the motivations behind those actions lead which later saw the team eliminated from post-season consideration." Before the game, Dallas coach Jason Kidd said that the decision to sit the players was made by "the organization." After the game, he reiterated that it was a decision made by his bosses, owners Mark Cuban and GM Nico Harrison.

It remains to be seen what the outcomes of the investigation will be.

In other sports news, New Balance crafts a custom baseball glove for Shohei Ohtani.