The NBA diverted a disaster before Game 3 of the NBA Finals were even played between the Warriors and Celtics.
During warmups, the Warriors reportedly noticed that the rim they were shooting on a basket that was higher than it should have been.
With the players and coaches noticing, the oversight was able to be corrected in time for tip-off that saw the Celtics take a 2-1 series lead following a 116-100 victory.
Former Golden State Warrior, Andrew Bogut tweeted out after the announcement “Love it by the @celtics Shenanigans!”
While former players had spoken out, Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr squashed any rumors of sabotage.
“It happens every once in a while,” Kerr said. “Players have a really sharp eye for that. Players can tell and so I imagine somebody went out there, looked at it, didn’t look right and as long as they take care of it, then everything is good.”
City of Boston and Cheating Conspiracies
While maybe not on the same spectrum, the Warriors could have been involved in the next great sports conspiracy had they not caught the mishap immediately.
In 2007, the Patriots were accused by former employees of “Spygate” or illegally videotaping opponents practices. The Patriots were fined and lost a first round pick.
In 2014 “Deflategate” came to the scene when the Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady were found violating air pressure rules on the football. Brady was suspended for four games the following season.
In 2018, the Boston Red Sox committed “Applegate” or illegally stealing opposing pitchers signs by use of an Apple Watch. The team was eventually fined an undisclosed amount.
While this latest conspiracy seems to be more than just a small error that was corrected before game-time, the gamesmanship in Boston is not something fans in other sports should be surprised of.
