Cleveland Cavaliers head coach JB Bickestaff is the latest member of the NBA to publicly state their concerns about the close ties between the league and sports betting.
Last week, Minnesota Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert created headlines when he made the bold suggestion a referee overseeing his team’s recent loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers might be betting on games. The three-time All-Star’s opinion led to a massive $100,000 fine from the NBA after his comments went viral.
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However, he is one of many players and coaches who have aired their worries about the growing influence of gambling on the league. Over a billion dollars is reportedly bet on NBA games and the league has partnerships with sports betting giants Draft Kings and Fan Duel. With officiating having been average at best this season, it is understandable why some around the game are concerned.
On Tuesday night, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach JB Bickerstaff weighed in on the issues of gambling’s influence on the game and had a scary story to tell. “[Gamblers] got my telephone number and were sending me crazy messages about where I live and my kids and all that stuff,” Bickerstaff said “So it is a dangerous game and a fine line that we’re walking for sure.”
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach says he now gets in-game crowd comments to cover the spread
The coach of the 43-26 club said that after he informed the team’s security staff, the person making the threats was discovered, however, he decided not to press charges.
Bickerstaff claims that the links between the NBA and betting have crossed the line and that he is now getting taunts from the crowd about covering the spread for that night’s game instead of just winning it.
“The amount of times where I’m standing up there and we may have a 10-point lead and the spread is 11 and people are yelling at me to leave the guys in so that we can cover the spread, it’s ridiculous,” he said. “But again, I understand the business side of it and the nature of the business of it. But I mean, it is something that I believe has gone too far.”