Did the NBA rig the Warriors-Grizzlies game?
Golden State snagged the seventh seed in the Western Conference to make it into the playoffs after defeating the Memphis Grizzlies, but was it a fair win?
On Tuesday night, the Golden State Warriors defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 121-116 in the Play-In Tournament to seal the seventh seed in the West and set up a playoff game against the No. 2 Houston Rockets.
But some fans are saying it wasn’t a fair win. Here’s why.
NBA accused of rigging Warriors victory
Although Stephen Curry was playing through a thumb injury, he still put up 37 points, including six three-pointers and a perfect 13-for-13 from the free-throw line. The team leader with Curry injured, however, was Jimmy Butler.
Butler finished with 38 points, seven rebounds, and six assists in 40 minutes of playing time. However, fans noticed a significant disparity in free throws, with Butler getting 18 attempts to the Grizzlies’ entire team’s 23.
This play rewarded Jimmy Butler with free-throw 17 & 18 of the night.
— HeroOfTheDay (@Hero_OfThe_Day) April 16, 2025
Man, just tell Memphis the day before the game that you’re advancing Golden State 😂😂
pic.twitter.com/qhVD8fFEAA
Although Butler missed six of his free throws, 12 of his 38 points came from the line. The imbalance in the free throw attempts led to widespread online criticism, with many accusing the NBA of manipulating the game to benefit the Warriors.
This warriors game is the most obviously rigged game in the history of the nba. I’ve never seen anything like it. @NBA take action
— Winner Hunter (@thewinnerhunter) April 16, 2025
“I’ve never watched a more rigged game in my life that was insane,” said one fan. “You wonder why I didn’t wanna face the warriors in the 1st round 20 free throws for Jimmy Butler.”
“Took jimmy butler 18 free throws to win,” said another. “It’s rigged for money or views idk which.”
“If you want to see a rigged game, just watch every Warriors game and see how they ref for Jimmy Butler,” another fan wrote on social media.
Jimmy Butler had the most free throws in Play-In history tonight
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 16, 2025
(via @realapp_) pic.twitter.com/8yOG8IXJK4
During the regular season, Butler averaged 7.1 free throw attempts per game - 10th in the NBA. He is among the league’s best at getting to the line, but his 18 on Tuesday still seemed excessive to Memphis fans. In 14 seasons, Butler has played at least 16 games with 18 free throws (in the regular season - Play-In stats don’t count).
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