Tyrese Haliburton recently discussed the idea that the NBA rigged the playoffs last year so the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder would make the NBA Finals.
“Some people are saying the NBA is actually scripted—because of the Knicks-Pacers in the Finals,” Haliburton said on the IMPAULSIVE podcast. “And of course, that segment we had years ago with Brunson and you... So, like—is it fake? Tyrese Haliburton: Well, the problem is—I play for the Indiana Pacers. So, if the NBA was going to rig the league, the last two teams they’d probably rig it for would be the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. But from a city standpoint, bro... it’s like— Also, like, getting flights to those places is really difficult. You’re going to have a connection if you’re not flying private every single time.
“So I mean, I think that if the league wanted to rig it, they would’ve probably rigged it for the Knicks to be successful. So I think it’s just kind of good luck—just happenstance—that we happened to be there.”
Why would NBA rig things for Pacers and Thunder?
As Haliburton noted, it would make no sense for the NBA to rig the playoffs so the Pacers and Thunder would make the Finals. There are very few teams around the league that play in smaller markets than those two squads.
If the NBA were to rig the postseason for any markets, it would be New York, like Haliburton said. The New York Knicks were right there. They were mere wins away from making the NBA Finals.
Had the Finals made their way to New York, the NBA would have made a ton of money. It was a perfect opportunity for the league to rig things to help them earn millions (maybe billions). But that’s now how things played out.
The Boston Celtics would have gotten back to the NBA Finals. The Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, or Miami Heat would have gone further. Teams that have huge, thriving fanbases with millions of people running around the city.
Over the course of the last year, there have been plenty of examples of moves that people could point at and claim the NBA is rigged. The Dallas Mavericks sending Luka Doncic to Los Angeles… And then the Mavericks winning the lottery and getting Cooper Flagg.
But using the Pacers and Thunder making the Finals as evidence that the league is rigged is preposterous. There’s just no way that would happen.