Cleveland Cavaliers coach JB Bickerstaff said he received threats from a gambler last season and reported them to the NBA.
Asked about sports betting after Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton said he sometimes felt like a “prop,” Bickerstaff said he had been contacted by gamblers Wednesday night. said.
“They got my phone number and started sending me crazy messages about where I live and my kids and everything,” Bickerstaff said before the Cavs hosted the Miami Heat. “So this is a dangerous game and there's certainly a fine line we're walking.”
Mr Bickerstaff said he told the security guard the gambler's location.
“There are no charges,” Bickerstaff said. “But they found him.”
Bickerstaff, who is in his fourth full season with the Cavaliers, said his job has become more difficult as sports betting increases in the United States.
“It brings added pressure,” he said. “It's a distraction to the game and can make it difficult for the players, coaches, referees and everyone involved in it. And we really need to be mindful of how close it gets to the safety of the game and the venue. I think we need to do that.'' The people involved in it.
“Because, again, it carries weight. A lot of times, the people who are gambling like this money are paying their light bill, their rent, and there's a lot of emotion that comes from that. So I think we're walking a very difficult path.'' There's a fine line, and we have to be very careful to protect everyone involved. ”
With fans able to bet on their phones inside the arena and the Cavs having a sportsbook inside Rocket Mortage Fieldhouse, Bickerstaff said the line between gambling and the game has never been closer. Told.
“There's no question that a line has been crossed,” Bickerstaff said. “It's ridiculous that I'm standing there and we're leading by 10 and the spread is 11 and people are yelling at me to leave players to cover the spread. is.
“But again, I understand the business side of it and the nature of business. But, I mean, I believe it's overkill.”
After a recent game in Cleveland, Minnesota center Rudy Gobert said he felt gambling was “impairing our game.”
Gobert made the comment after making a “money” gesture to official Scott Foster, suggesting gambling was influencing how games were called. He was fined $100,000, the maximum amount the NBA can award under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement that went into effect last year.
