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 Indiana All-Star Tyrese Haliburton said he sometimes feels like a “prop,” Bickerstaff said he had been contacted by gamblers. Stated.
“They got my phone number and sent me all these crazy messages about where I live and my kids and all that stuff,” 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's no charge,” 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.
“That brings added pressure,” he says. “It's a distraction to the game and can make it difficult for the players, coaches, referees and everyone involved in it. And it's important to know how close we can bring it to the game and the safety of those involved in it. I think we have to be really careful about this.
“Again, because it has weight. A lot of times, people who are gambling like this money are paying utilities and rent, and that's the feeling that comes from that. So we I think we walk a very fine line and we have to be very careful to protect everyone involved.”
The line between gambling and gaming is closer than ever, Bickerstaff said, as fans can bet on their phones inside the arena and the Cavaliers have a sportsbook inside Rocket Mortage Fieldhouse. said.
“There's no question that the line has been crossed,” he said. “For me to be standing there and we were leading by 10 points and the spread was 11 and people were yelling at me to leave players to cover the spread, it was ridiculous. is.
“But again, I understand the business side and the nature of business. But I believe that's a step too far.”
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.
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