NBA has its share of dark history and conspiracy theories that are often sensationalized for media consumption. The latest rumor making rounds online alleges that Warriors' forward Draymond Green's Game 5 suspension was part of the league's subtle efforts to create media frenzy by extending the NBA Finals and give Cleveland Cavaliers a better change of prolonging the series against the Golden State Warriors.
If the swirling rumor proves accurate, then Warriors' Game 5 loss to the Cavs may have been intentionally orchestrated to force Game 6 and augment ESPN's income. The speculation over the flagrant foul committed by Green by hitting LeBron James' private part was brought to light after disgraced former NBA referee Tim Donaghy claimed that it's all part of the league's manipulative efforts to influence the results of the games.
"In the past, I believe it was disregarded because (the Warriors) were down in the series. Here, they're up in the series, so I think it's a situation where, with that, it gives Cleveland a better chance of prolonging the series," Donaghy said as quoted by Oregon Live.
Donaghy added that referees officiating the games seemed to have been instructed to give beatdown teams in the series a fighting chance to prolong the series as per his experience as referee.
"Definitely indirectly with the tape sessions that took place and how they would show you plays that they wanted you to concentrate on in the game that. It was always a situation where the team down in the series was going to benefit from those calls," said Donaghy, Sports Illustrated reported.
Meanwhile, basketball pundits are questioning the former referee's claim. Donaghy was forced out from the league in 2007 after allegations of betting on NBA games were thrown against him. He was convicted of the charges and even got a jail time for it according to CBS Sports.
Although he insisted that he never fixed any NBA game during his tenure, he has since been infamously noted for creating media firestorm for his allegations of game manipulation against the league.
