Two days, that’s how long the NBA had to celebrate the return of its season before this thick, dark cloud came to a screeching halt above it. Two days, for the league to be awash in the glow of a thrilling double-overtime opener—in NBC’s return to NBA broadcasting, no less—and superlative-worthy performances from Victor Wembanyama, Luka Dončić and others. Two days, before the greatest threat to the league’s health, the integrity of its games, reemerged to tarnish it.
On Thursday, a group of federal, state and local officials gathered in New York to reveal details of sprawling, yearslong investigations into nationwide illegal gambling operations. The two target groups: six defendants, including Heat guard Terry Rozier, allegedly involved in what a prosecutor describes as “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes” and another 31 defendants, including Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, accused of rigging illegal poker games.
