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- 06-10-2008, 11:38 PM#1
Donaghy: Refs fixed playoff series, other games
Donaghy: Refs fixed playoff series, other games
by FOXSports.com
Updated: June 10, 2008, 6:07 PM EST 351 comments
The Tim Donaghy scandal just got more serious.
The disgraced former NBA referee told authorities in a four-page letter released Tuesday that two officials conspired to fix the outcome of a 2002 playoff series among other games.
The fix is in?
Tim Donaghy did not mention which series in 2002 was fixed, but the Lakers-Kings Western Conference finals was the only series that fits his allegations. A statistical look at Game 6:
Stat
Lakers
Kings
Halftime score
51
56
Final score
106
102
Free throws
34-40
18-25
4th Q FTs
21-27
7-9
Fouled out
None
Divac, Pollard
Fouls
24
31
Game 6 officials: **** Bavetta, Ted Bernhardt, Bob Delaney
Court documents filed by Donaghy's lawyer detailed the "inner-workings" of a plot in which top league executives used referees to manipulate the games. Donaghy claims two referees were "company men" whose job was to extend a playoff series in 2002 to a seventh game.
The documents did not name the series, but the Lakers-Kings Western Conference finals was the only series in 2002 that went to a seventh game, with the Lakers winning Game 6, 106-102.
The report said the referees allegedly ignored flagrant fouls committed by the team that needed to win and called phantom fouls against the other team which led to two of their players fouling out. The team supposedly favored by the refs won Games 6 and 7 to win the series, according to the allegations.
"Our big guys get 20 fouls tonight and Shaq gets four? You tell me how the game went," Kings coach Rick Adelman said after Game 6 of that series. "It's just the way it is. Obviously, they got the game called the way they wanted to get it called."
The letter doesn't name anyone involved. Donaghy's attorney and prosecutors have declined to comment. The league has denied the scandal goes beyond Donaghy and two co-defendants.
According to the document, Donaghy also said "league officials would tell referees that they should withhold calling technical fouls on certain star players because doing so hurt ticket sales and television ratings."
Donaghy also said refs broke league rules by routinely fraternizing with players, coaches and team management and that the resulting inappropriate relationships may have influenced the outcomes of games. He claims one general manager in 2004 made a game-day phone call to referees to encourage them to call more personal fouls against an opponent.
Donaghy claims referees have accepted autographs, merchandise and meals from team representatives. He said one official used a team's facility to exercise and another played tennis with an NBA coach.
The veteran referee pleaded guilty last year to felony charges alleging he took cash payoffs from gamblers and bet on games. He faces up to 33 months in prison.
John Lauro, Donaghy's lawyer, filed the letter to a federal judge because none of the information was included in the government's letter to the judge seeking leniency for Donaghy when he is sentenced, according to the New York Daily News.
The report said Lauro withheld the names of those involved because the feds might investigate the situation.
The Associated Press and SportsTicker contributed to this report.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8...playoff-series - 06-10-2008, 11:39 PM#2
Donaghy docs allege refs altered games, broke league rules
ESPN.com
Updated: June 10, 2008, 7:13 PM ET
Jeff Van Gundy ultimately backed off comments that a referee told him officials had targeted Yao Ming in the Houston Rockets' 2005 first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks. Maybe Van Gundy was right after all.
A letter sent to the sentencing court on behalf of convicted former referee Tim Donaghy outlines just such a plan. Donaghy's legal team is trying to demonstrate his cooperation with a federal government investigation before he is sentenced on July 14 on felony charges for taking cash payoffs from gamblers and betting on games himself.
Documents
• Tim Donaghy, right, claims that other referees were involved in altering NBA games. Read PDF
• The Donaghy legal team addresses the NBA's claim that he must pay $1 million restitution. Read PDF
In other documents filed with the Brooklyn court, Donaghy's lawyers responded to the NBA's claim that he must pay $1 million in restitution to cover the cost of the league's private investigation.
The letter alleging referees altered games mentions only the year 2005, but the circumstances make it apparent that it is referring to the Rockets-Mavs series.
"Team 3 lost the first two games in the series and Team 3's owner complained to NBA officials," the letter says. "Team 3's owner alleged that referees were letting a Team 4 player get away with illegal screens. NBA Executive Y told Referee Supervisor Z that the referees for that game were to enforce the screening rules strictly against that Team 4 player. Referee Supervisor Z informed the referees about his instructions. As an alternate referee for that game, Tim also received these instructions."
Mavs owner Mark Cuban complained after his team lost the first two games of the series, and Dallas went on to beat Houston in seven games. Van Gundy said that a working referee had told him about the league's plan. Donaghy's letter claims that Supervisor Z contacted the coach. Van Gundy was fined $100,000.
Looking at box scores from the series, however, the only game in which Yao fouled out was Game 1. He did average 4.4 fouls per game in the series.
The letter also details an incident in the 2002 playoffs in which Donaghy alleges that two referees, who were known as NBA "company men," wanted to extend a series to seven games. "Team 5" could have wrapped up the series in Game 6 but saw two players foul out, lost the game and ultimately the series.
Only one series went to seven games in the 2002 playoffs: Los Angeles Lakers against Sacramento Kings.
In Game 6, the Lakers made 34-of-40 free throws to 18-of-25 for the Kings. In the fourth quarter alone, Los Angeles hit 21-of-27 from the line while Sacramento made 7-of-9. After that game, a 106-102 Lakers win, Kings coach Rick Adelman expressed his frustration with the officiating.
"Our big guys get 20 fouls tonight and [Shaquille O'Neal] gets four? You tell me how the game went," Adelman said. "It's just the way it is. Obviously, they got the game called the way they wanted to get it called."
Donaghy also alleges that team executives conspired with the league to prevent star players from being called for too many fouls or being ejected. He claimed that league officials told referees that doing so would "hurt ticket sales and television ratings."
According to the letter, when an official did eject a star player in the first quarter of a game in 2000, he was privately reprimanded.
In addition to game-altering allegations, Donaghy's letter claims that many officials carry on "relationships" with team executives, coaches and players that violate their NBA contracts.
"Tim described one referee's use of a team's practice facility to exercise and another's frequent tennis matches with a team's coach," the letter states.
The NBA has not commented on Donaghy's allegations. Donaghy's attorney and federal prosecutors also declined to comment to The Associated Press on Tuesday. Donaghy faces up to 33 months in prison.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3436401 - 06-10-2008, 11:47 PM#3
2002 Sacramento Kings= Uncrowned World Champion.
NBA = WWE ( Where the referees decide the outcome of the game) - 06-11-2008, 07:43 AM#4
Stern must throw the towel and step down. I still wonder how the NBA allowed my Pistons winning it all in 2004
2002 Sacramento Kings= Uncrowned World Champion.
Well, its not correct to make such statements, they had to play the Nets in the finals...47-70
76-58 - 06-11-2008, 07:54 AM#5Kobe simply destroyed all the plans back then by shooting 24 foot fadeaway jumpshots on every possession.
Originally Posted by Nikoo
I still wonder how the NBA allowed my Pistons winning it all in 2004
All in all, no surprise. The superstar-calls, ignoring travelling (it's taking over world basketball now too), the rules - everything is constructed to provide ticket sales and good TV ratings.
But it's not that European sports is clean, especially when it's about big money (football). Just keep your eyes open. - 06-11-2008, 08:54 AM#6
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