Nba Ref Scandal Gets Worse

[UNTflyer]

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 and influenced several other post- and regular-season games.

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 both Game 6 and 7 to reach the NBA Finals.

[KingDL1]

You mean it is not supposed to be scripted?

[UNTflyer]

Granted that this is just Donaghy's word... Edited June 11, 2008 by UNTflyer

[UNTflyer]

The letter alleging referees altered games mentions a playoff series in 2005, and 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 said. "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.

[greenminer]

If I'm going down, ya'll are comin' with me!

[Got5onIt]

I've been betting on sports for years and can tell you the "fix" cry has been going on since I can remember. Granted, it was mostly the guys on the losing end, but hey, you can't deny there was "substance" to their claims!

In America, the media portrays you "guilty until proven innocent" so I'm expecting a huge wave of negative publicity deep into the off season. Regardless of the outcome, I think David Stern's reign is coming to a end very soon.

Edited June 11, 2008 by Got5onIt

[Censored by Laurie]

If I'm going down, ya'll are comin' with me!

Thats what she said?

[Green Mean]

NBA officiating is very suspicious at times but I just cannot see the league telling the refs to make sure this team or that team wins. In basketball, the better teams almost always wins. Its no secret that there is favoritism to superstar athletes and what not and I think most NBA people will admit that...but to fix games or series I just dont buy it. In that Sacramento series sure the Lakers probably got a ton of calls go their way but I do remember that in the game 7 overtime, the Kings made a ton of boneheaded plays. I remember Doug Christie, taking this rediculous 3 pointer and missing so bad that it made JJ Barea look like an all star.

[Eagle1855]

As an NBA fan, this makes me sick. Especially the bit about the Rockets/Mav series a few years ago. I'm not gonna say it would have changed the outcome- that's a waste of time built on conjecture- but having a guy like Yao in constant foul trouble after dominating the first 2 games really changed up the momentum of the series. Again, no sense in crying about it, no guarantee it would have changed anything. Just would have liked the players to decide it, not the jerkoffs in the league.

[Quoner]

As an NBA fan, this makes me sick. Especially the bit about the Rockets/Mav series a few years ago. I'm not gonna say it would have changed the outcome- that's a waste of time built on conjecture- but having a guy like Yao in constant foul trouble after dominating the first 2 games really changed up the momentum of the series. Again, no sense in crying about it, no guarantee it would have changed anything. Just would have liked the players to decide it, not the jerkoffs in the league.

Agreed - I think what happened in that series gets overlooked because of the steaming turd the Rockets laid in game 7 and the choke jobs it took as Jason Terry made himself into a faux clutch hero for two years, but man, this sucks.

I really don't see how Donaghy could be 100% truthful on this, but I am more pissed that I follow a sport where I have to think he is telling at least a half truth.