[NBA] Ex-NBA referee: playoff series manipulated

[Aaron Veteran]

Ex-NBA referee: playoff series manipulated

NEW YORK (AP) -NBA referees, influenced by cozy relationships with league officials, rigged a 2002 playoff series to force it to a revenue-boosting seven games, a former referee at the center of a gambling scandal alleged Tuesday.

Without identifying anyone or naming teams, Tim Donaghy also claimed the NBA routinely encouraged refs to ring up bogus fouls to manipulate results but discouraged them from calling technical fouls on star players to keep them in games and protect ticket sales and television ratings.

Speaking before the start of the NBA finals Game 3 featuring the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, NBA commissioner David Stern called the allegations baseless.

"All I can say is that he's looking for anything that will somehow shorten the sentence, and it's not going to happen," Stern said.

The allegations were contained in a letter filed by a lawyer for Donaghy, who pleaded guilty last year to felony charges alleging he took cash payoffs from gamblers and bet on games himself. The 41-year-old Donaghy faces up to 33 months in prison at sentencing on July 14.

"If the NBA wanted a team to succeed, league officials would inform referees that opposing players were getting away with violations," the letter said. "Referees then would call fouls on certain players, frequently resulting in victory for the opposing team."

The league called Donaghy's allegations false and self-serving, saying the scandal was limited to him and two co-defendants, both former high school classmates who also pleaded guilty to gambling charges.

What do you think? Any truth to this or just a guy going down and trying to save his own rear end?

[Mathachew Veteran]

Well, I can't say how much credence there is to this claim, but many, many calls, or non-calls, in the NBA leave you scratching your head wondering what is going on. Fouls are called when they shouldn't be, and no foul is called when they should be. At least with Football the calls don't see to be so "opinion" based, for lack of a better word.

[spacer]

Well, I can't say how much credence there is to this claim, but many, many calls, or non-calls, in the NBA leave you scratching your head wondering what is going on. Fouls are called when they shouldn't be, and no foul is called when they should be. At least with Football the calls don't see to be so "opinion" based, for lack of a better word.

I agree. I mean, just look at this year's finals. Kobe went to the line more times in the first quarter of game 3 (at LA) than the entire Lakers team did in the first half of game 2 (at Boston). Something is wrong with that picture.

Part of me says that this ex-ref is spouting off anything that he thinks may save his ass (or at least lessen his sentence). But, then the other part of me thinks "well, if I were this guy and I knew I was going down no matter what, I'd tell the truth and get the other perps caught too". So, I guess I'm 50/50 as to whether these allegations are true or not.

[giga Veteran]

I agree. I mean, just look at this year's finals. Kobe went to the line more times in the first quarter of game 3 (at LA) than the entire Lakers team did in the first half of game 2 (at Boston). Something is wrong with that picture.

Part of me says that this ex-ref is spouting off anything that he thinks may save his ass (or at least lessen his sentence). But, then the other part of me thinks "well, if I were this guy and I knew I was going down no matter what, I'd tell the truth and get the other perps caught too". So, I guess I'm 50/50 as to whether these allegations are true or not.

People can't guard Kobe--especially when he drives. Very Jordan-esque.

Anyhow--NBA refs are know for their BS. Need some evidence?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7eY8qGHU52E

[Mathachew Veteran]

giga: That clip is the icing on the cake for bad horrible officiating.

[IlliniPi]

I agree. I mean, just look at this year's finals. Kobe went to the line more times in the first quarter of game 3 (at LA) than the entire Lakers team did in the first half of game 2 (at Boston). Something is wrong with that picture.

For this statistic to be meaningful, you should also look at how the game was called in Boston in Game 2:

Lakers Freethrow (Made-Attempts): 10-10

Celtics Freethrow (Made-Attempts): 27-38

While I don't normally argue calls (or no calls) in the NBA, Game 2 had some of the worst officiating I've seen in these playoffs. Mind you, I am completely unbiased in this series, but there were a lot of fouls that were not called against Boston that hurt the Lakers in Game 2.

[SuperJediMedia]

I wish some day there won't be any Umpires, officials... they ALL lose their damn jobs to Computers.

Computers should officiate, period.

It takes one Damn minute or maybe 2-3, for damn replay on TV to see what's the Real deal.

I DON'T understand why there are still officials, making WRONG calls.

With Today's Computer technology, there is SIMPLE NO DAMN EXCUSE!!!

And that's the BIGGEST BS in Sports!!!

LET COMPUTERS HELP, THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD!!!

[duritz]

did you watch this years playoffs? almost every series went to 7 games to boost revenues off ticket sales and tv ads.