http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8231176?MSNHPHMA

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.

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.

If this is true, this takes things to this scandal to a whole new level - there's a little side bar on the article that shows the disparity in fouls called in game 7 of the kings-lakers game. Wonder how the NBA is gonna respond to this...

LOL the most disgraceful series of ALL-TIME and I will never root for the Lakers in a series(if we're out of course) until all traces of that generation is gone. Everybody and their mom knows that series was fixed. LA went to the Free Throw line 26 times in the 4rth qrt alone. Talk about STAGGERING!

The Kobe elbow to Bibby in the face on an inbound play right in front of Steve Javie that went uncalled clinched it for me.

If the Congress/Sen/Supreme Court could only find a way to remove Stern!

Then Phil Jackson has the nerve to be complaining about reffing against the Celtics which is a total Mockery not to mention Kobe's record setting Free Throw Barrage in the Lakers first series during this yrs WC playoffs.

Ralph Nader is rolling over in his grave right now

[Edited by - TrueBlue on 06-10-2008 6:57 PM]

5,

Beep,

4,

Beep,

3,

Beep,

2,

Beep,

1,


[Edited by - TrueBlue on 06-10-2008 6:59 PM]

Posted by TMS:

i still say the NBA had it in for the Knicks all those years Michael & the Bulls were winning titles.

That goes without saying. But I don't think it was a specific fix, just a general "Be nice to Mike" league agenda.

Posted by TrueBlue:

LOL the most disgraceful series of ALL-TIME and I will never root for the Lakers in a series(if we're out of course) until all traces of that generation is gone. Everybody and their mom knows that series was fixed. LA went to the Free Throw line 26 times in the 4rth qrt alone. Talk about STAGGERING!

The Kobe elbow to Bibby in the face on an inbound play right in front of Steve Javie that went uncalled clinched it for me.

If the Congress/Sen/Supreme Court could only find a way to remove Stern!

Then Phil Jackson has the nerve to be complaining about reffing against the Celtics which is a total Mockery not to mention Kobe's record setting Free Throw Barrage in the Lakers first series during this yrs WC playoffs.

Ralph Nader is rolling over in his grave right now

[Edited by - TrueBlue on 06-10-2008 6:57 PM]

I cant stand you, but damn if this isnt all 100% truth. A small part of me died as a sports fan when watching the infamous game 6, because it was blatantly fixed. I honestly could not believe what I was watching; It was just sad beyond measure.

We dont need that rat, snitch Donaghy to tell us about this. Its the worst secret in sports. If there is a sports hell wing, Stern is gettin' scorched up for that one. I'm not sure if Stern has the "connections" Goddell has in order to make this story and Donaghy 'disappear' like that poor soul a week ago.

prediction:

Lakers go to the line 30 times tonight

The game that Donaghy is implying was "fixed" was a game that was reffed by Dick Bevetta, a NBA ref of 40 years and Bob Delaney, who is a RETIRED FBI AGENT who worked undercover to take down several mob members. I seriously doubt that either one of these guys would do anything to take part in that kind of antics, especially Delaney. Donaghy has zero credibility, he's a gambling junkie who is doing anything he can to cut his future prison sentence short.

Posted by islesfan:

Posted by Vmart:

Posted by islesfan:

Posted by TMS:

i still say the NBA had it in for the Knicks all those years Michael & the Bulls were winning titles.

That goes without saying. But I don't think it was a specific fix, just a general "Be nice to Mike" league agenda.

The whole league is a scam. Its fixed from top to bottom. What I find funny is that ESPN brings the news and then tries to bury Donaghy. You think ESPN doesn't have an agenda to hide this scandel. After all they make billions off the NBA. Its funny to hear Stephen A Smith talk I think this guy is a company clown. If Donaghy is trying to save himself by implicating others in the NBA, I think he might be telling the truth. Now all the Feds have to do is look into it. If what Donaghy says is true then we got problems of major proportion.
I remember after that Lakers-Kings series a lot of the posters knew the fix was on.

ESPN does bury a lot of that stuff. There's a single story under news on ESPN.com. There's a secondary headline and 10 stories on Tiger's knee though.

I don't know how they bury this story though. Everybody who watched that series thought something was up because it was so blatant. I'd love to see ESPN go over that game 7 with a fine tooth comb and point out all the bogus calls. I wish I had that game on DVD.

Isles not Game 7 Game 6.

Posted by nyk4ever:

The game that Donaghy is implying was "fixed" was a game that was reffed by Dick Bevetta, a NBA ref of 40 years and Bob Delaney, who is a RETIRED FBI AGENT who worked undercover to take down several mob members. I seriously doubt that either one of these guys would do anything to take part in that kind of antics, especially Delaney. Donaghy has zero credibility, he's a gambling junkie who is doing anything he can to cut his future prison sentence short.

if the MLB & a retired US Senator is going to lend any type of credence to a known low life drug dealer like Brian McNamee when he makes similar type accusations against a well respected HOF pitcher, i think it's fair to at least investigate this situation... referees fixing games is a serious accusation that should never be taken lightly... Jeff Van Gundy made reference to this same issue a couple years ago & instead of investigating the matter David Stern decided to fine him 100K & sweep the matter under the rug.

Interesting, Donaghy also said that a 2005 series was altered by the NBA telling the refs to focus more on a certain player. In the Rockets-Mavs first round matchup that year, Van Gundy was fined $100,000 for saying that a ref told him that the league was targeting Yao Ming. After losing the first 2 games of that series, the Mavs came back and won.

Posted by Uptown:

Posted by nyk4ever:

The game that Donaghy is implying was "fixed" was a game that was reffed by Dick Bevetta, a NBA ref of 40 years and Bob Delaney, who is a RETIRED FBI AGENT who worked undercover to take down several mob members. I seriously doubt that either one of these guys would do anything to take part in that kind of antics, especially Delaney. Donaghy has zero credibility, he's a gambling junkie who is doing anything he can to cut his future prison sentence short.

So which Ref helped Horry nail the three at the buzzer. Maybe if we super-slow-mo-it we might see the basket move over just an inch so the ball can swish in. Conspiracies are more believable to those who dont benefit from the deed.

I totally agree...