Ex-Ref Tim Donaghy Blows Whistle on NBA's Secrets

[Jeffx]

Wow, very serious charges. Donaghy's referring to the Sacremento-LA series in 2002, which saw some of the worst officiating ever. I'd like to see his proof.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baske ... _on_n.html

[Andrew]

Serious allegations indeed and if the comments on that article are anything to go by then a lot of people will be inclined to believe them but given Donaghy's character I remain skeptical, at least when it comes to the most serious charges. Who's to say he isn't just trying to drag the rest of the league down with him by spinning stories?

I expect David Stern will have a fiery response to the allegations.

[Jeffx]

Well, he picked the right series, Andrew. I'm not a fan of either team, and I still can't believe the calls against the Kings in Game 6. I'm sure the folks in Sac-town(and die-hard NBA fans across the country) remember that series too.

No doubt Stern will have a press conference before tonight's game. Mr. Spin Doctor does NOT like bad publicity.

[Andrew]

Absolutely, if there's a series that could sell the allegations straight off the bat it's the Lakers/Kings series in 2002 but like you I'm interested to see what evidence there is to support the allegations because Donaghy doesn't come across to me as a very trustworthy character. I wouldn't put it past him to be making up stories to try and drag the league down with him.

Mind you, he did say that the rest of the NBA's officials were breaking the rules on gambling and that was proven to be true (albeit not in a way that cast doubt on the games they were calling as Donaghy's actions did) so I wouldn't dimiss it just yet either. I certainly hope it isn't true.

[Matthew]

You shouldn't allow your personal hopes or biases get in the way of Judging this, Andrew. This could end up being the equivalent of the steroid era in basketball. It's not looking good and really couldn't have come at a worse time.

[Patr1ck]

Honestly, I believe every word he said. If you knew these things were happening, why not make some money off them? Also, why let yourself be the scapegoat if you had all this information? You think the NBA is going to let him referee again? Of course not. Kill the patsy, save the league.

Only thing about this is that there are no laws against any of it, to my knowledge. Nobody regulates the NBA from doing anything that he said, and there is nothing that can be done without government intervention.

[[Q]]

honestly the allegations sound like it could quite possibly have happened. conspiracy theorists have always played with the idea of refs fixing games and what not, but this is probably the first time it's been a formal allegation.

[I] was told that two refs who were “company men” acting in the interest of the NBA conspired to extend a playoff series in 2002 to a seventh game. The referees allegedly ignored flagrant fouls committed by the team that needed to win. They also reportedly called "made-up fouls" against the other team which led to the ejection of two of their players. The team favored by the refs won that night and the next game to win the series.

Pollard & Divac were the 2 ejections mentioned. That forced them to play Lawrence Funderburke on Shaq.

Game 6
Lakers 106, Kings 102
5/31/2002 STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, CA Time of Game: 2:49
Officials: #27 Dick Bavetta , #16 Ted Bernhardt , #26 Bob Delaney

http://www.nba.com/playoffs2002/west_finals.html
notice the headline "The Great Escape"? Made for TV. Real Drama.

and well, the Sac/Lakers series the year before was questionable as well. Of course it was before they reviewed shots at the end of the quarter, but Samaki Walker's half court 3 at the end of the half counted even though replays showed it shouldn't have. that was the same game with the Horry game winning 3 that will haunt my memories.

I agree with Andrew that Donaghy's words should be taken with a grain of salt, but you must also give it a fair chance for people to argue for it.

edit: yeah there are no rules against it, and even if it was fixed, they could even claim "sports entertainment" like the WWE does.

[BIG GREEN]

I believe every word of it....I remember that series as well as others having a tremendous disparity in calls. Kinda reminds me of game 2...lakers vs. celtics 2008.

[Sauru]

those 2 games are not even close in how they were called

[[Q]]

2005 playoffs also questioned

read towards the bottom about Yao. Now I completely agree with this one. I remember there were so many offensive fouls called on Yao that were undeserving of it. Apparently Cuban complained about Yao's picks.

they talked about it on air during halftime and it brought out old demons for JVG as he was the coach back then and was $100,000 for complaining about those Yao calls.

[Alejandrov011]

Wooow!


The NBA's Dark sideee

[NovU]

well... no surprise there, nba the league itself fixing games for profits. after all, david stern is a businessman not a sports man. and stockholders are also in there for money. basically anything's possible obviously. it's sad that we will never be able to know if these allegations were true or not and whether will ir not happen again. tim danaughy maybe thought what he was doing was not really different to what the league was doing.

i hear some similar accusations going on in NHL as well. hope this tim danaughy incident will keep those rigged games to minimum.

[Wacky Bibe]

I think we all have these allegations every time a team with a superstar wins.

[[Q]]

I think we all have these allegations every time a team with a superstar wins.

so "we all have these allegations" every year? with the exception of maybe Detroit winning a few years back?

[Martti.]

Donaghy didn't officiate any of the Mavericks-Rockets series. So the betting in officials has a wide range. Stern will have to schedule a press-conference soon. To explain all this.

[Laxation]

I think we all have these allegations every time a team with a superstar wins.

so "we all have these allegations" every year? with the exception of maybe Detroit winning a few years back?

You can't deny different players get different calls.

The officiating and the star treatment they give out is horseshit.

[Matthew]

I think you're confusing star players with aggressive players. Aggressive players get the calls.

[Laxation]

I think you're confusing star players with aggressive players. Aggressive players get the calls.

Watching an Atlanta game where Mario West picked up 6 fouls in almost as many minutes, the commentators said, "Once the refs realise this is how West always defends, they won't call him for fouls like that"

That sums up the NBA

[The X]

I definitely believe that game was rigged....I always had a sick feeling from the better team (Kings) losing that series....would've been better for league to see an exciting team like Kings advance than the Lakers....

another game I didn't like was that 4th quarter of game 3, Heat vs Mavs....a few phantom calls there going Miami's way, although Mavs just blew it still....although the calls weren't as bad as that Kings-Lakers game....

[Matthew]

I agree, its stupid. But it's not necessarily "star treatment" as you said in your earlier post.

[Sauru]

I think you're confusing star players with aggressive players. Aggressive players get the calls.

which is why i think people who bitched about game 2 celts/lakers are wrong. on the flip on that game 3 went the complete other way with the lakers getting all the calls yet they were the aggressive team

[Matthew]

Foul count in game 2:

Lakers 28 fouls committed
Celtics 21

[The X]

that's true, game 2 was called fairly....Kobe & the Lakers were just a jump shooting team....in game 3, they attacked the basket....and vice-versa for Boston....game 2 they were aggressive....game 3 they were pansies....

[Jeffx]

I think you're confusing star players with aggressive players. Aggressive players get the calls.

But star players get the benefit of the callls, Matt. I've seen that for decades.

Look at the Brent Barry play from a few weeks ago. Substitute Jordan or Reggie Miller for Barry and you know they would have gone to the line.

Check this out about Sacramento's Game 6 loss in 2002;

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baske ... kings.html

[Jing]

Figures something was going on with that Kings-Lakers and Mavs-Rockets series, and not just those but countless others instances of Refs not calling blatent violations and letting people get away with shit.