LOS ANGELES — According to disgraced NBA official Tim Donaghy, fellow officials rigged a 2002 playoff series to force a seven-game series in order to maximize revenues. In a letter filed by a lawyer for Donaghy, the official claimed that the league encouraged officials to manipulate results by forcing foul calls on some and refraining from foul calls on others, notably star players, to keep them in games.
On Tuesday before Game 3 of the NBA Finals, the league’s commissioner shot down the allegations.
“All I can say is that he’s looking for anything that will somehow shorten the sentence, and it’s not going to happen,” David Stern said.
Donaghy pleaded guilty last year to felony charges alleging he took cash payoffs from gamblers and bet on games himself. He 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.
