Ex-NBA referee Tim Donaghy told the feds two officials fixed the outcome of a playoff series - and that refs were told not to eject star players from games for fear of hurting ticket sales.
According to the document, he told FBI agents, "League officials would tell referees they should withhold calling technical fouls on certain star players because doing so hurt ticket sales and television ratings."
Donaghy claims he was told 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 one team and "made up fouls" against the other team, which led to two of its players fouling out. The team favored by the refs won that game and the next to win the series.
The document does not name the teams, but the only series that went seven games that year was between the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Kings, leading the series 3 games to 2, were whistled for 31 fouls and the Lakers were called for 24. The Lakers outscored the Kings 34-18 at the foul line, winning that game and the next to take the series. The Lakers went on to sweep the Nets in the finals.
NBA Vice President Richard Buchanan said Donaghy's allegations are "part of his desperate attempt to lighten the sentence that will be imposed for his criminal conduct. The NBA remains vigilant in protecting the integrity of our game. . . . The only criminal activity uncovered is Mr. Donaghy's."
Donaghy also claimed that a supervising referee told refs than an unidentified NBA executive did not want them to call technical fouls on star players or boot them from the game.
Donaghy told the feds the league reprimanded a ref who disobeyed that edict in January 2000 by ejecting an unnamed star player from a game in the first quarter.
Lawyer John Lauro filed the four-page letter to Federal Judge Carol Amon because none of the information was included in the government's letter to the judge seeking leniency for Donaghy when he is sentenced next month.
Lauro has gone to war against Brooklyn federal prosecutors. He's angry that the feds offered plea deals to Donaghy's betting accomplices that give them less jail time than the disgraced ex-ref, despite his extensive cooperation.
Donaghy claims referees have accepted autographs, merchandise and meals from team coaches and managers. He told probers one referee used a team's practice facility to exercise and another played tennis regularly with an NBA coach.
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