Former NBA ref alleges a 2002 fix in Kings-Lakers series

The former NBA referee facing prison after admitting to gambling on games claims Game 6 of a 2002 playoffs series was fixed to ensure a seventh game.

Tim Donaghy does not specify the teams or the referees. But the Los Angeles Lakers-Kings series was the only one in 2002 to go seven games.

In a letter filed Tuesday in federal court in Brooklyn, N.Y., that attempts to show his level of cooperation in hopes of receiving a lighter jail term, Donaghy alleges two of that game's three referees were "company men" who used "manipulation" to extend the series to a deciding seventh game. The team that lost Game 6 had two players "ejected," claims the letter from Donaghy attorney John F. Lauro, and later lost the series.

And while no Kings were ejected, Vlade Divac and Scot Pollard did foul out as Shaquille O'Neal attempted 17 free throws in a 106-102 loss in Los Angeles.

"Referees A, F, and G were officiating a playoff series between the Team 5 and Team 6 in May of 2002," the letter states, using place holders instead of names. "It was the sixth game of a seven-game series, and a Team 5 victory that night would have ended the series. However, Tim learned from Referee A that Referees A and F wanted to extend the series to seven games. Tim knew Referees A and F to be 'company men,' always acting in the interest of the NBA, and that night, it was in the NBA's best interest to add another game to the series."

The letter goes on to say the two referees heavily favored Team 6, ignoring blatant fouls committed by its players and calling "made-up" fouls against Team 5, giving Team 6 more free throw chances.

"The referees' favoring of Team 6 led to that team's victory that night and Team 6 came back from behind to win the series," the letter states.

The referees – a highly rated crew of veterans Dick Bavetta, Bob Delaney and Ted Bernhardt – called the Kings for 31 fouls in the game that sent the Lakers to the line for 40 attempts, including 27 in the decisive fourth quarter of the 106-102 L.A. win. Three of the Kings' fouls were intentional to stop the clock and get the ball back over the final 19.8 seconds. The Kings, by comparison, shot 25 free throws the entire game on 24 Lakers fouls.

Usually forgotten, at least outside of Los Angeles, is how the Lakers were just as adamant at being wronged by late calls in what became a 92-91 Kings victory in Game 5 that gave Sacramento a 3-2 series edge. The Lakers then won the hotly controversial Game 6 and followed with an overtime victory in Game 7 to win the conference title and advance to the NBA Finals.

"I haven't looked at the letters specifically. I've had portions of it read to me, and all I can say is he's looking for anything that will somehow shorten his sentence, and it's not going to happen," Commissioner David Stern said Tuesday in Los Angeles.

How would lies benefit Donaghy? "You'd have to ask his lawyer," Stern said.

Even if unfounded, Donaghy's claims peck at a continuing perception problem for the league, in Sacramento in particular because of lingering resentment over the 2002 series. The officials' work in that series became such mainstream conjecture that consumer advocate Ralph Nader and a group, the League of Fans, sent a letter to Stern urging a review of the "notorious" refereeing, though Nader also quickly let the issue pass.

On Tuesday, after news that the debate over their defeat six years ago had been revived, the Kings declined comment. In Los Angeles, Lakers coach Phil Jackson was asked before Game 3 of the championship series against the Boston Celtics whether he would accept the notion that the officials in question were "company men" who threw the game for the sake of the league.

"Only us basketball coaches think that," he said, smirking. "Nobody else can go to that extreme. They referee what they see in front of them."

Donaghy spent 13 years as an NBA referee, with decent reviews from his bosses, before he was caught in an FBI investigation into organized-crime activities. He resigned in July and pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to commit wire fraud as part of a scheme to defraud the NBA and conspiracy to transmit wagering information across state lines. He acknowledged using insider information to gamble on games and passing along little-known details to others for cash.

He is scheduled to be sentenced July 14 and faces 33 months in prison.

NUMBERS TELL THE TALE?

While former NBA referee Tim Donaghy did not specifically mention which 2002 playoff series was fixed, the Lakers-Kings Western Conference finals is the only one that fits his description. A statistical look at Game 6:

Officials: Dick Bavetta, Ted Bernhardt, Bob Delaney

Sources: Bee research, NBA.com

Call The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper, (916) 321-1210. The Bee's Ailene Voisin contributed to this report.