attorney and the FBI, fully investigated, and are baseless,” Stern told ESPN before Tuesday night’s Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Staples Center between the Lakers and Boston Celtics. “My reaction to Donaghy’s lawyer are that clearly as the date of sentencing gets closer, and the things he’s thrown against the wall haven’t stuck, he’s rehashing a variety of things that have been given to the U.S. Donaghy alleged that this referee and another working the game ignored fouls committed by “Team 6,” an apparent reference to the Lakers, and called “made-up fouls” against “Team 5” - the Kings. Had the Kings won, we would be talking about the brilliance of the Kings and Webber that season and Webber would have a much better chance at the Hall of Fame, as I examined in my first article.Donaghy, awaiting July 14 sentencing on his guilty plea to felony charges of taking cash payoffs from gamblers and betting on games himself, provided the letter to elaborate on the extent of his cooperation with federal agents and seek a reduction in sentence.ĭonaghy told federal agents in September 2007 that he was told about the alleged manipulation by a referee who had worked the game, according to the letter from Donaghy attorney John Lauro. Many careers will be and possibly were affected. Someone needs to independently investigate, because if these accusations are true, the NBA will be forever scrutinized by fans and sports personalities alike. Of course he's going to jump on the defense of his multi-billion dollar enterprise. I am saying that we shouldn't turn a quick cheek to what Donaghy says because David Stern says so. (Check Michael Vick, for example).Īm I saying that we should believe Tim Donaghy based on circumstantial evidence and his low stature as a felon? No, I'm not saying that. Or can we keep bias and so-called "credibility" out of this and look from the outside in? In other words, it's easy to attack Donaghy's credibility and say that his accusations are "baseless" as Stern said in response.īut many criminals are in jail and truths told by desperate convicted felons who were looking to save their own butts. Right?Ĭan we believe a felon who compromised the integrity of his high profile job for bookees, and is nearing a sentencing that will rival that of a cold-blooded murderer? A game that saw a team shoot more free throws in 12 minutes than the other team in the entire game was fixed. Instead, the Los Angeles Lakers won the game and went on to win Game 7 to end up NBA champions for the second time in a row.Ĭonsequently, Kings fans complained about the calls of the now infamous Game 6 to no avail.Įnter June 10, 2008, convicted felon and exiled former NBA referee Tim Donaghy drops a bomb on Commissioner David Stern and the NBA by alleging that two of the referee's of Game 6 in that Lakers-Kings series were making calls and non-calls to push the series to a Game 7. Sacramento shot 25 free throws for the entire game, a figure that would be surpassed by the Lakers in just 12 minutes.Īfter losing Game 4 to the Lakers by a single rebounding mistake by the Kings which led to Robert Horry's historic three-point shot, the Kings could've given in.īut they didn't, and in the 4th quarter of Game 6 the Lakers were scoreless from the field for nearly 6 minutes, but went to the free throw line a jaw-dropping 27 times to keep them alive.Ĭonsidering the fact that the Lakers only won by four and made 34 free throws to 18 for the Kings, this game could have easily went to Sacramento who would have presumably disposed of the weaker New Jersey Nets in the Finals. At this point, the Kings had been in control of the series and this game, and although the score was tied, you could feel the momentum mounting for Sacramento, who closed the 3rd strongly.
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