Gambling Ref: Don't Trust NBA Game Results

Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy alleged yesterday that relationships among basketball officials, coaches, and players "affected the outcome of games." He may also have passed the league information about other referees with gambling problems, and about the flow of confidential information from an official to a coach, AP reports. Donaghy's allegations came via a statement filed by his lawyer.

John F. Lauro used the revelations to argue that his client deserves probation for his felony conviction rather than a prison sentence—he could face up to 25 years—and cited Donaghy's gambling addiction as a key factor in the case. The NBA brushed aside the information, calling it "an assortment of lies, unfounded allegations, and facts that have been previously acknowledged." (More basketball stories.)