21 July 2007

Tim Donaghy's Magic Connection


NBA official Tim Donaghy is facing serious allegations that he bet on games to cover mob debts in each of the past two seasons. Eight of the 74 games he officiated last season involved the Magic.
Photo by Getty Images

The news of NBA referee Tim Donaghy's alleged involvement in a mob-run points-shaving scheme is widespread by now, but there hadn't been much information regarding how specific teams were affected until Tim Povtak added this sidebar to his report on the story in this morning's Orlando Sentinel:
The Orlando Magic won just three of the eight games they played last season in which official Tim Donaghy worked, and at least two of them were out of the ordinary.
[....]
He also worked Game 2 of their playoff series against Detroit.

The Pistons were favored by eight points. They won 98-90.
I hope Povtak gets around to following-up on the effect Donaghy may have had on the Magic last season. And I hope that Commissioner Stern is able to restore integrity to the league, and soon.

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