Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy said he believes the NBA is trying to rig the NBA Finals to get the series to Game 6 to create some more revenue for the league.
Donaghy, who pleaded guilty in 2007 to betting on NBA games that he officiated, said Monday on KNBR’s “The Audible” that he was instructed in the past to call games in favor of certain teams to extend series.
He argued there was “no doubt” the league wants to do the same this NBA Finals with the Golden State Warriors up 3-1 over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“No doubt in my mind [the NBA] would love this thing to go to a Game 6,” Donaghy said. “I think they’re going to show [the referees] a lot of plays that should’ve been called against Golden State and weren’t. I think they’re going to concentrate on [Draymond] Green and make sure that he isn’t able to be in any physicality or rough house anybody in any way, shape or form. You’re probably going to see him in foul trouble again. It’s a situation where they’re going to try to get a Game 6 and open things up so that they can create some more revenue for the league.”
He added, “I’ve been in the situation before, I’ve been in these meetings, I’ve been in these tape sessions. I’ve walked out of them with my crew and kind of laughed in thinking to ourselves, ‘Wow, they really want the Lakers,’ or ‘They want the Spurs, or the Cleveland Cavaliers to win tonight.’
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