Donaghy’s Distrubing Take on Officiating Mentor

A look at five NBA referees by a man labeled by the league as a demagogue.

Well known to US gambling news is Tim Donaghy’s problems with heavy debts from his gambling addiction. As a result Donaghy started to place tens of thousands of dollars on NBA games. After being approached by mafia associates, Donaghy got caught up in betting on games he officiated in order to control the point spreads. Once the FBI investigated, Donaghy resigned and was sentence to prison.

• Donaghy knew the spread would be covered if Bavetta was in the game
• Jordan said players would hope he would be cheating for them on game night
• Bavetta said “Duncan will be on the bench with three fouls within the 1st five min

Before Donaghy went to prison, his attorney filed a document claiming allegations against illicit practices in the NBA. The document stated that Donaghy said “top executives of the NBA sought to manipulate games using referees” in order to increase television viewership and ticket sales.” While in prison, Donaghy wrote a book filled with insider information about the NBA and how they influence matches. Here is what Donaghy had to say about some of his former colleague and mentor.

The mentor known as Dick Bavetta

Dick Bavetta was a narcissist who loved to hear his name on TV. The man hired someone to watch every game he officiated, write every word the commentators said about him and report it to him to hear about himself. Whether he or not Donaghy thought a NBA team would win or another, he knew the spread would be covered if Bavetta was in the game. If a team was separated by double-digits, he would help the players avoid humiliation by blowing the whistle on a team more who’s having a better night.

As the teams collected more fouls, the score doesn’t move as quickly, but tightens up. Michael Jordan once said everyone knew Bavetta cheated, but “players and coaches just hoped he would be cheating for them on game night.” Donaghy worked under Bavetta for 13 years and learned much from him. Donaghy described his education as a “graduate degree in advanced game manipulation.” He knew how to control the tempo and tone better than any other ref.

Bavetta was also good at taking orders from the NBA front office if a playoff series or alter the “complexion” of a series. During the Western Conference finals between Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings went down in history as one of the worst officiated games in NBA history. Sacramento was up 3-2 and it was a concern to many that Lakers were in jeopardy. In a meeting before Game 6, the NBA office sent a message to the officials about the calls.

“The calls that would have benefitted the Lakers were being missed by the referee.” Bavetta gave his take what was said. “If we give the benefit of the calls to the team that’s down in the series, nobody’s going to complain. The series will be even at three a piece, and then the better team can win Game 7.” Sacramento lost “on the line” meaning that the Lakers made their points by all the fouls called on the other team. Perhaps punters using online sportsbooks in the US should have gotten Bavetta’s advice.

Bavetta, Donaghy and the Western Conference Finals

In the 2000 Western Conference Finals between the Lakers and the Trail Blazers was another event with Bavetta took part in. Officiating Game 7, the Lakers were down by 13 in the beginning of the fourth quarter when Bavetta made it happen. The Lakers outscored Portland 31-13 in the last quarter winning the game and the semi finals. Once again the Lakers won the game on the line where they would shoot 37 free throws.

At the end of 2003-2004 season, Donaghy and Bavetta had to work at a game in Oakland. In the afternoon hours before the tip-off, they had a discussion. Denver and San Antonio were playing. Due to a referee mistake, Denver lost a few weeks ago and the loss could affect their playoff chances. Bavetta told Donaghy that Denver needed the win and “it would look bad for the staff and the league if the Nuggets missed the playoff by one game.”

Bavetta looked at Donaghy and finally said “Denver will win if they need the game. That’s why I’m on it.” Donaghy was confounded on how one of the best teams in the league could lose even with their help. When he asked, Bavetta said “Duncan will be on the bench with three fouls within the first five minutes of the game.” Bavetta also said he had to perform a similar action with 1993 playoffs when he put sharpshooter Drazen Petrovic on the bench with some “quick fouls” helping the Cleveland win the game.

Unfortunately at game time, they learned that Denver already was going to the playoffs and that the San Antonio needed the win. Bavetta “switched the script” and said how meaningless the game was to Denver and how important it was to San Antonio. Donaghy did admit to calling bookmaker Jack Concannon and advised him to bet on the Spurs. The Spurs destroyed Denver by 26 points to the amazement of Concannon.