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Tim Donaghy is the ref under investigation by the NBA for point shaving ... Donaghy is a veteran official who has worked key playoff match-ups like game three of the Spurs-Suns 2006-07 series ... What does this mean? ... Click here for news and analysis on this story ... The Associated Press reports Tim Donaghy is the NBA official under investigation for point shaving:

According to a law enforcement official, authorities are examining whether the referee, identified by CBS Sportsline and ESPN as Tim Donaghy, made calls to affect the point spread in games on which he or associates had wagered.

The law enforcement official, who spoke to the AP on Friday on condition of anonymity, said the referee was aware of the investigation and had made arrangements to surrender as early as next week to face charges. The official, who did not identify the referee, is familiar with the investigation but was not authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing investigation.

 My Quick Take: Here's some background information I found on Donaghy:

 Donaghy's official NBA biography:

NBA experience: 12 seasons, currently in his 13th NBA season
Born: January 7, 1967 (Delaware County, PA)
Resides: Bradenton, FL
HS: Cardinal O'Hara (Springfield, PA)
College: Villanova University '89

• Officiated 704 regular season games and 15 playoff games
  
•  Seven years of CBA officiating experience, including the 1993 CBA All-Star Game.
•  Five years of high school officiating experience in Pennsylvania.
  
•  Played varsity basketball at Villanova.
  
•  Named All-Catholic and All-Delaware County in baseball and All-Delaware County in basketball while at Cardinal O'Hara High School.
  
•  Works with Don Guenalla students.
  
•  Participates in the NBA Read to Achieve program, and attended an event during the 2002 NBA Finals at the Universal Charter school.
  

The Unofficial Word on Donaghy:

• "The feeling among many referees was that Garretson and Donaghy, the two senior referees, could have been much more assertive in calming things down before the incident hit its flash point when a fan threw a cup of ice at Artest as he lay prone on the scorer's table." (Chris Sheridan's ESPN blog)
  

• "Donaghy also was involved in another controversy a few years back when he engaged in a shouting match with Rasheed Wallace on the loading dock of The Rose Garden in Portland, an incident that led to a seven-game suspension for Wallace, who was then with the Portland Trail Blazers. Donaghy and the two other referees who had worked that game passed by Wallace as they walked to their cars, and Wallace was said to have threatened Donaghy, who had assessed him a technical foul earlier that night during a Grizzlies-Blazers game." (Chris Sheridan's ESPN blog)

I don't know what to make about most of this information. One number stands out to me: the fifteen playoff games he officiated. This is where the stakes were highest and Donaghy could have done the most damage to the game.

For example, Donaghy officiated game three of the Phoenix-San Antonio playoff series. The Spurs won this game by a score of 108-101. But did they really win? What about those two questionable foul calls on Amare Stoudemire early in game three?

Yes, outside influences could have altered the outcome of the Western Conference semi-finals. There's no evidence of wrongdoing. Bu the presence of Donaghy is enough to throw everything in doubt. I'm not trying to take anything away from Spur fans, but, for me, an unknown factor has overshadowed and clouded this result.

In fact, the San Antonio faithful should be furious because a ref, whose presence is supposed to protect the game, has done the exact opposite and compromised their win. It doesn’t matter that there’s no evidence. Donaghy’s presence suddenly makes everything murky.

This incident should send a cold shiver up the spine of NBA head office. As more evidence is uncovered, their shivers will only get worse. And the integrity of the sport may be called into question in a very ugly scandal.

Click here for Breaking News: FBI Investigating Allegations NBA Ref Bet On Games He Worked.

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