<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">As minds throughout the NBA raced to recall details of the games Tim Donaghy officiated, to disputed calls and controversial moments, there were two Rockets games that immediately commanded attention. The Rockets' loss to the Phoenix Suns on Jan. 17 and the win against the Orlando Magic on Feb. 25 stood out as games certain to draw the interest of investigators looking into whether Donaghy influenced the results of NBA games. NBA commissioner David Stern acknowledged the FBI had informed him Donaghy provided information to gamblers and bet on NBA games, including those he officiated, both in violation of NBA rules. Donaghy resigned July 9, with the FBI investigation of his actions and possible ties to organized crime ongoing. Stern said he has not been told which games Donaghy might have compromised, though if Donaghy was willing to gamble on games he officiated, it would not be a stretch to think he would also be willing to influence their results. Donaghy was assigned four Rockets games last season, but the game against the Suns in January has drawn attention because of the movement of the betting line and results. The Suns had been favored to win by 3 1/2 points the day before the game. They were favored by nine by game time (though the line might have moved so greatly because Tracy McGrady left the game the previous night with a sore back and did not play against the Suns). The Suns won by nine. "The big trend with him in particular is that the first 15 games last season he refereed where we saw line movement of at least 1 1/2 points were a perfect 15-of-15 for the big-money people betting," said Matty O'Shea, general manager of content at pregame.com and a handicapper. "The odds of that happening randomly are only 33,000-to-1." O'Shea said there were several games with explanations for dramatic movement of the line. Because of that, he said "You have to back it up with the information, with the tape to see what's going on at the end of the game. "He led the NBA in calling fouls, in free-throw attempts the last two seasons. That's kind of a red flag. He's a whistle-happy ref. There's a game (between) Miami and New York, the free-throw differential was 39-8. A four-point favorite won by six, and the total went over by a half-point. "Last season, 13 games he did fell within a single point of the point spread. We found in the last two seasons, 14 games were decided by two points or less."</div> <div align="center">Source: Houston Chronicle</div>
