New York, NY (Best E Casino) - With the NBA enjoying a Finals matchup between two of its showcase franchises -- the Celtics and the Lakers -- perhaps the most embarrassing chapter in league history took a turn for the worse on Tuesday.

Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy, in a letter filed in Brooklyn court, alleged, among many damaging claims against his former employers and co-workers, that the NBA urged referees not to call technical fouls against or eject certain stars, that the league singled out certain players to be focused on for foul calls, that certain referees were biased due to close relationships with team members or management, and that the outcome of two playoff series were directly affected by biased referees.

Donaghy did not identify specific teams or names in the letter filed by his lawyers, but a footnote on the letter explained that all information has been disclosed to federal prosecutors and the FBI. Donaghy said that, in a 2005 playoff series in which one team -- Team 4, as cited in the letter -- won the first two games, the owner of the other team -- Team 3 -- claimed that referees were allowing an opposing player to get away with illegal screens.

"NBA Executive Y told Referee Supervisor Z that the referees for that game were to enforce the screening rules strictly against that Team 4 player," the letter stated. "Referee Supervisor Z informed the referees about his instructions. As an alternate referee for that game, Tim also received these instructions. The referees followed the league's instructions and Team 3 came back from behind to win the series. The NBA benefited from this because it prolonged the series, resulting in more tickets sold and more televised games."

The disgraced former referee also alleged that a 2002 playoff series was affected. In the sixth game of a seven-game series, Donaghy learned that two of the three referees for that game, whom he referred to as "'company men,' always acting in the interest of the NBA," wanted to make sure that the series went seven games.

According to the letter, those two referees heavily favored the team trailing in the series, ignoring fouls by this team while making more foul calls against the other team. As a result the team trailing the series won the sixth game, and went on to win the seventh game and the series.

Elsewhere in the letter Donaghy alleged that improper relationships between referees and teams, including autograph requests by referees, free merchandise and meals given by coaches and team managers, and free usage of team practice facilities, may influence game outcomes. Donaghy also cited a game in 2004 when a referee known to be friendly with one of the team's general managers told another referee that he planned to favor that team in that game, and did so, calling more personal fouls on the opposing team.

Donaghy implicated the league itself in influencing referees not to call technical fouls against or eject certain stars, because that would hurt ticket sales and television ratings. He said that in situations when the league wanted a certain team to do well, "league officials would inform referees that opposing players were getting away with violations. Referees then would call fouls on certain players, frequently resulting in victory for the opposing team."