Disgraced former NBA referee Tim Donaghy says he refused to make calls to affect games even if it meant he lost money and it angered the mob. In one game where he bet on San Antonio Spurs, Donaghy ejected Coach Gregg Popovich midway through the first quarter and the Spurs eventually lost the game. After Donaghy threw Popovich out of the game and the Spurs subsequently lost the game, the mob was reportedly very upset. “I just told them that I wasn’t making calls in games to influence the outcome,” Donaghy said in an interview on “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday night on CBS. “And I’m not going to be able to obviously predict the winner every night, and they have to accept that’s what’s going to happen.”

Donaghy still contends that he made wagers on NBA games based on his knowledge of other officials’ biases for certain players, teams and that his officiating was not compromised. Even though Donaghy statement sounds ridicules, the FBI has publicly backed this fact. “Watching the tapes, we could see there was never anything outlandish where he called a foul or he omitted a foul because he wanted to see a certain team win” retired FBI special agent Philip Scala told the news show. “We never saw that.” Donaghy made his wagers through a high school friend and used a code to indicate his picks. “If I wanted them to bet the home team, I would discuss his brother Chuck,” he said. “If I wanted him to bet the visiting team, I would mention his brother Johnny.”

Donaghy claims he was winning 75 percent of the time, which drew the attention of the mob, which he said threatened his family to ensure he provided his insider picks to inform betting on games. “They basically told me that I needed to give them the picks and if I didn’t, that it’s a possibility that somebody would go down and visit my wife and kids in Florida,” he said. His connection with the mob caught the attention of the FBI, which overheard something on a wiretap that led them to believe an NBA referee may be involved. After he was caught, Donaghy said he cooperated with investigators because he believed it was in his and his family’s best interests.

After cooperating with authorities, Donaghy claims that his family has received death threats and is still worried about retribution from the mob. “Certainly it’s in the back of my mind, but I’m not going to live my life in fear,” he said. “I was informed by the FBI agents that they certainly had an eye on what they called these wiseguys and that if anything would come up they would inform me immediately.”

Following the airing of the interview, NBA commissioner David Stern released a statement saying any allegations about officials will be referred to Lawrence Pedowitz, a former investigator in the U.S. attorney’s office who led a review of the league’s officiating. “Mr. Pedowitz’s review revealed that the NBA’s core values of neutrality and accountability were not compromised by anyone other than Mr. Donaghy,” Stern said.

Danny Granger will have an MRI on his foot/heel on Monday, while coach Jim O’Brien is expecting the worst in what the results will tell on Tuesday. “That’s my mindset,” O’Brien said Monday. “I’d like to be pleasantly surprised, but I’m preparing for the worst.” Granger was taken off a plane on Sunday in a wheel chair because he was in so much pain and it sounds like he’s in serious doubt to play in any of the Pacers’ three games this week. Granger is a tough player and has played through some pain in the past, but playing this week seems like a real long shot.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Utah: Utah Jazz F Andrei Kirilenko couldn’t get any lift on his jumpshot in pre-game warmups Monday and will miss the game with his lingering back injury. He was feeling better this morning, but it tightened up on him again today.

Toronto: Andrea Bargnani will “try to give it a go” on Tuesday against the Timberwolves despite a sprained ankle.

Oakland: Anthony Morrow is having problems with his flight out of Detroit and may not get to the arena in Oklahoma City Thunder until the second quarter of Monday’s game.

Dallas: Mavericks PG Jason Williams bruised his elbow on Saturday, but played through it to finish with 12 points, five boards, eight assists and five 3-pointers. No significant reports have been released by the Dallas Mavericks this week regarding the injury, so it looks as if Williams is ready to play.

Sacramento: Kings rookie PG Tyreke Evans continued his torrid play by scoring a team-high 30 points in the Sacramento Kings’ 115-102 loss to the Heat on Sunday, hitting 10-of-19 shots from the field and 10-of-12 shots from the foul line. He added four rebounds, four assists, and three steals but didn’t hit a 3-point shot. It appears that Evans has the inside track for rookie of the year.

Portland: Rudy Fernandez, who will miss the Portland Trail Blazers next two games, is seeking a second opinion on his painful back. He was supposed to have an MRI on Friday but the team hasn’t released the results. His back has been bothering him since last summer, but according to his agent, “This latest came from a week ago in practice, during a pick and roll he was bumped, and it was a different pain.”

Philadelphia: Elton Brand will start for the Sixers on Monday, along with Allen Iverson. Perhaps the most underperforming team in the league will feature Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young and Samuel Dalembert in the starting lineup as well.

The Nets announced Sunday that Yi Jianlian suffered an upper lip laceration on Saturday that required 50 stitches to close. This puts the breaks on the Yi Jianlian show for at least one more week. He will be re-evaluated next Monday, so it appears we’ll be getting geared up for his return prior to Week Nine. Can it get any worse for the 1-19 Nets?

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Indiana: Pacers F Danny Granger left the arena in a walking boot on Saturday night and will have an MRI to determine the severity of his heel injury. “We won’t know more until he gets an MRI when we get back to Indianapolis,” coach Jim O’Brien said. The Pacers are off until Wednesday and play three games in Week 7. Granger might be healthy enough to play in all three, but is probably too risky to start unless we get the MRI results on Monday afternoon.

New York: Despite missing Saturday’s practice, Danilo Gallinari is expected to play through a sore forearm on Sunday, according to the New York Times. We’re not convinced Gallo’s a great play today, but you might as well throw him out there if he’s going to play. Our guess is that he’s a game-time decision, dependent on how he’s feeling in pre-game warmups.

Philadelphia: Coach Eddie Jordan said that he “anticipates” putting Allen Iverson in the starting lineup against the Denver Nuggets on Monday. This isn’t a huge surprise, but it’s nice to get some confirmation heading into the Sixers’ three-game week.

Philadelphia: Andre Iguodala (ankle) missed practice Sunday, and is a game-time decision for Monday’s game against the Nuggets.

Portland: Greg Oden underwent successful surgery on his fractured left patella and, as expected, will miss the rest of the year according to a statement released by the Portland Trail Blazers. Joel Przybilla should step in and become the starting center, and now there is a greater urgency for the Blazers to move Andre Miller in order to shore up their frontcourt. Oden’s absence may actually help the offense, allowing Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge more space to operate with.

Detroit: Pistons G Ben Gordon played just 11 minutes on his sprained ankle, managing just five points, three rebounds, one assist, and one steal on Sunday. Gordon has said he wouldn’t be playing unless the team needed him, but hobbling through 11 minutes can’t be helping the team that much, and it’s certainly not helping his fantasy owners. He should be benched until he gets a clean bill of health, or turns in a game with significant minutes

1. Celtics (16-4): They have done nothing to lose the top spot.
2. Lakers (15-3): Playing great, right there with the Celtics.
3. Suns (15-5): Really coming on now.
4. Nuggets (15-5): Is Melo the MVP?
5. Magic (16-4): Very good team and will improve.
6. Cavaliers (15-5): Can Shaq hold on for the entire year?
7. Cavaliers (15-5): Climbing up the board a bit.
8. Hawks (14-6): Bibby is keeping this young team jelled.
9. Trail Blazers (13-8): Losing Oden really set this team back.
10. Heat (10-9): Hanging on to a top 10 slot, barley.
11. Jazz (11-8): Starting to play better.
12. Thunder (10-9): Very young and they will be very good. Soon.
13. Rockets (11-9): Did anyone thing they would be above .500 with all the injuries.
14. Spurs (9-8): Please start playing better.
15. Kings (9-9): Like the Thunder: young, good and improving.
16. Bucks (9-10): They have had a few bad breaks this season.
17. Bobcats (8-11): Have they ever been exciting?
18. Bulls (7-11): Starting to fade, some had high hopes for this team.
19. Raptors (9-13): Will they trade their best player or watch him walk?
20. Clippers (9-11): They are, well the Clippers.
21. Hornets (8-11): At least they have a few pieces.
22. Grizzlies (8-12): Gasol is a bright spot.
23. Pacers (6-12): Should be better than this.
24. Warriors (6-13): Blow this team up…
25. Pistons (8-12): Free agent additions not paying off thus far.
26. Wizard (7-12): Very disappointing.
27. 76ers (5-15): Iverson makes this team worse, instantly.
28. Knicks (6-15): Does the great one really want to play here?
29. Timberwolves (3-17): The Nets are coming for you!!!
30. Nets (1-19): Win a few more and I can get you out of the cellar.

Blazers center Greg Oden has a fractured left kneecap that will require surgery and he is expected to miss the rest of the season. This was not only a huge blow to the Blazers organization, but Oden himself, who was certainly breaking out this season averaging 11.7 points on 61% shooting, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in just 25 minutes per game. Oden’s statistics do not represent that fact that he is on of the top defensive players in the NBA. Joel Przybilla will likely become the Portland Trail Blazers starting center, but we’ll keep a close eye on the Blazers’ rotations over the next few games.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Oakland: Oakland Warriors F Anthony Randolph (ankle) made a surprise return on Saturday, lighting up Orlando for a career-high 28 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block off the bench.

Oakland: Warriors G Monta Ellis scored 33 points vs. the Magic on Saturday, adding two rebounds and seven assists, but he also turned the ball over seven times. The dark side of Ellis’ hot start this season is his 4.1 turnovers per game — he almost has as many TOs (74) as rebounds (79).

Phoenix Suns: Steve Nash scored 32 points in Saturday’s win over the Kings, making 11-of-23 FGs, 3-of-6 three-pointers and 7-of-7 FTs. Just two assists and six assists on the night, but nobody can complain on a night when the 35-year-old point guard scores 32 points.

Indiana: Danny Granger left Saturday’s game with a bruised right heel and will not return. Uh oh. It seems like the clock has been ticking for Granger (he has been dealing with this heel injury for weeks) but hopefully it’s nothing that will require an extended absence. We’re just not sure how his heel will ever get better if he’s constantly running, jumping and cutting on it.

Atlanta: Atlanta Hawks forward Marvin Williams grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds on Saturday, adding three steals and one block in 36 minutes. Marvin scored just three points on 1-of-7 shooting, but he’s normally a solid shooter and it’s nice to see him contributing in other categories. J

Toronto: Jose Calderon played only 19 minutes on Saturday due to a combination of a lopsided score and a sore groin. While it doesn’t sound like this is too serious, groin injuries tend to linger and Calderon hasn’t exactly been a picture of health since joining the NBA.

Minnesota: In his second game back from a broken hand, Kevin Love had 18 points and 10 rebounds and the Wolves defeated the Jazz in Minnesota. Love was 6-of-9 from the field, 2-of-3 from downtown and 4-of-4 from the FT line, with two steals and one block. And he only played 26 minutes.

Courtney Lee moved into the starting lineup and hit 11-of-16 shots to score a career-high 27 points as the Nets broke an 18-game losing streak, logging their first win of the season by beating the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday. Lee added four boards, three steals and three 3-pointers in the win and appears to finally be healthy and playing well. Brook Lopez also added 31 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks on 12-of-22 shooting.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Los Angeles: Lakers G Kobe Bryant threw up a running 3-pointer at the buzzer of Friday’s game with Dwyane Wade draped all over him, banking in the shot for a one-point win over the Heat. The Los Angeles Lakers, who have won eight straight games, appeared to have lost this one at home to Dwyane Wade and company before Kobe hit the miracle shot. Kobe scored 17 in the fourth quarter and finished with 33 points, and could be on his way to another MVP trophy this year.

Boston: Celtics F Kevin Garnett hit 10-of-11 shots for 23 points and eight rebounds in Friday’s win over the Thunder, the seventh in a row for the Boston Celtics. Paul Pierce scored 21 first-half points and had seven players in double figures scoring, but KG was the star. He’s averaging 19 points, 7.4 boards and 3.6 assists over his last five, hitting connecting on 41-of-52 shots and 13-of-13 free throws.

Charlotte: Raymond Felton got hot on Friday, hitting 11-of-14 shots and all four of his 3-pointers for a season-high 28 points to go along with five boards, four assists and two steals. We’re not sure where this came from, as Felton had scored in single digits in six of his last nine games, although there are signs that he’s ready to turn it around. Outside of tonight’s huge line, he posted 12 and 14 points in his previous two games.

New Orleans: Chris Paul had 16 points, 15 assists and a season-high eight steals in Friday’s win over the Timberwolves after being out since Nov. 13 with a sprained ankle. Wow. Welcome back, CP3. Go ahead and get him into your lineup as soon as possible, obviously.

New York: Nate Robinson was a DNP-CD again on Friday, as he remains in coach Mike D’Antoni’s doghouse. Robinson will likely enter the fray again at some point, or will be traded, but if you want to drop him for a hot free agent like Courtney Lee, go for it.

New York: Chris Duhon finally got aggressive and took the ball to the rack on Friday, finishing with a season-high 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting as the Knicks beat the Hawks in Atlanta. Duhon also had 10 assists for a double-double, and hit four 3-pointers, easily posting his best line of the season. He’d scored just 13 total points in his last two and came in shooting 29 percent on the season. Don’t expect consistent play from him, but it’s possible that he’s ready to start producing

Allen Iverson is expected to decide by Wednesday whether he’ll accept the 76ers one-year, prorated, non-guaranteed contract offer. A.I. could be offended by the lack of a guarantee, but his desire to prove that he can still play will most likely weight too heavy on his conscious.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Portland: Portland Trail Blazers F LaMarcus Aldridge was a surprise scratch from the Blazers’ lineup on Tuesday, sidelined by a bruised right knee. Aldridge is day-to-day and will be reevaluated prior to Saturday’s home game vs. the Rockets.

Oakland: Oakland Warriors F Anthony Randolph’s sprained left ankle will sideline him for 7-to-14 days. Tough break as assistant coach Keith Smart said that before going down Randolph “was on the verge of having a good game.”

New Jersey: Nets F Yi Jianlian (knee) had an individual workout Tuesday and could return to full-contact practice later this week. Jianlian appears to be on track to play within a week or two.

Milwaukee: Bucks G Michael Redd (knee) said he will not join the Milwaukee Bucks on their upcoming two-game road trip, with games Wednesday and Friday. Hopefully Redd will get more rest and rehabilitation by remaining in Milwaukee. The next game he could play in is Sunday vs. the Cavaliers, though we won’t be surprised if he misses that game too.

Milwaukee: Bucks G Bucks guard Luke Ridnour, who left Monday’s game with a hamstring injury, did not practice Tuesday. Ridnour has made some improvement, however, and will travel with the team for their current two-game roadtrip. Consider him questionable for Wednesday’s game.

Memphis: Rudy Gay is expected to rejoin the Grizzlies in time for Wednesday’s game. Gay wasn’t available on Monday because he was attending the funeral of a family member in Baltimore.

New Orleans: Chris Paul has been working out during morning shootarounds and before games, but he still can’t make cuts on his sprained ankle. The New Orleans Hornets won’t offer a specific timetable (“We continue to wait until he’s able to run, cut and jump,” according to coach Jeff Bower) but beat writer John Reid suspects that Paul could return within 10 days. Stay tuned.

New Orleans: Peja Stojakovic will not play Tuesday against the Lakers because of an illness in his family.
James Posey worked with the first unit at shootaround, and is expected to start in Stojakovic’s place.

Washington: After being held to six points and zero rebounds on Saturday, Antawn Jamison bounced back with 30 points, 12 rebounds and two assists in a win over the Raptors. He made 12-of-22 FGs, 2-of-6 three-pointers, and 4-of-8 FTs.