SportsSports Wednesday: NBA Ref Scandal ResurfacesSports Wednesday: NBA Ref Scandal ResurfacesThe Associated PressKobe Bryant leads Lakers past Celtics in must-win Game 3; Disgraced NBA ref Tim Donaghy alleges officials rigged playoffs games; Vinny Del Negro named new Bulls coach; Dontrelle Willis sent to minors; Marc Crawford out as Kings coach. (June 11)Kobe Bryant and Sasha Vujacic (VOO\'-yah-CHICH) helped the Lakers climb to within 2-1 in the NBA Finals. Bryant poured in a game-hihg 36 points and Vujacic came off the bench to add 20 as the Lakers beat the Celtics 87-81 at Los Angeles. Ray Allen had 25 points for the Celtics, who carried a two-point lead into the fourth quarter. After a day off, the series resumes Thursday night with game four in Los Angeles. NBA referees rigged a 2002 playoff series to force it to a revenue-boosting seven games. That\'s what a former referee at the center of a gambling scandal is alleging. Without identifying anyone or naming teams, disgraced referee Tim Donaghy (DAHN\'-uh-gee) also claims the NBA routinely encouraged refs to ring up bogus fouls to manipulate results but calls against star players. Speaking before the start of the NBA finals Game 3 featuring the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, NBA commissioner David Stern calls the allegations baseless.Vinny Del Negro (NAY\'-groh) has accepted an offer to coach the Chicago Bulls and will be introduced at a news conference Wednesday. Del Negro was the Suns\' general manager this season and has never been a head coach.Dontrelle Willis will be pitching in Florida again. The Detroit Tigers have sent the former Marlin down to Class A Lakeland in hopes the struggling lefty can find his control. The demotion came a day after he matched a career high by giving eight earned runs on five walks and three hits in 1 1-3 innings against Cleveland.Marc Crawford was fired Tuesday as coach of the Los Angeles Kings after his team finished with the fewest points in the Western Conference this season. Crawford coached the Kings to a 59-84-21 record in his two seasons. And Ron Wilson is an NHL coach again. Wilson was hired by the Maple Leafs, less than a month after he was dismissed by the Sharks. ^Dave Ferry, the associated press, with AP sports Wednesday. minute, nba, ref, resurfaces, scandal, sports, wednesday: