If you acknowledge that there are officials who have a tendency to throw out certain players, and you don't acknowledge that they made the right call each and every time to the best of their abilities, impartially, you're implicitly acknowledging a bias on the part of the referees and calling the whole system's integrity into question.
IP, I'm trying to figure out if that statement is serious. It's brilliant either way.
Stern answered the question by unconditionally singling out Donaghy and not acknowledging any pretence of the appearance of inpropriety. In spite of the fact that anybody with a basic knowledge of basketball can see overtly biased and selective officiating.