NBA digging deep into allegations

The NBA's investigation into its worst scandal in decades has shifted to Las Vegas.

Sources tell me Ronnie Nunn, the NBA's director of officials, has been in town this week, exploring the "breadth and depth" of allegations that referee Tim Donaghy fixed games.

The FBI has been investigating Donaghy for possible ties with mobsters to fix margins and outcomes of NBA games to pay off gambling debts.

Among other issues, a spy tells me, Nunn is looking into the gambling habits and connections of former or current NBA players who live in Las Vegas or are regular visitors.

Nunn shouldn't be surprised if he bumps into a counterpart from another league. I've been hearing rumblings for three years now that Major League Baseball has a special "interest" in a couple of baseball players.

All of which is why, during a July 12 taping for "Casino Diaries," hosted by Steve Schirripa of "The Sopranos," I predicted a major sports scandal was going to be one of the biggest sports stories of the year in Las Vegas. The NBA scandal broke a week later.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Tom Breitling, former co-owner of the Golden Nugget, was in Minneapolis over the weekend for a cousin's wedding. Breitling, who grew up in Minneapolis and has been on the Interstate 35W bridge hundreds of times, received word Thursday that another cousin had a close call. Brian Johnson, a doctor in Minneapolis, was shopping and intended to take the bridge route around 6 p.m. Wednesday. He changed his mind because of traffic backup concerns and took another route. The bridge collapsed shortly after 6 p.m. ...

Identical twins Cy and Jesse Waits, managing directors at Tryst nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas, spent Wednesday shooting footage on their boat at Lake Mead for "Extra!" The twins, 31, are being featured in a segment on "America's Most Eligible Bachelors," which airs this month. They teamed up with nightclub guru Victor Drai at Tryst in late 2005. Cy is director of nightclub operation, and Jesse is director of marketing.

MAY I RECOMMEND ...

Today is Snow Day at the Palms' Ditch Friday, with 25 tons of artificial snow being created by a snowmaking machine for sledding "hills" in the pool area. The pool is open from noon to 4 p.m. for the Miller Brewing Co. promotion, which features its new beer, Chill.

SIGHTINGS

Pop singer Ashlee Simpson and boyfriend Pete Wentz of the band Fall Out Boy, dining Wednesday at Nove Italiano (Palms) with members of the Las Vegas-based group Panic! at the Disco. Simpson, the younger sister of singer Jessica Simpson, and Wentz stayed in a Sky Villa in the Fantasy Tower. ... Irish actor Colin Farrell, at "O" (Bellagio) on Wednesday with his girlfriend and her sister. They attended "Ka" (MGM Grand) on Tuesday. He must be one of Cirque's newest converts: He saw "O" and "Love" two weeks ago. ... Las Vegas legends Siegfried & Roy, at Hans Klok's "The Beauty of Magic" (Planet Hollywood Resort) featuring Pamela Anderson, on Thursday night. ... Orel Hershiser, the 1988 World Series MVP and National League Cy Young Award winner that year, dining at the bar at T-Bones (Red Rock Resort) on Tuesday with his girlfriend. He's been renting a home in Las Vegas. ... Chicago Bulls general manager John Paxson, dining Wednesday at Nove Italiano. ... At 24-Hour Fitness Supersport, Andre Agassi and Floyd Mayweather Jr., working out separately Wednesday. Earlier in the week, NASCAR pit reporter Jamie Little, doing a photo shoot with her trainer for Muscle & Fitness magazine.