Skip navigation
Site powered by
Latest news:
msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines: Adele is big winner, Houston honored at Grammys

Cuban, Mavs furious with Game 5 officials

Owner says Wade committed offensive foul, backcourt violation

Image: CubanGetty Images
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wasn't happy with the officiating in Sunday's game.

MIAMI - Mark Cuban has plenty more reasons to be furious with NBA officials.

From his perspective, referees made two huge mistakes before hitting his Dallas Mavericks with an unwanted timeout during the closing moments of their 101-100 overtime loss to the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the NBA finals on Sunday night.

Cuban said replays show that referees missed a backcourt violation against Dwyane Wade at the start of his final drive to the basket. The Dallas owner also believes Wade fouled the Mavericks’ Jason Terry before drawing the contact that led to his winning free throws with 1.9 seconds left.

For the Mavericks, those incidents overshadowed what seemed like the obvious source of their anger: Being given their final timeout between Wade’s foul shots, instead of after, when they could’ve moved the ball to midcourt and had a chance to set up a final shot.

“I care less about the timeout,” Cuban said. “The error in my mind occurred before then.”

Asked if it was the collision that Terry jumped up from screaming about being shoved, Cuban said: “You mean when he pushed him? I don’t know. I guess that’s not a call. I guess that’s not a foul.”

Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki, who ended up being charged with the foul on Wade’s drive, said he thought “Dwyane pushed off like three guys to get to the basket.”

After Wade made another free throw following the timeout, Dallas guard Devin Harris missed a desperation heave. When the buzzer sounded, the Mavericks unleashed their anger.

Cuban, who was wearing the jersey of suspended forward Jerry Stackhouse, ran onto the court and screamed at official Joe DeRosa, then went to the scorer’s table and stared down NBA commissioner David Stern and other league officials. Cuban then went up the tunnel toward their aisle and kept screaming and staring.

Stern made his way out, but Cuban didn’t let up. Considering he’s been fined well over $1 million — including $200,000 this postseason alone — his tab could rise again before Game 6 in Dallas on Tuesday night.

Players were irate, too.

Nowitzki, who scored 20 points including a tough jumper that put Dallas up by one point with 9.1 seconds left, kicked the ball into the stands as he left the court. On his way to the locker room, he slammed against a stationary bike then kicked at something else. Josh Howard, who called the timeout, threw off his headband in disgust as he left the court.

“Josh Howard goes to Joe DeRosa and not only once, but twice asks for a timeout,” referee Joe Crawford told a pool reporter. “Forced to call it, simple as that.”

When told by a reporter what Crawford said, Howard became so agitated that he had to be taken out of the locker room to calm down. Cuban came in when Howard returned.

“It’s common sense — what would I tell him timeout for?” Howard said after gathering his emotions.

Slide show
NBA Finals Game 6:  Miami Heat v Dallas Mavericks
  NBA Finals
Click to see pictures from the Miami Heat's six-game victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
The Mavericks went to the foul line 25 times. So did Wade. The entire Heat team went 49 times.

“I don’t know,” Cuban said. “I guess they got fouled more.”

Said Harris: “It’s not like we’re not going to the basket.”

Mavericks coach Avery Johnson refused to answer questions about the Terry-Wade contact, repeatedly asking his interrogator what he thought. Terry said he couldn’t comment.

“We have to watch the film and see,” he said.

Asked if the refs explained the non-call to him, Cuban said: “No, they don’t do that here. That’s unfortunate.”

Slideshow
Image: Snee, 8, son of New York Giants player Chris Snee and head coach Coughlin's grandson plays in the confetti after the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots in the NFL Super Bowl XLVI football game in Indianapolis
  The Week in Sports Pictures
The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more.

more photos

Cuban was standing against a wall, shaking his head while gathering his thoughts before speaking to reporters when assistant coach Larry Riley alerted him to the missed backcourt violation.

“You can’t be established in the frontcourt, then jump into the backcourt,” Cuban said after watching a replay. “My understanding from the rule book is, if you are going to catch the ball in the backcourt, you have to be in the backcourt to catch it. You can’t be established into the backcourt after you catch it or that’s a backcourt violation.”

The Mavericks came into the game already furious over the decision to suspend Stackhouse because of hard foul in Game 4.

This latest incident, and possible league action against Cuban, makes things even more interesting as the Heat take a 3-2 series lead to Dallas for Game 6 on Tuesday night.

“This is going to leave a bitter taste in everyone’s mouth,” Howard said. “We’re going to come out and play hard in Game 6 and Game 7.”

© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

advertisement
More news
Image: Boston Celtics Rajon Rondo drives past Chicago Bulls Carlos Boozer in the second half of their NBA basketball game at TD Garden in Boston
Reuters
Rondo makes the Celtics go

  PBT: Boston's Rajon Rondo continues to be named in trade talks, which is madness. The Celtics guard creates offense and makes everyone around him better, which was evident in Sunday's win over the Bulls.

Rondo's triple-double carries Celtics over Bulls

Paul Pierce has been around long enough to know what Rajon Rondo's performance can mean for the aging Boston Celtics.

FREE VIDEO
Mad Mavs
June 18: Dallas coach Avery Johnson and star Dirk Nowitzki dispute the key foul call in OT that enabled Dwyane Wade to win Game 5 for the Heat.
  ProBasketballTalk tweets

  1. Loading the latest posts…

Source: Twitter. For more, follow @basketballtalk.

Video: NBA from NBC Sports
Knicks, Lin still streaking
Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni and point guard Jeremy Lin discuss the team and Lin's recent success.

Slideshow
Washington Wizards v Charlotte Bobcats
  Get your cheer on
Check out some of the dancers from the NBA.

more photos

  Ask the NBA expert: Ira Winderman

Do you have a burning NBA question? Submit it now, and then check back for our reader mailbag.

Special feature
Image: LeBron James
Who will be MVP?
Interactive: Rank each player on a scale of 0 to 10 (10 = best player, 0 = barely worthy of consideration).

NBCSports.com

Slideshow
Image: Blake Griffin
  NBA All-Star starters
A look at the starting lineups for the East and West teams.

more photos