Letter to Mark Cuban
The following is in response to Game 5 of the 2006 NBA Finals. Mark Cuban was fined $250 thousand for his various complaints about the game’s officiating.
Dear Mark,
You're a great owner, have helped the NBA progress with rules changes and passion, and have turned around a horrid franchise. BUT...you have to learn to take a loss.
The 2006 NBA playoffs have been the best in recent memory, and the officiating has been the best it has been in years. Miami got a few calls in game 5, and SO did Dallas. Late in the game, the Mavs benefitted from:
*Two balls seemingly off Dallas that were called off D-Wade,
*A phantom foul on Jason Terry’s late 3-point play
*A phantom foul on Dirk Nowitzki when he was double in the corner by Gary Payton.
*AND, most importanly, a BOGUS defensive 3 seconds when Gary Payton cleared the lane w/about eight minutes left in the 4th quarter
That's called basketball. We don't have computerized officiating. Each team gets a few calls.
All the whining about the officials diminishes from the game immensely - you are doing basketball a tremendous disservice.
Regarding your points of contention:
1. Wade got fouled at the end of the game by either Nowitzki (watch the play at full speed, he PUSHES him off balance) or Harris (http://i5.tinypic.com/14vmbte.jpg). That's why the back official whistled it - he saw Dirk's hand in the back. Was it "ticky" - yes, but it was still a foul.
2. Howard has a problem understanding timeout situations. He made the TO sign TWICE, not understanding Avery wanted him to ask for a TO on the make - a mistake by both parties. Once the timeout is called, the refs can't say "oh, now that I see you have 1 timeout I'll undo it" - I didn't know the Mavs had just 1 TO and thought they were icing Wade.
3. The free throw discrepancy was a direct result of Dwyane Wade and the Hack-a-Shaq. I can't believe no one has mentioned this. Wade and Shaq were fouled 19 times JUST on free throw attempts (37 attempts), that doesn't even include the wrap ups on Shaq in the paint, the hack-a-Shaq before the bonus, or Wade getting bumped off the ball. The complaints should be that the defense can't stop Wade at all; he accelerates at a different gear and that's why they foul him constantly. Wade shooting 25 free throws is analogous to Reggie White's defender getting 4 holding penalties - it's not because of the refs, it's because no one can stop him legally.
4. Jerry Stackhouse sized up Shaq, and hit him hard with the body. That alone would have been enough for a suspension in the new NBA (you pushed for this, no?) but then Stack EXTENDED both arms into O'Neal's head/face area. Easy suspension - I was shocked he wasn't ejected.
Finally, Wade has put forth a legendary effort, making incredible jumpers, bank shots, and dazzling fade-aways in the clutch in this series. And instead the story is about the "refs." That's sad.
Mark, focus on you're team, and their missed free throws, bad lob passes, inability to adjust defensively, and cockiness that has allowed Miami to seize control of this series.
Good luck!
Dear Mark,
You're a great owner, have helped the NBA progress with rules changes and passion, and have turned around a horrid franchise. BUT...you have to learn to take a loss.
The 2006 NBA playoffs have been the best in recent memory, and the officiating has been the best it has been in years. Miami got a few calls in game 5, and SO did Dallas. Late in the game, the Mavs benefitted from:
*Two balls seemingly off Dallas that were called off D-Wade,
*A phantom foul on Jason Terry’s late 3-point play
*A phantom foul on Dirk Nowitzki when he was double in the corner by Gary Payton.
*AND, most importanly, a BOGUS defensive 3 seconds when Gary Payton cleared the lane w/about eight minutes left in the 4th quarter
That's called basketball. We don't have computerized officiating. Each team gets a few calls.
All the whining about the officials diminishes from the game immensely - you are doing basketball a tremendous disservice.
Regarding your points of contention:
1. Wade got fouled at the end of the game by either Nowitzki (watch the play at full speed, he PUSHES him off balance) or Harris (http://i5.tinypic.com/14vmbte.jpg). That's why the back official whistled it - he saw Dirk's hand in the back. Was it "ticky" - yes, but it was still a foul.
2. Howard has a problem understanding timeout situations. He made the TO sign TWICE, not understanding Avery wanted him to ask for a TO on the make - a mistake by both parties. Once the timeout is called, the refs can't say "oh, now that I see you have 1 timeout I'll undo it" - I didn't know the Mavs had just 1 TO and thought they were icing Wade.
3. The free throw discrepancy was a direct result of Dwyane Wade and the Hack-a-Shaq. I can't believe no one has mentioned this. Wade and Shaq were fouled 19 times JUST on free throw attempts (37 attempts), that doesn't even include the wrap ups on Shaq in the paint, the hack-a-Shaq before the bonus, or Wade getting bumped off the ball. The complaints should be that the defense can't stop Wade at all; he accelerates at a different gear and that's why they foul him constantly. Wade shooting 25 free throws is analogous to Reggie White's defender getting 4 holding penalties - it's not because of the refs, it's because no one can stop him legally.
4. Jerry Stackhouse sized up Shaq, and hit him hard with the body. That alone would have been enough for a suspension in the new NBA (you pushed for this, no?) but then Stack EXTENDED both arms into O'Neal's head/face area. Easy suspension - I was shocked he wasn't ejected.
Finally, Wade has put forth a legendary effort, making incredible jumpers, bank shots, and dazzling fade-aways in the clutch in this series. And instead the story is about the "refs." That's sad.
Mark, focus on you're team, and their missed free throws, bad lob passes, inability to adjust defensively, and cockiness that has allowed Miami to seize control of this series.
Good luck!
posted by Ben Taylor | 12:08 PM
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1 comments
