http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/0606
…
I never have to say a word again. Bill Simmons, as one of the 19 die hard says it all.
It is so nice to know there are people who pay attention.
thank you bill
m
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/0606
…
I never have to say a word again. Bill Simmons, as one of the 19 die hard says it all.
It is so nice to know there are people who pay attention.
thank you bill
m
Donaghy cost the Raps Game 6.
Comment by arsenalist -
Like owner like team and fans. Cuban whines about anything that doesn’t go his way, spoils his players and fans, and now we have a bunch of crybaby sore losers who can’t admit that the Heat were better. They have to blame it on the referees, saying inane things like “I’m never going to watch the NBA again” when we all know you will be there next season. Cut the crap. The Heat won. Get over it!
Comment by Alex -
I’m a die-hard Pistons fan and I seen what those refs did to you guys and shake my head in disgust. That was screwed up, they should give that trophy to the refs, not the Heat.
You guys totally deserved it. And D. Wade is quickly becoming the #1 flop liar of the NBA.
And I’m not just complaining about the refs because I’m from Detroit.
Comment by asheed wallace -
While it may be true that in Bill Simmons you can find a guy who wishes “for a new NBA”, what is Hack-a-Shaq? What is failing to penetrate the zone and taking jumpers the rest of the game? That is the sight and sound of a >>team<< choking. So Simmons, and Cuban, and all the doubters can keep wishing that the NBA was the way they wanted it to be. And about Wade's calls. Tonight was a tightly called game, and Wade was getting blanketed so much that it would be nearly impossible for him not to get fouled. Wade was doubled and tripled nearly every move he made with the ball. So even following the law of averages, there's more Mavs to do stupid things to foul D-Wade. The Mavs didn't defend Miami very well, to send Wade to the line that much. THERE'S NO FAVORITISM TO WADE ON THE FOULS. If Dallas is going to foul him, then he's going to shoot.
Comment by Dave -
Never have MAVS missed Steve Nash more than in this series! JET is a good player, but Steve Nash (even with Avery Johnson’s defensive mentality) would have been a better fit in this team – and the 37% FG percentage backs that up.
Comment by ZAK -
Mr. Cuban, Mavs and Fans: All of you showed what a bunch of hick yahoos you really are. Cuban doesn’t even know the NBA rules (back/frontcourt last 2 minutes). Not a word of apology for whining about it and then not knowing the rule. So no cred there. Tantrums. Every call against you is a conspiracy. I know the NBA is relatively new to your town but learn how to play in the big leagues. Booing Stern and ruining Miami’s moment? This isnt pro football. Show some class. For most of the country, you confirmed their image of Dallas.
Comment by Ricky Foray -
Bill Simmons hit the nail on the head. I agree with his comments even more so after watching game 6. The NBA needs to make the refs more accountable for their actions just like they make the owners, players, and coaches accountable for theirs. The Mavs had a great season and made the DFW area fans very happy. Thank you for putting together such an amazing team. You did a great job. I hope I am celebrating a Mavs championship win this time next year.
Comment by Bradley -
i am writing from Germany. I am so sad that Dallas lost the finals…
I hope they keep the heads up and go for it next season!!! I am still proud of the Team (and “our” Dirk)
Comment by Christian.M. -
What ever happened with officiating and moral of Mavs after game 5 is history now. Game 6 was show of how non confident Mavs were. Poor coaching too (just for this game, I praise Av for whole season). U can go to foul line from 7.5 min remaining in 4th quarter and u go just 2-3 times. Bcoz u r jump shooting all the time and no body to get rebounds. U forget to close Wade when he is shooting like that on rebounds. I mean come on, Mavs made too many mistakes to win this game.
No way, Wade is next Jordan. (Though I don’t Jordan was much either). He played really gr8 in game 6 but no way he is greatest in game. For god sake, he does not have 3 pt in his belt, he has spin move, but no reverse dunk, better Basketball IQ but not height as other superstars have. It was just matter of Dallas figuring out who to put on him. They put Harris on him who never stayed in front of Wade, then Terry, where Wade has body adv. Come on at least for that sake they should have played Armstrong, but hey they are there and I am not so I guess these guys might know better reasons. Next yr, we will definately see team defeneding him better (if they play defense). Next yr might be Lebron show, (since NBA needs that to be performed at least once). The big thing is how Miami is gone pay for this superstar.
Comment by Kedar -
Biggest whinners. Congrats, Mark, you played your part, (huge), in distracting your players from improving their game and trying to defend wade. You did your thing. Thats great. Hope it is a lesson learned. Stop Whinning, start playing. Stop choking and making excuses. Start making plays and earning respect. Heat showed class all along. I like the players on Mavs’ team, josh, nowitzki, terry all of them. I just hate the team coz of you and avery, who don’t seem to accept the fact that Miami was better and whinned all along.
Comment by GoHeats -
Great article and had the 500 post limit not have been reached on the Damn officials blog, my comments about Salvatore would have seemed close to Simmons. I dont agree with all of it, however I think most of what he says has relevance.
I also stated in a post last week after the game 4 loss that Dallas just couldnt get over the loss in game 3. I also wanted to say something about game 5, and something I haven’t heard anybody else mention in any of these posts or on radio or tv. The Miami Herald writer (the link in the Simmons article) mentioned it, and that was the two missed free throws by Josh Howard. If he makes those Dallas is up by 3 with less than a min to play which changes the Heat game plan. Probably get the two pointer and quite possibly foul Dallas to try and get a 2 for 1 situation. Had this happened we might not have even been talking about the foul at the end of OT.
I think we as Mavs fans have to give credit to the Heat they played much better on defense than we did and we just feel in love with the jumpers and got away from our game plan of attacking the basket. Congrats Heat on winning the title.
One last thing I want to say is I’m going to find it really difficult to watch any more NBA games because with the piss poor refs and the league offices inablitity to do anything about it just makes me never want to watch or go to another game again. This is probably one of the reasons I stopped watching the NBA until Mark bought the team. I guess when you’re raking money in hand over fist, you figure if it’s not broke don’t fix it. Well Mr. Stern I’m here to tell you it’s broke and you need to fix it!
Comment by Joe V -
That’s why you don’t plan parades until you win the series…The refs don’t like that.
P.S. Before tonights game, my favorite foul call was the one when Shaq drew a charge on Josh Howard. It has now been replaced by the foul that sent Wade to the line for his first free throws. Classic! Absolutely Classic!
Comment by David Stern -
God I am so sick of you dallas bitches whining. Mark is the biggest baby of you all. YOUR TEAM BLEW FOUR IN A ROW! Give Dwade and Miami SOME credit. They played great and Dwade hit some shots reminiscent of MJ. No it couldnt of been Dallas’s HORRIBLE shooting percentage, it was david stern’s fault…the refs…the finals is rigged…etc. NO excuses. Miami is the better team and they won. Now get over it and wait for next season.
Comment by Jonny Cash -
I’ve been huge fan of NBA for quite many years. What I am seeing as a recent trend—the way refs are officiating the game is disturbing and has taken away a lot of the beauty of the game. Mavs (or Heat) should have won despite the refs but anyway. I don’t think I will watch another NBA game. Very disappointed:(
Comment by Spa -
Simply incredible. I hearby renounce my #1 NBA Fan card and simply take my hat off to Stern & Stu. I never thought I’d see the League Office as 2006 NBA Champions. Congratulations to the starters, Mr. Stern & Mr. Jackson. Congratulations to your role players – DWade and Brick O’Neal.
GOD I hate to walk away from this game…
Comment by Matt Antonino -
Bobby,
Stop complaining. The better team won, plain and simple. Complain all you want about the officiating, the Mavs had plenty of opportunities to win games and they wilted. Suck it up and look forward to next year, when you’ll have another good season. Teams like the Pistons and Bulls lost a championship before they won. Stop being a sore loser!
Oh, and Wade is the next Michael Jordan. He cinched it with a series win.
Comment by Alex -
Just want to say that I respect Cuban for giving the Heat credit immediately after the game. A crazy playoffs, a crazy finals. As a born and raised Heat fan, I couldn’t be happier, but I think credit is due to the mavs and their organization.
Comment by Tony -
I cannot believe the trash fouls these refs call. I cant even put into words how pissed off i am. This series was the epitamy of not letting the teams play the game. David Stern, Congrats…you’ve just won the NBA title. I hope your happy you smug stupid SOB. Stu Jackson your a complete fool. Thanks for making the NBA a “non-game”. The better team did not win.
Comment by Bobby Causey -
You might love Bill Simmons, but the Miami Heat OWN YOUR ASS!
Comment by Kyle Austin -
Mavs got screwed plain and simple. Stern stuck it to Mark Cuban in the only way possible to really get at him………rip away a championship using the refs.
Comment by Nate N -
Shut up loser, you’re ruining our team.
Oh wait.. it’s YOUR team.
Comment by Texan -
Jonathan,
Just because your white trash girlfriend didn’t give you any tonight doesn’t mean you have to trash a city and a University of champions. I dislike many teams, but I never call their city or their teams the incredibly bigoted things you have. You have shown yourself to be another degenerate redneck who has never been outside his town other than a visit to the state penitentiary. Oh, and you’re a sore loser. I am a University of Miami alumnus, and we won a nice championship while I was there. We had the best team in college football history in 2001, and there’s nothing you can do about it. You must be pissed my Marlins have more championships than any teams in Texas too. Now the Heat come and dismantle your Mavs after going down 0-2. Wow, you must be depressed. I know where you can buy some razors….
You are offensive and simply an asshole. Go sulk with that prostitute you’ll undoubtedly buy tonight, you mindless hunk of meat.
Comment by Alex -
the nba fixed this series.. i feel bad for you guys… my hat down for mavs. fight on!!!!!!!!!1
Comment by khang -
Congratulations to the other guys, comiserations to the Mavs organisation and us fans.
Next year… next year.
Keep going the way you are going Mark, don’t let the bastards win.
GO MAVS IN 2007!!!!!
Comment by Dane C -
Yea Mr. Simmons is correct in many ways, but I believed the refs are to be blamed. I mean look at them they’re like 60 years old and barely can run to the place where the ball is, so how can we expect their eyes to pick a foul. Another thing is coaches in the NBA cannot challenge a ref’s call. Unlike the NBA and the FIFA, in the NFL a coach can challenge a ref’s call, thus the games are more fair and the refs are worthless to corrupt.
Yo Mr. Cuban sorry about the lost. NBA isnt what is was like when MJ played. I hope the NBA can change itself.
Simon
Comment by Simon -
I’m so demotivated. The Mavs never recovered from that Game Three loss, where they should have won.
Dirk was never the same and they had no “eye of the tiger” in in Games 4-6. I’m not saying they didn’t try, but the intensity was not there that showed up against San Antonio or against Phoenix.
Having done so well in Games 1&2 and having the chance to win 3 & 5, how could anyone not be disappointed? Before the season, sure … I would have been happy to lose in the NBA Finals, but after two games and 42 minutes of Game 3, anything less than lifting the trophy is a disappointment and a borderline meltdown.
Love the Mavs, but hate to see this end to their season.
Comment by GUNNY HARTMAN -
wade will fade by next year
Comment by cyrus -
I just want to know who Mr. Cuban will blame for the game tonight. Will it be the Refs? Maybe someone else? It can’t be his team that gave up double digit leads? Dwayne Wade took control and kept the heat on with the rest of the lakers. If you listen to Simmons, the heat shouldn’t have won a game all season. WIth all respect Mr. Cuban, you have the money, but you don’t have a bit of grace. I watched the presentation of the trophey, and both the commissioner and Pat Riley had the grace to congratulate your team on a hard fought battle. Again I’ll wonder who you’ll blame.
Comment by Rob -
Mark,
Can you do us Mavs fans who do not live in Dallas a favor? Never give the other team fuel for the fire. Yes there were a plethora of shitty calls in game 5 and in game 6, but calls come and go. If you want to rant and rave at the games, go ahead. Call David Stern a moldy old cunt if you want to, but do not go on talk shows until after the series is over. That becomes fodder for the opponents cannons and for the refs as well. You are the new guy on campus, and while I admire and applaud your efforts to turn the ownership rules on their head, you must still admit that in the Good Ole Boy mentallity of NBA owners, your ability to stir up the shit is costing your team and fans much grief. I had rather watched a team of transvestites with genitial herpes win the championship, than to see the heat win it. Just like the university of that same city, they are nothing more than a load of stocking wearing thug trash. Just remember next year to stay off the talk shows until the series is finished. Some Mavs’ fans would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks.
Comment by Jonathan -
They were booing Stern – not your team. Big difference there.
Comment by JustAThought -
You know its funny how a foul can be called with 1.9 secs left in Game 5, but not at the end of Game 6. When the Mavs were pushing to get off a 3-pt shot, one of the Heat players was holding onto his shirt as he went around the screen.
Guess you can’t make the same mistake twice…
Watch out Heat, we’ll be back and out for blood. DWade can only carry you so far.
Comment by Chris -
Way to go Mavs! Great season. And thank you Mark for making it exciting!
Comment by KDcrazy -
I’m 23 and been an NBA fan for 16 years. When I have discussions with friends about the best league out of NBA, NFL, MLB I always support the NBA as being the most exciting and organized league. There is absolutely no way I’ll take that stance after what I saw these finals. I don’t want to think the NBA has a hand in the way the games end up but it sure as hell comes off like it after some of those games. I’m living in California now and if I had a preference in the finals it was the Mavs because they’ve been exciting to watch all playoffs.
I’ve never been more ashamed of the sport and the NBA than I was after the call Wade got in game 5 with 2 SECONDS left. We should have been seeing game winning jump shots like MJ rather than free throws. The NBA is a physical game and Dirks hand on Wade’s back is not worthy of a call at the time in the game. Unless he’s clearly getting hacked at that point in the game its just not a call, simple as that. It’s sad to see a game go down like that.
As for howards timeout call I don’t think it was too much of a big deal because the foul call was blown before it anyways, but do you think they Spurs would have been screwed like that or would the refs have let it slide for them?
Game 6, yet again a game was decided with free throws in the last 25 seconds on a play where Wade wasn’t even in a scoring position. So let’s look at this. Game 6 of the NBA Finals, one point game, Wade is about to show his heroics (which would have been awesome to see) but wait a foul on a play where he lowers his shoulder into Dirk? Now free throws? Would it really have hurt anything to have let that just go so we can see the players play? Now, Terry comes down and runs off a screen for the three, his jersey is pulled out of his shorts and held onto while he’s shooting, please refer to heat fans postings which say the dirk foul on wade in game 5 was a legitimate call, then that must mean this is a foul too right? Do you mean the refs finally decided to let the game be played how it should be when the Mavs need a bogus call at the end? If you’re going to suck a reffing end of games atleast be consistent.
People can say what they what but it really is bad when I’m at the bar with a bunch of unbiased fans bringing up how disgraceful these games were. I’ve lost all my ammo in defending the league now after that. Stern should be ashamed and I probably would have been booing him too just like the Mavs fans did. Please Stern, get the league back in control.
Joe
Comment by Joe -
Now THIS is an article:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AueI6XIsyRc57iOvHud3Kl68vLYF?slug=dw-wade062006&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
Comment by Alex -
Here’s a quick bit of reality to those saying Dwade is manufactured. Its called business. he works hard, plays amazing, and projects a solid image. He gets the push. Look at Kobe before his downfall, look at Grant Hill before the injuries (and look at his numbers-so underated). These were young player who work hard, look good, and were for lack of a better word nice/approachable. The league likes these guys; why because they immediately appeal to those buying tickets and (opposite of how its portrayed) the merchandise; is you havent caught on its white America. I love Iverson but for the NBA as a business, his target market is a niche.
Comment by Brock -
I think that there is a song that goes with this:
I get by with a little help from my friends
(officials that is)
Comment by Bball Lover -
Alright. I’m a fan of the NBA and basketball as a whole. i have some issues with all the shit being posted and the simmons article. First i love CUban i’m originally from Dallas and has loved everythign he’s done, also though Dwade is my favorite player currently and this doesnt come from this it comes from when he dropped a triple double in the NCAA Tournament.
First all this downfall of the NBA talk is disgusting. Its been on record probably the best year of NBA basketball with all the emerging stars we are so quick to say “yay we have players now that actually love the game, are the top level, and love the fans and their teamates(Wade Lebron) which has sadly been missing for years which everyone agreed with, up until apparently recently. Now some people will also say they started watching because the great team play and added scoring. Which i also love, but here’s to me where people forget obvious things. The team play has been amazing and teh Mavs over the last couple years have been indicative of that mentality with detroit and the suns in there as well.
From those teams that are so team oriented only one has one one championship at this point. Everyone even Mavs fans( i know all my fam is) have been waiting for Dirk to be DIRK he finally is the superstar and lead the team farther than they have gotten in the past and hit the winning shot and took over in the San Antonio series like a superstar is supposed to do. Apparently everyone looks at that as the downfall when it is Wade. The problem is that teams are banking on unproven talent to be THE GUY and so you deal with a bunch of bullshit instead of forming a team and see who turns out to be an actual player capable of carrying his team. oh and BTW Wade shoots damn near 50% so dont tell me he’s ignoring players and its bad. back to my point though. The superstar is the guy who takes over games when necessary for his team and when did you see Wade hoisting up Kobe like shots(never). He was also torching yall in the fourth quarter he wasn’t just shooting to shoot the ball all the game he picked his moments throughout and saw that he needed to go beyond that for his team to win in the end because that is what superstars are they are better than everyone else on the court. So as NBA fans so many people who post here claim to be you don’t wan t the best player playing to he top of his ability during the game? Also look at the whole boxscore (steals and blocks) to dispel any further BS. Tim Duncan is apparently bad for the league by all these accounts because he is a superstar on a team, but is the focus. In every sport the superstar is asked to do more in big games, asked to carry the team, and apparently now someone has done it successfully in the face of team basketball all hell is breaking loose, get off it. Maybe there should be more anger that Dirk didnt exist in the whole series until game 6.
Whats bad for the league is GM’s and coaches who think one guy is gonna win it for them and have crap around him so he has carte blanche to jack up 30 shots and only make 11. Wade and Lebron do not do that consistently, also they have strong support to help carry the load until they may have to takeover because they are actual superstars. Anyone care to look at Posey’s numbers during the 4 games or ‘Toine who was solid for the most part, or GP’s big shots, or Haslem finally hitting in the second half of game 6.
Back to the playoffs and this series specifically. The officiating has been pretty bad all the way through, so dont throw it out there now that it is the Finals. I dont remember the officials shooting wade’s foul shots, i dont remember the officials let slip game 3. I dont remember the officials let wade hit jumper and penetrate all the way to the hoop at will and get fouls (whether deserved or not, that happens in sports its what it is). I dont remember the officials make the Mavs tae jumpshots and floaters when they got to the lane. especially in game 5 where they were calling it tight at the beginnning and prob would most of the game because of the stack v. shaq.
Also before i go i remember everyone loving the game becuase it was higher scoring and freer becase the refs stopped letting people get mugged and bumped going to the hole.
Lets please enjoy what a great year this has been and also recognize a player that has been for a while proving that he might be worthy to be put in line with greats; i’m not saying he’s Jordan, that is the media’s rediculousness, but if you don’t think he is amazing to watch and efficient(look at the numbers) then you don’t watch sports and dont appreciate a great young player who by no means is manufactured, he fucking works hard and if you’ve watched his progression in the league its been great.
Comment by Brock -
I just sauntered in here to see what all the “Weblog” hoopla was about, and was surprised by the decorum and content. I expected people to be throwing oatmeal at each other and crying about whose turn it was to watch the Sponge Bob TV. Nope.None of that, just fans. As a Heat fanatic, I know how you all must feel today. It’s tough, but I have a lot of respect for most you, you know, besides the whinny crybabies. To them,I say one simple truth.Dallas got beat. The End.
Comment by afequiere24@yahoo.com -
I just sauntered in here to see what all the “Weblog” hoopla was about, and was surprised by the decorum and content. I expected people to be throwing oatmeal at each other and crying about whose turn it was to watch the Sponge Bob TV. Nope.None of that, just fans. As a Heat fanatic, I know how you all must feel today. It’s tough, but I have a lot of respect for most you, you know, besides the whinny crybabies. To them,I say one simple truth.Dallas got beat. The End.
Comment by afequiere24@yahoo.com -
Ok so are you trying to imply that these officials were not playing favorites at all and it was simply poor shooting that caused the loss?
Put yourself in this fictitious position:
You are in the championship game.
It is bad enough that you have the pure pressure of trying to be number one in the country, but on top of that it seems as though the officials are calling the game for the other team(I bet I know what your thinking).
So how easy is it for you to get hot and play your best when you know that if you come within a foot of the opponent that you are going to get slapped with a foul, yet at the same time your opponent can beat the holly hell out of you and get away with it.
I know if it were me I would be so pissed off that I couldn’t see anything but the steam coming out of my ears, let alone a basket!
Ok so this is just a story not based on any actual events.
How would you feel?
I found this site today
Check it out
http://www.riggednba.com
Comment by Bball Lover -
Kyle, I know Phoenix had no chance this year, but they gave a healthy Dallas team all they could handle without Kurt Thomas and Amare on the court. It is true, there is a chance Amare won’t be the same, But a 70% Amare might be enough for Phoenix to top Dallas. And if he really comes back to form at 90 to 100%, then Dallas has real problems. Don’t overlook Phx just yet. We’ll see how he looks this summer as he joins the USA team.
Comment by Rick in Phoenix -
Mark,
I love you. Sorry about losing the finals and all. I’m sure you’ll bounce back. I just want to say a few quick things.
1. Buy the Cubbies – PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!
2. I think you are the best owner in sports, hands down. Your passion makes you, don’t lose it.
3. That all being said, I would love to work for you. Got a job for me?
Comment by Jim Wolfe -
Yes, the Heat fans were also guilty of booing in game 3. At least the booing was directed at those that were really to blame (the players). It is time for the Mavs fans to direct their displeasure at those who are really to blame (not Stern). Look at your shooting percentage. And why was Dirk passing it to Dampier at a key moment in the game? Yikes, who drew up that play? He has hands like Kwame Brown, and you want to rest your entire season on him?! He shouldn’t have even been in the game at that time!
They spent way too much energy looking for excuses and lost focus. Nash would have kept them focused, as Nowitzki and Avery surely did not. Thank the owner.
Comment by Rick in Phoenix -
Bill knows what he is talking about. I also think the NBA knows what they are doing when they schedule the Refs.
Comment by Jeff Jefferson -
Shaqs Elbow: I just want to thank god… for letting me find the courage to knock players to the ground multiple times a game.
I want to thank deven harris for being so small i was able to bounce
him up into cubans lap. I want to thank Dirk for falling for my pregame
bullshit so he wasnt suspecting a couple of concusions from me. and i
want to thank the NBA 2006 FINALS MVP the crawford refs With out you
Joey and Dan none of this is made possible. Thank you and God bless. i hope
this superman thing doesnt make you people think i like buff white guys in
red panties. Because i do.
PS Oliver Miller Ark 3
Shaq Elbow LSU 0
Comment by ShaqsElbow -
Dallas byfar has the best chance to make it back next season
Dallas=young and now more expierienced
Spurs=old and getting older, TD will have to take the entire season of to perform in the playoffs
Suns=nash BARELY made it through this season playing 35 mpg, no MVP for him next season and Amare won’t be anything like he was.
Heat=losing their entire bench, Alonzo is retiring and Payton will to. Posey is the only one possibly coming back. Shaq will have to do like TD and play halfass the entire season.
I know vegas already has Dallas at 4-1 odds to winning it and there is nothing to prove that wrong right now.
Only old player on Dallas is Darrel Armstrong and he can be easily replaced. Next to that is Dampier is only 31. Dirk is only 28 and Terry is only 29. Everyone else on the team has been in the league for under 6 years, still young and fresh as they were in college.
Comment by Kyle -
White Hot Heat Fan..I’ll bet you are no older than 10 and you are cursing on the internet, as you are not alloweed in your mommie’s house.
Now go play with your GIJoes and shut the hell up…go away troll!
Comment by Ryan Downey -
Dallas byfar has the best chance to make it back next season
Dallas=young and now more expierienced
Spurs=old and getting older, TD will have to take the entire season of to perform in the playoffs
Suns=nash BARELY made it through this season playing 35 mpg, no MVP for him next season and Amare won’t be anything like he was.
Heat=losing their entire bench, Alonzo is retiring and Payton will to. Posey is the only one possibly coming back. Shaq will have to do like TD and play halfass the entire season.
I know vegas already has Dallas at 4-1 odds to winning it and there is nothing to prove that wrong right now.
Only old player on Dallas is Darrel Armstrong and he can be easily replaced. Next to that is Dampier is only 31. Dirk is only 28 and Terry is only 29. Everyone else on the team has been in the league for under 6 years, still young and fresh as they were in college.
Comment by Kyle -
One more thing….
The WAAAAAAAAAA-vericks have soft players that don’t listen to their coach and settled for fadeaway jumpers instead of earning a whistle
GO HEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Al -
3 of the 4 victories by the Heat were razor close. That is why the officiating became such a factor.
Comment by Mark -
dallas goes nowhere with that cream puff dirk in their roster. NBA is a league for men, not whining pussies like the mavericks organization, team, and whole dallas city. you guys are a wannabe spurs and will go nowhere next year or after.
Comment by white hot heat fan -
ok Mavs fan. I know it’s disappointing but please stop whinning/crying. No one gave the Heat a chance, but we proved them wrong. We won the championship, cause we wanted it more. Look at the energy Zo was able to bring in the game last night, he played like a guy who could literraly smell that “elusive ring” and was gonna do what it takes to make it happen. 8 pts, 5 blocks, 6 rebounds in 14min..We just played the game with lots of heart. End result: 2006 NBA CHAMPIONSHIP!!!
NEXT STOP: 6/23/06 HEAT PARADE ON BISCAYNE BLVD, THEN HEADING DOWN TO OCEAN DRIVE ON SOUTH BEACH..sorry Marc Cuban, Avery and the rest of the Dallas fan..Your time has yet to come..Go Heat
Comment by fran fortin -
I felt so bad for the mavericks at one time after game a game I started thinking we would be better off sitting in protest… tell the nba to go explain to ABC why they cant fulfill the multimillion dollar contracts for the rest of the series. Sure they would of made us pay… but next year when Sterns watching his NBA Finals on FX we would of had the last laugh.
Comment by Ben (MFFL#1) -
http://WWW.GIVEATOWEL.COM
Comment by John -
Defense wins championships. Bitching and whining doesn’t. BTW neither does staring down the commisioner of the league, cursing at lowly reporters just trying to do their jobs, or storming on to the court bashing the very guys who officiate the game, moron!!! I can appreciate the fact that you bought a losing franchise and then put a winning product on the court, but your whining clouds all of that, and it trickled down to your coach and players, forcing them to take on the poor helpless victim role, instead of asserting themselves and taking the title. All you Mavs fans I understand your bitterness, with your team losing to an “undeserving” Miami team, but the refs or the league did not beat you. D-WADE beat the Mavs. Driving to the hole beat the Mavs. Defending home court beat the Mavs. Playing team defense beat the Mavs. Coaching beat the Mavs. Experience beat the Mavs. Not intentionally fouling players, thereby increasing team fouls, putting other driving players at the line earlier and making CLUTCH FREE THROWS beat the Mavs. I disagree with your decision to go on national TV amd bash Riley, bash Nash, and proclaim yourself the savior of the league after 2 home wins. Your an idiot and anyone who doesn’t realize that should think about the type of arrogance and megalomania it takes to plan a parade after 2 home wins. Your Dallas WAAAAAvericks choked away at the stripe, missed wide open jumpers, and relied on fouling shaq in hopes of eeking out victories. Give Miami its credit for taking their licks in the first two games, revising their game plans and understanding the situation by realizing that if you go to the hole and get hit, you get FTs. Your mighty Dirk disappeared in the fourth and that cocky JET missed 16 of his last 17. Blame that on the refs too. Miami has the best player in the current NBA. The rule changes apply to everyone, and he who takes advantage of them will be best suited to succeed. Your owner should spend more time doing something to benefit society with that money instead of arrogantly paying obscene fines by running his spoiled mouth. $1.7 million in fines. Show some humility and class and respect to your blue collar fans and appreciate your good fortune. Don’t blatantly flaunt your obscene wealth in front of your own patrons.
The Heat deserve to win. They came through in the clutch, drove the lane, hit their FTs, crashed the boards, played better defense, and adjusted game plans. They didn’t spend their days bitching and whining and looking for their owner to take the spot light. The Heat manned up and took what they set out to take.
THE 2006 NBA CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!
BTW Wade is a freaking STUD!!!
GO HEAT!!!!!
Comment by Al -
Thank you, Mark, for everything you have done for the team, and thank you for having the balls to stick up for the truth. I only hope that the league takes a good hard look at what happened in these playoffs and also in this finals series and make the necessary changes to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again to a team as deserving as the Mavs.
Comment by Stubbs -
Get rid of rules since the nba can’t follow them.
Comment by ex nba fan -
Get rid of rules since the nba can’t follow them.
Comment by ex nba fan -
Relax, Mark. DWade was fouled in game 5. Your phantom “end of the play” rationalization is called DENIAL and it’s not a river in Africa. I love you as an owner, you’re great. But you and Avery and Dirk have gone too far. You look like jilted 13 year old girls when you whine like that. So what if an SI reporter agrees, you blew the crap out of game 3, you got killed in game 4, you lost game 5 (FAIR AND SQUARE) and you lost at home in game 6. OUCH!!! I’m a Sonics fan, a Flyers(NHL) fan and a Seahawks fan. I know the pain, I know the failures. I still think the NFL refs blew the SuperBowl(and no photographs totally refute that). But I stopped whining. Relax, enjoy the runner up finish and for God’s sake, add some toughness to that soft, but extremely talented team.
Comment by Chris McKeever -
Bill Simmons is dead wrong. Since the Jordan era, this league has been all about the star-power. Great players produce great moments. that is what this series has been all about. every game was well played by both teams.
If Dirk had gone off in this series and the Mavs won in 5 games, I would bet a piece of my anatomy we wouldn’t be reading about how the league is boring, but rather how great a team the Mavs are…
sour grapes.
the Mavs had a good year but came up short in the end when they fell back in love with the jump shot…
Comment by Guy -
Last night’s game was a microcosm of the entire series and the real reason the Mav’s lost.
Tell me if I’m missing something here, but check out the play by play on cbssportsline.com.
Q1 – 6 layups or driving dunks
Q2 – 8
Q3 – 5
and quarter 4, when Mav’s are in the bonus with 10 minutes left in the quarter, Shaq sitting on the bench in foul trouble for a big part of it, the Mav’s went to the basket 4 times.
They had a great opportunity to close out that game strong, but either couldn’t or wouldn’t do it. As well as Dirk shoots free-throws, a team in foul trouble like that would have had to have given him a lot of room to work or risk putting him on the line. Golden opportunity. Didn’t capitalize.
That had nothing to do with the officiating. This mav’s team will get their rings. And I think this loss will spur them to it.
Comment by RJ -
Last night’s game was a microcosm of the entire series and the real reason the Mav’s lost.
Tell me if I’m missing something here, but check out the play by play on cbssportsline.com.
Q1 – 6 layups or driving dunks
Q2 – 8
Q3 – 5
and quarter 4, when Mav’s are in the bonus with 10 minutes left in the quarter, Shaq sitting on the bench in foul trouble for a big part of it, the Mav’s went to the basket 4 times.
They had a great opportunity to close out that game strong, but either couldn’t or wouldn’t do it. As well as Dirk shoots free-throws, a team in foul trouble like that would have had to have given him a lot of room to work or risk putting him on the line. Golden opportunity. Didn’t capitalize.
That had nothing to do with the officiating. This mav’s team will get their rings. And I think this loss will spur them to it.
Comment by RJ -
Ben, you dumb shit, ever heard of sarcasm?
Comment by MFFL! -
Do you want to know why YOUR TEAM lost game 6?? Because YOUR heads were still in game 5. Just play the game–don’t pout, shout, and say it’s rigged. If you think the NBA is rigged Cuban and the city of Dallas, sell the team. Why participate and spend money on something that obviously is biased towards you (as I roll my eyes). I don’t live in Dallas, but I happen to like your team–always have–and I was rooting for you. But after seeing the cry baby antics of game 5, I don’t think I can root for you again. If there is nothing that turns me off more it’s millionaires and billionaires crying about how life is so unfair. It’s a ball game!! And the fans–you guys don’t play in a single game and you shout that you were robbed?!? If you have a grievance, file it–I know you won’t win, but I would have more respect for you.
Comment by Tawanna -
Im neither a mav fan or a heat fan and the campionship was a joke,you say suck it up to the mav fans or whoever to let them have their due. what due by bad call after bad call on game winning dicisions you are a jackass and probably one of thoese for illegal aliens. rules are rules either play the game fair or don’t have rules.And chokn at the end did you even watch the game wade fouled dirk and wade got the two free throws also the last shot by the mavs did you see you blind jackass that the mav was fouled you can’t pull a jersey.I hope someone takes your job by lying because that is what you are saying its ok to be a liar and a cheat mffl you are a jackass.And its people like you that say its ok to cheat that ruined the nba.Just a fair game would be nice, a couple of bad calls I can see but come on in game deciding calls that were bullshit. watch the tape the tape doesn’t lie but you like to believe in liars and cheats so good luck to you fool.Heat are a fraud.
Comment by ex nba fan -
Ben,
You stupid, stupid man (or woman). I don’t care who Allen Iverson played against, he didn’t win a damn championship. In case you didn’t notice, HE’S STILL PLAYING AT A HIGH LEVEL, against the SAME PEOPLE that Wade is playing against. Did he even make the playoffs this year?
Meanwhile, Wade singlehandedly wins a championship for a team with aging veterans who are way past their prime. Shaq? He’s good, but not his old self. Wade lifted the Heat on his shoulders and won it for them, and there’s nothing your whining ass can do about it but bitch and moan and think you’re better than everyone else. Another Cuban clone. One of the rejected models, I suppose….
Man, you are the type of fan that goes to show what a waste of brain cells is. You seem to think you’re making good, smart points when in reality you’re just showing how incredibly dumb you are. If you had a shred of NBA knowledge you might make sense. But you don’t. Have a nice offseason with your blowup doll.
Comment by Alex -
Mavs fans,
It doesn’t matter. The Heat fans just want the trophy. They don’t care how they get it. I guess we would be the same way. Even Randy Galloway was commenting on the bad calls after game 5. If the Heat fans can’t see what happened, then it’s probably because they haven’t stopped popping pimples yet…
Comment by Mark -
Like Sean Connery said in “The Rock”…
“Your best? LOSERS ALWAYS WHINE about doing their best! WINNERS go home and f**k the prom queen!”
Replace “your best” with “the officals” and that’s the message he would have for Mavs Nation tonight!
Comment by Jason -
another moronic comparison there alex. and your other friend already proved not a mav fan for the simple fact hes from NY. Grant hill and allen iverson played agianst kobe and shaq. and duncan in his prime and a much better pistons team. where as wade had shaq and about 4 other players onboard for there 1 shot chance at a title. good try though but get real you know nothing about this sport and you prove me right with every responce.
Comment by Ben (MFFL#1) -
Bill Simmons…….what a queer! This guy looks like he always got picked last in kickball
Comment by Josh -
texas fans in new york lol… thats as funny as saying wade is the next mj Ahyucks and gee wiz gollys dont cover up, and folks from texas dont put commas in there yall we dont have that kind of edumication down heer in der south…
Comment by Ben (MFFL#1) -
Ben,
Is it so hard to believe that there are normal Mavericks fans who have eyes and ears and common sense? Jeez, I’M embarrassed for these people. Damn, you’re so stupid.
And, if you haven’t noticed, Grant Hill and Allen Iverson have nothing on Wade. He’s already got a ring. Thus his legacy begins….
Comment by Alex -
Ha Ha
It will take you guys years to recover from this finals loss. Dirk is a weak player who is as soft as a cookie. your team will fall apart after this. and the Spurs & Suns will be contenders frim the west for a long time! GO SPURS GO GO SPURS GO GO SPURS GO GO SPURS GO GO SPURS GO GO SPURS GO GO SPURS GO GO SPURS GO GO SPURS GO GO SPURS GO GO SPURS GO GO SPURS GO !!!
Comment by Mike Spurzy -
What’s an IP address? Ahyuck. I’m from Texas, but I live in NY. Stop speakin for the rest of us normal fans and get on with yer life. Like I said, yer an embarrassment to us.
Comment by MFFL! -
Wade legacy, lol he looks more like the next grant hill if hes lucky he might be the next allen iverson. Good but not legendary and certainly not mike.
Comment by Ben (MFFL#1) -
perhaps mark could pull back his IT skills for a moment and drop these “MAVS FANS” IP addresses and geotrack it i got 50 dollars there from either san antonio, phx, miami, or there names Dale Hansen/Galloway lol
Comment by Ben (MFFL#1) -
The truth from a neutral Suns fan.
— I wanted the winner to come from the west. If the Suns couldn’t have it then Dallas was okay with me.
–Cuban showed class applauding after game six
–Cuban showed a lack of class on many other occasions. I appreciate his passion, he is an asset to the league, but at times he acts like a spoiled child.
— The Letterman thing was a big mistake on his part. Were you realling making parade plans?
–The refs made mistakes, but they also hosed Nash, and instead of whining and kicking innocent excercise equipment, he blamed no one and focused on the next game.
–Suns fans started to get the reputation of whining too much, and I didn’t like it. Dallas fans took it to a whole new level because of their owner. They’ll do whatever he does (lemmings). This hurt his team, no matter what some people say, it WAS a distraction. He is so popular with the Dallas fans, that they now whine and complain right along with him. Are they sending daily video tapes to Stu also?
–There is no way Miami is the best team in the league, but the best team doesn’t always win. Dallas might be the best team, but I think Detroit has the best personnel, with San Antonio or Dallas coming next, then Miami fourth.
— As a 7-footer, Nowitski should have taken it to the paint more (too many fade-aways). As an NBA star this would have earned him some easy whistles just like Wade received. This will help him lose his “soft” label.
–I was disappointed that the Dallas fans decided to stick around just to “boo” Stern. It wasn’t his fault, as much as Cuban has you believeing it was. Think about it…Who really is to blame? (Don’t say the refs either).
–I really was neutral and leaning towards Dallas when the finals started, but to much bitching and finger pointing really made it hard to root for Dallas.
–Doesn’t their well-appointed lockerroom come equipped with mirrors?
–As for Phoenix, I was suprised they got that far without Amare. The way the match-ups worked out really helped them.
IF (a big IF)Amare comes back healthy, they should be the team to beat (and I hope we do it with class).
–And by the way Dallas, it is time to stop obsessing over Nash and whether or not you are better with out him. Letting him go has helped both teams. Phoenix doesn’t care any more, Nash dosn’t care any more, why do some of you continue to bring it up 2 years later? And for Cuban to take a jab at him on Letterman? Nice……He needs to get over it already! very insecure and childish…
Comment by Rick in Phoenix -
I’m a deeeetroyt pistons fan, and the Heat killed you Mavz. I’m psyched the East won another championship. Suck it!!! Stop complaynin like a bunch of pussies.
Comment by NBA FanAtiC -
First, glad to see all the classy Miami fans posting on here… thanks for showing us how to be a good winner! Second, Mavs had a great season and I hope they can stay together to make a run next year. Re-sign Terry!!!
Comment by Mac -
I’m with MavsFan1. I’m embarrassed to be a Mavs fan based on the bitchin and moanin by y’all, starting with Mr. Cuban. Both teams got bad calls, and we ended up chokin in the end. I hope this toughens us fans up because y’all sound like a bunch of pussies. Give the Heat their due and look forward to next year.
Oh, and Wade’s not the next Michael Jordan. He’s got his own legacy to build.
Comment by MFFL -
I am a huge Mavs fan. MFFL!! I am just a realist, and I hope to preserve some dignity and class amongst the rest of us. The Mavs had a great season, and Dirk is one of the best players in the league. But we wilted. I do hope we can learn from it all and win next season.
Comment by MavsFan1 -
Alex, on behalf of Mavs fans everywhere, and Mark Cuban too…
Shut the fuck up.
You said…
Let’s just say that you were proven wrong 100% about each and every call that went against your team, because they were justified calls.
Well do you have a follow up to that shit brake? For a second it sounded like you were going somewhere. How bout this dummy. Let’s just say that Mark is proven right on 50% of the calls, wrong on the other 50%. Well, that is still incompetent officiating. What’s so wrong with the idea of grading the refs and rewarding the best ones with playoff games. I can assure you that if you do that, no Bavetta, no Salvatore, no Dan Crawford, etc…
What’s wrong with trying to improve your product? What’s wrong with checks and balances? What’s wrong with enforcing the rules as they are written? Why should a superstar get preferrential treatment. If they’re superstars they should be able to beat people off the dribble without pushing off, or drive the lane without 4 steps AND a power hop. Otherwise, they aren’t superstars, they’re just good players who get all the calls.
Comment by MavsFanForLife (Go Cuban) -
Thank you Bill Simmons!!!
Thank you Mark for sharing this with us.
I agree that Bill has summarized all the Finals issues in this piece of literature. Because that’s what it is.
The NBA needs leadership with the guts of Mark Cuban to stand up for what is right and to defend his team.
Now remember, the NBA si just another Corporate America look alike.
Only the $$ count. They don’t give a damn about their people, in this case the players and the coaches, they only care about themselves and how good they look on TV.
The NBA Cares???? Yeah right……
I always have said about companies who talk about something too much, they have a problem with it internally. So here it is again, the NBA CARES, but NOT about their own people.
I LOVE basketball. I love MJ, I love DW, I love LeBron, I Love Dirk, I love TD and keep on going. Why? because they make the sport so beautiful to watch.
Why don’t the refs and the league let those magicians play the game and show off all they have in store for the fans? NO, they have to rigg it with some corrupt refs. Maybe they need to pay the refs better, so that their job becomes an art like playing the game is for the players. Would that not be something?
Mark, thank you again for all that you do for the game of basketball, and thanks to all our players for making it fun to watch.
Comment by JoZ -
Ridiculous. Bill Simmons’ article is simply ridiculous. Here’s why. Bill says that the MAVERICKS have had a solution to everything they’ve come up against this season. That flexibility has been the key to their success. In the same article, he says, no, he berates the HEAT (by saying the ‘team sucks’ – that’s great journalism, oh wait he’s a sports columnist) for being a one-horse team (DW).
SO? If the HEAT are so scant in the talent department, then why didn’t the MAVS wipe them up in game three and set themselves up to win just one more game? If you know strategically that the HEAT will be relying on WADE, where’s the solution the MAVS should be employing? According to Simmons, this should be simple:
MAVS = great team play + problem solving
HEAT = only one quality scorer + a cast of losers/rejects/back lot wannabes
Therefore MAVS vs HEAT in The Finals = MAVS championship.
It’s okay to not like a team, but don’t use your media outlet, Mr. Simmons, to claim that if a particular team would win the NBA Championship that it would be *terrible* and a *tragedy*, but that if the opposition team won it would be great for the game. The same way it is theoretically impossible for one player to have been sent to the free throw line so often – as you contend Wade was, I say it is as impossible for one team to reduce the NBA to rubble, as Mr. Simmons asserts the HEAT are doing by winning basketball games.
I am a HEAT fan, but I also like Mark Cuban and his contemporary style and the fact that he has obviously put a great team together. Can’t we agree that two teams fought their way through an entire season and now here they are? The only two left standing in the league this year?
May the better team win. Go HEAT.
Comment by Josef Kachman -
Mark, you are a disgrace. I won’t even dignify you by calling your last name. Let’s just say that you were proven wrong 100% about each and every call that went against your team, because they were justified calls. You blog about doing what’s right, yet when your team is benefiting from the calls, you gloat on Letterman and write happy-go-lucky blogs.
Incidentally, I find it quite coincidental that your laptop be “broken” between games 4 and 5, when you had been nonchalantly writing in your blog prior to game 4 (as if you had the series wrapped up).
I hope you leave the league, just as you said you would if you don’t get your way. You are a childish person; you whine, rant, and curse when your team loses. The Mavs do not deserve to win, simply because they have you as an owner. I can’t wait for you to leave the league.
Comment by Alex -
I’m as big a Bill Simmons fan as they come, but to say he is unbiased is absurd. Everyone has bias. Every reporter, no matter how well-respected and impartial, brings to the table some sense of how the world should work — columnists even more so. Columnists are paid to have opinions and usually choose what they want to write about. Bill Simmons wants to see a more free-flowing NBA game (as do I) as opposed to one man taking over, driving, taking fouls, and slowing down the game. Most of his facts are correct, but the ones he chooses are entirely rooted in his bias.
Read Michael Wilbon’s column in today’s Washington Post. Whether or not there was an over-and-back is inconclusive from the TV footage. But the video shows that D-Wade was fouled (just not by Dirk). Did the right guy make the call? No. Did that wrong guy make the right call? Not exactly. But there was a foul.
I thought Bill Simmons crafted a very insightful column, and I agree with most of it. But to say he and his disgruntled readers are entirely right about the finish in game 5 is over-simplifying the matter. I watched that last play, and I saw a guy slashing through players who couldn’t move their feet fast enough. Sure, refs usually swallow their whistles in the closing seconds, but if there was a foul, it’s okay to call it. Don’t punish the guy who has the balls to take it strong to the hoop.
On the flip side, if I’m Mark Cuban (or a Mavs fan), I’m pissed. I don’t start staring down David Stern necessarily, but I’m fired up. That’s what makes sports with referees different from most other disciplines: there’s a subjective human element thrust right into the middle of the action. Bottom line, the ending was close, calls could have gone either way, and whichever fans didn’t get the call Sunday night would be jamming their local sports radio phone lines Monday morning.
Rest assured, however, that none of this is indicative of a conspiracy or the abrupt end of a new golden age of NBA basketball. It was one sequence at the end of a tightly-fought game that could have gone either way. Give Wade his due for stepping up, making a move, and then knocking down two clutch free throws, and then get ready for another hard-fought game tonight.
Comment by John (Arlington, VA) -
Mark, you are a disgrace. I won’t even dignify you by calling your last name. Let’s just say that you were proven wrong 100% about each and every call that went against your team, because they were justified calls. You blog about doing what’s right, yet when your team is benefiting from the calls, you gloat on Letterman and write happy-go-lucky blogs.
Incidentally, I find it quite coincidental that your laptop be “broken” between games 4 and 5, when you had been nonchalantly writing in your blog prior to game 4 (as if you had the series wrapped up).
I hope you leave the league, just as you said you would if you don’t get your way. You are a childish person; you whine, rant, and curse when your team loses. The Mavs do not deserve to win, simply because they have you as an owner. I can’t wait for you to leave the league.
Comment by Alex -
If only the Mavwrecks worked on their game as much as they practice their whining. They could be a dynasty. Why do they fail to mention Nowitzki has now shot more free throws this year than anyone in playoff history? New format or not, the calls are going both ways. Deal with it. If Cuban truly cared about the fans of the NBA, he would not allow his players to kick balls into the stands, regardless of whether they hit someone or not. One of the many reasons they are chumps and not champs.
Comment by Sean -
I LOVE BASKETBALL!! I am 71 years old, my nephew is a Coach and my college roommate is the wife of Billy Tubbs (OU,TCU and now Lamar).So Basketball has been our favorite for many years.
My husband had a stroke 12 years ago, cannot walk or talk, but my nephews teams and the sporting world gives us so much excitment and entertainment and something to look forward to. We can’t attend the Mavrick games because we live on disability and retirement, therefore, we cannot afford to even PARK our car.I think it is despicable the way the parking lot owners are gouging the fans. We don’t have cable and we could not watch the games with the SPURS,but we tried to listen on the radio and anxiously awaited the new each night. I have given up on trying to understand what is a foul and what is NOT.I don’t even know how the players and coaches know anymore. But, I hate it when the refs make the deciding factor of a game to be made with a FREE THROW. What is wrong with these refs allowing the players to PLAY the game and scoring a BASKET be the deciding factor, unless it is a distinctive hard foul. I understand the frustration of the players and the coaches. I felt like throwing something at those refs myself. Good thing I have to watch it on TV. I might be on the front page of the newspaper. Thank goodness for Mr. Simmons. He seems to be the only one able to “tell it like it is”!! The rest have to tiptoe around the truth of it all or PAY BIG BUCKS!! That is so WRONG!!
I have never felt my opinion was wanted, needed or even heeded, but at least I feel better now that I have had my say!! “WE WAS ROBBED”!!!(Smile)
Comment by Anita Elliott -
OK, OK, I understand Game 5 was a disaster on multiple levels, but let’s not ignore the Mavericks deficiencies. Here are 5 things the Mavs have screwed up over the last 3 games.
1. Too many flops. On defense, Harris, Howard and Terry look like the “bad guys” in a 80s Kung-Fu movie the way their heads snap back any time a heat player gets close to them with the ball in their hands.
2. Remember that fouling Shaq intentionally leads to free throws not only for him, but for his teammates later in the period.
3. Get into your half-court offense quicker. Far too often Dallas is starting their sets with 12 or 13 seconds on the shot clock.
4. More guys to the offensive glass. You have to work harder on that end of the floor, don’t shy away from contact and don’t be afraid to let Miami have some fast break opportunities.
5. Can anyone in a Mavs uniform post up? Geez. Can Nowitzki not take advantage of posey on the blocks?
Comment by John -
Amen! Bill Simmons and Mark Cuban I salute you! MFFL! Go Mavs!
Comment by Kristi -
Hey Mark, the true NBA fans, and paying customers are lucky to have an owner question all the BS that has been going on for years now. The NBA wants seven games to happen in most playoff series, the refs know it, they are just doing what they’re told. That’s my opinion. Your team will WIN. You deserve it.
Comment by Eddie S. -
In response to Aaron, I’d have to disagree. I think the Suns show it. They are almost exactly the team you described (except they don’t have all of the top shooters), and they can’t win. And I don’t think they will win. It’s been proven time and time again that defense wins championships, and I don’t think that’s going to be broken any time soon. Take a look at the stats for the Suns:
Regular reason scoring: 108.4 ppg
Conference semifinals: 112.3 ppg
Conference finals: 101.2 ppg
How about the Mavs:
Regular season: 99.1 ppg
Conference semis: 103.9 ppg
Conference finals: 103.8 ppg
Finals: 91.8 ppg
And the Heat:
Regular season: 99.9 ppg
Conference semis: 102.0 ppg
Conference finals: 89.8 ppg
Finals: 92.4 ppg
For all three cases, in the final series, the scoring average was way down. The Suns, Mavs, and Heat all 7 points off their regular seaons average. You just can’t outscore your opponent in the Finals. It doesn’t work in the later rounds. The Heat and Mavs have both stepped up the defense in the Finals, and that’s how it’ll likely be for some time. Sorry Suns fans.
Comment by Jordan -
Excuse if this comes in twice. I posted once and it never showed up. I really enjoyed Bill Simmons’ article. He is right on.
Also LOVE Mark Cuban. There should be more NBA owners like him and maybe Stern wouldn’t have so much power. I am almost 70 yrs. of age and it is a joy to watch Mark be a great fan, not just an owner.
Three refs that I have been complaining about for several years are Bennett Salvatore, Dick Bavetta (must have cataracts) and Ronnie Nunn whom I believe has retired. Hopefully Bavetta has neither of the last two games in Dallas.
Comment by Jan -
I’m not a Mavs fan but I feel for your team and fans. It’s obvious the NBA wants this to go 7 and they always give a SHAQ team whatever they want. Add Pat Reilly and Dwyane Wade could go do whatever he wants and gets away with it.
That Wade drive at the end of the game.. I wouldn’t even call a foul on that play if I were playing my rec league at the Y. Bogus call.
The NBA wants Wade to be a star and this is why he shot as many free throws as the whole Mavs team.
Dallas wins Game 6. Than Game 7, we’ll see what the refs have in store. If they let the game be played. The Mavs win, if the NBA gets it’s way Dwyane and Shaq get there trophy.
Much love from Philly, Cubes
Comment by Kevin -
I think Mark Cuban is a genius, every owner should take this much interest in his team and truly love what they’re doing. If everyone doesn’t wish they had an owner like him, they are crazy. Dallas shows the same fire he does and the NBA has to quit treating him like a criminal and I personally believe they have a grudge against him, and I’m not even a Mavs fan, I’m a Net’s fan! Go Mavs, Riley’s a chump.
Comment by Sal -
That is a great aricle. The Mavs are the future of the NBA.. Mark, can an owner be the commissioner of the NBA? That would be great! haha..
Comment by port orange real estate -
Brian Hauer—
MJ pushed off. How can that be one of the greatest shots ever? It does nothing more than teach people that cheating is ok, Mike did it. I hate it when people bring up that shot as “great”. The foul was greater, but just another instance of the officials blind eyes. I agree with you about superstars, we need them. But supposedly what makes them great is their ability to over achieve everyone else. It takes away from their greatness if the refs put blinders on and patty-cake them.
Comment by Trey -
Amen Bill..
Comment by Tawna -
Mark,
I think you are awesome. I’ve been a MFFL since you bought the team. I was and still am very glad that we have an owner that’s excited about our team.
You have obviously made a difference in the players’ game and attitude because they know you care, too.
I’m glad we’re back home. I was going to complain about the officiating in the 4th quarter of game 5, but I’m sure you don’t need to hear it or be reminded of it.
Anyway, I have faith in the Mavs and I know they’ll win tonight and Thursday and make “us” the champs!!!
GO MAVS!!!!
MFFL Lynette
Comment by Lynette -
The Mavs BandWagon is just about to be
flat tired once and for all…
Loxahatchee, Florida Heat Fan
Travel-Ascending.com
http://www.travel-ascending.com/
Comment by Dan -
I am a san antonio spurs fan born and raised in miami florida….
it didn’t make a difference to me who won the championship this year but i wasn’t rooting against any team. miami is my home team so i would like them to win and dallas i’ve always liked and wouldn’t mind to see them win…
but after game 5… i was disgusted… i would like for miami to win but not like that. that was a bs call to decide a finals game… to give the other team the swing… it was BS. i actually saw wade hit terry on the elbow twice before his last shot of regulation and no1 called that. Since the end of game 5, i’ve been rooting for the mavs to win.. i hope they put it to the heat because its bs whats happening and aside from everything shaw is an idiot…
mark you deserve to hold that trophy handed to you from stern… then put it on the floor, pull out your dick.. and piss in that shit.. tell stern to have a sip.. that would be great.
go mavs.. you have 1 guy from miami rooting for your team.. i even wore an old finley jersey to play basketball w/my heat fan friends yesterday.. it felt great. good luck!
i wish i could make it to game 7!
Comment by Jorge -
I got chills from reading what is the first truthful take about the whole series.
GO MAVS!!!!
Comment by Jeff -
That was a friggin great article . . . the reference to Die Hard and Dirk’s reaction after Game 5 was great . . . even Dirk has to laugh about that one! . . . and it is TRULY IMPOSSIBLE for one player to shoot more FTs than a whole team . . . unexcusable refereeing . . . GO MAVS!
Comment by PodcastMayhem.com -
Mark you’re getting pounded everywhere. But you’re a big boy and can take all the comments including the fine(s). I agree with you that there were some questionable calls in the final seconds that went against the Mavs. But the missed free throws by the Mavs didn’t helped either. I guessed nobody has to remind anyone that at this point, eveything little thing – possession, and-one FT, FT – is critical. And if the game is too close, some games will not go your way. Considering that many are against the Mavs or (against you becaue they dislike you), including most commentators, the Mavs have to beat the Heat convicingly just like the first two games. And it will not be easy because the referees are giving Wade the treatment that they gave MJ. Wade is a great player and I’m not trying to discredit him, but the refs need to make the calls consistently. A foul is a foul a foul. He has gotten away with too many push offs, while most Mavs that penetrates get call for offensives. Consistency please.
Open letter to the Maverick players:
Marquis, you’ve shut down Wade before. Please get in there and get him. Hopefully Avery will play you more tonight. Also, Wade has some serious hang time, I know you and Josh can stay up with him. A front and back cover should do him in because Wade likes to fade a little to get a little more separation or to change shot angle when he uses the board. The trailer should have a good shot of blocking his shot from behind. Also, shoot all those floaters, runners, and short jumpers in the paint. Diop and Damp should be in position to eat the glass or slam it for a put back if they missed. The Heat don’t have a second rebounder. And both Zo and Shaq like to commit early. Dirk, JT, Devin, and Stack please bring it. You guys haven’t run on all cylinders together in this series. If there’s ever that time, it’s tonight. Seeing all of you in full strides should be demoralizing to opponents.
Good luck. GO MAVS!!
Comment by Texaspeklat -
If only something could actually make you never say another word…. pointless nonsense just seems to pour out of your mouth. You are the reason people don’t care about Dallas. If they had another owner they’d probably have people that cared how they did. The fact that you have this “me” against the world attitude takes the spotlight away from your players that have worked very hard this season. Does anyone really talk about the games or your asinine behavior? Your pontificating is better suited to wrestling, people expect it there.
Comment by Mars -
umm another fine…guess freedom of speech isent so free anymore….GO MAVS!
Comment by Manda -
I read his article too….I especially like the part that reads:””Maybe Mark Cuban shouldn’t have gone on ‘Letterman’ after Game 3 and made it seem like the series was still in the bag” camps.”
I love the Mavs, but sometimes you just add fuel to the opposing teams fire.
Comment by Dan Conter -
I have to agree with Bill Simmons. I think team basketball is more enjoyable to watch instead of one player jacking up jump shots while the other players just watch.
Also, it may sound kind of corny, but it doesn’t set a good role model. Kids should try and learn teamwork.
Comment by yellowhairedguy20 -
Bill Simmons is the ONLY guy who will tell it like it is in the NBA. I’ve respected him for years, and this is just one more proof that he echoes the voice of the fan.
Now, if ESPN would stop praising the Heat long enough to put the article on their front page, instead of hiding it on pg 2.
Comment by Brian -
Let’s not talk about the equity of foul calls. Personally, I think the calls are ridiculous. Its not that they are one sided. The problem is that they are totally inconsistent all the way around. All the calls are lame.
For instance, compare Wade hanging from the basket and getting a Technical while Dampier did the same times 3. All he got from the ref was a slap on the backside.
Come on Mark, Get on Dirk and tell him to take it easy on the training equipment and his feet. He needs to be healthy for your Game 6 loss tonight.
Comment by The Travis Johnson Blog -
Interesting article. I am a superstitous person and believe that you blogging all day the day of the game (and even during the game for the first 2 games) is something that must happen for us to get even tonight and win come Thursday! Let’s go Cuban- blog away- Let’s go Mavs- shoot away.
Sean
Comment by Sean -
simmons’ article was dead on. i’m not a heat or mavs fan, but i was amazed at the one-sidedness of the calls on Sunday.
i’m now pulling for your mavs. good luck tonight!
mario
ps, i’m a pittsburgh native who moved to Los Angeles 2 years ago, so PLEASE buy the Pirates!!
GO Steelers
Comment by mario -
All I have to say is that the MJ era was some of the best basketball I’ve ever seen. The game is changing as does every sport but the game will not suffer if Miami wins. Look at the influx of international players and what they bring to the game. You had teams in the 90’s that tried to open up the floor but when it came to playoff time, they couldn’t get it done. The future of NBA Basketball is in Phoenix.
Comment by randy -
Guess Bill Simmons should expect the league to pull his media credential at any time…just picked up tickets for tonight’s game and to quote a former Laker “It’s winnin’ time!” Go Mavs, Let’s Roll!
Comment by Barry Shelton -
After reading the article I started to think about what would happen in the following scenario. Think of it only as a thought experiment for now. I’m curious to see if others think a team built around this concept could possibly win. The closest team I can think of that runs a similar system is Phoenix.
Imagine putting together a team with a line-up of the best shooters in the league, specifically guys who shoot above the 40% mark from behind the three-point line, and 50% from the field. Guys who come to mind (and going by stats): Richard Hamilton, Steve Nash, Dirk, Ray Allen, Michael Redd, Billups….you can look up the numbers. Now you tell this team to simply fire away from the 3-point line, alternating of course to avoid fatigue (although I don’t think it would really matter on a 12-13 person team. While you lose a lot on the inside and defensively, is it possible that you simply score too many points for it to matter? There are enough good shooters out there in my opinion to make this strategy work, especially if an offense was designed to allow for it.
Only reason I bring this up is because I think teams like Phoenix, which many have described as playing a team game that might be more common in the near future of the NBA, plays pretty close to this. They get fouled very rarely, and obviously aren’t very defensive-minded. Anyway, just a thought.
Comment by Aaron -
Mark,
Great article! Simmons might be taking over your spot as my hero…
Good luck tonight…GO MAVS!!!!
Comment by Theresa -
“If watching a man in a flak jacket and thigh pads repeatedly throw himself into defenders to draw foul calls is what passes for “competition,”, I believe I can live without the game.”
Great comment – exactly the thought I had watching that game. It just looked so silly to me because there was a foul if you defended him or got in the way of his layups. I cannot remember the last time I saw so many free throws in a game, nevermind from one player. And I’ve seen A LOT of games during the MJ era.
I’ve always enjoyed Bill Simmons’ articles because he is not biased, but a true fan who appreciates sports for what it is, and his columns are often quite funny.
I am surely not a Mavs fan, but c’mon Heat fans – you need to get a grip if you think that game was called fairly.
Comment by stephen -
Listen people if you agree with Mr. Cuban its only because you are a mav’s fan because if you have any sense just read what Bryan Hauer wrote thats the truth, but since everyone has a right to kiss Mr. Cuban ($%@!#)
thats okay to, i have alot of respect for Mr. Cuban and i’m a die hard HEAT FAN but you have to have some respect for someone like him who has gotten to where he’s at today in the business world etc. but come on people team basketball is great but where would basketball be if there was no MJ. his article and opinion is not what most people who watch the NBA think, why? because back then there was only MJ, now you have 7 to 10 players who could make the difference at the end of a game or who could carry there team to a win including your own Dirk Norchoker who hasn’t shown up yet, key word yet, yes i’m worried because if he does then the HEAT are in trouble but i guess where only hours away from the end result, all you MAV fans have your own thought and opinion you guys really can’t tell me that you agree with that statement you guys are a bunch of whiners suck it up and tell your players to have some cojoness and make there free throws at the end of the game instead of crying about fouls, your superstars missed 3 out of 4 in the final min. are you kidding me,….good luck Dirk NOCHOKER….GOOD LUCK EVERYONE BUT YOU BETTER HOPE THAT ITS NOT CLOSE AT THE END OF THE GAME BECAUSE YOU KNOW THEY WILL HAVE CHUNKS OF FOOD ON THERE JERSEY….
Comment by arby -
While I agree that the free-throw disparity was rather ridiculous I can’t help but remember how much more active Miami seemed to be in game 5. I was watching and saying outloud to the TV – “just drive the damn ball, they are calling everything.” And that was to the Mavs. The Mavs just seemed more timid about it. I think if they had forced the action more then the free throws would have been much closer, but like Dirk, it seems that the Mavs as a whole (less Stack – take down Shaq like a man!) are afraid of the contact.
Wade falls a lot but never shys away from the contact. To clarify here, not a Miami fan anymore than a Mav fan, but I remember watching early in the series and thinking the Mavs were drawing an awful lot of charges by taking flops like Divac back in the day. This was annoying to watch, just as much as game 5 where every touch by Wade they either called the foul or made one up.
Just let the players play, put your whistle in your pocket unless you NEED it. If you wouldn’t call it at the park, let it go. I don’t want to see a bunch of flops, or a bunch of guys hugging Shaq (the hack-a-shaq should be an intentional foul everytime), or Wade being an untouchable. I just want to see the basketball that has been so fun to watch these playoffs until this series. Just play ball.
I wish I could say I was excited to watch tonights game, but I think Shaq is right – tonight will be just like game 5 only Dallas is the beneficiary.
Comment by Rugger -
I agree that the refs have been bad, but the Mav’s D against Wade has been equally as bad.
On the last play before OT, they didn’t even try to deny him the ball on the throw-in from the side. there were only 10 seconds left. Deny him the ball and make somebody else shoot. Or at least deny him the throw-in so someone else has to pass it to him before he can shoot.
You can’t defend him at the basket, its gotta start closer to the 3 line.
Comment by beanspants1 -
I agree with Craig:
Simmons’ last bullet point hits the nail firmly on the head (as do the e-mail posts in the side-bar).
I have also avoided the NBA, but started following again this season. Unfortunately, after watching the Mavs playoff series I’m also dropping the NBA for good.
Stern should be embarrased by what his officials are doing to the product – EMBARRASSED! The NBA is on par with the WWF. It is downright ridiculous.
Comment by Jamma -
THIS IS BEYOND RIDICULOUS…..SO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT FOULS SHOULD BE CALLED ON THE HEAT EVEN THOUGH THE MAVS JUST SHOT JUMPERS? THE MAVS DONT EVEN DRIVE IT TO THE BASKET MORE THAN 5 TIMES A GAME, YET YOU EXPECT FOUL CALLS?? WADE DRIVES IT TO THE BASKET EVERYTIME, AND DONT TELL ME HE DOESNT GET HIT EVERYTIME, BECAUSE I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO HEAR YOU TELL ME THAT TO MY FACE JUST SO I CAN SEE THE TYPE OF PERSON YOU ARE….WADE WILL DRIVE 50 TIMES TODAY TO THE BASKET AND WATCH, I HOPE THERE 100 FOUL SHOTS HE CAN TAKE, BECAUSE ONLY DALLAS IS COMPLAINING…ONLY DALLLAS..NO ONE HAS EVER COMPLAINED EXCEPT DALLAS.
Comment by oscar e cordova jr -
Mark, I seriously doubt that you will never say another word again. But that’s okay by me. I find your honesty very refreshing in a society that has gone overboard with political correctness. As a Bulls fan and appreciator of the Michael Jordan era and style of playing, I have enjoyed watching Wade and Shaq play. But after reading Simmons’ article, I find that I cannot disagree with him. So for the sake of the NBA, and for the team spirit that is so unabashedly American (and goes against everything the selfish political party now in power stands for), go Mavs!
Comment by Matt U -
Mark, I seriously doubt that you will never say another word again. But that’s okay by me. I find your honesty very refreshing in a society that has gone overboard with political correctness. As a Bulls fan and appreciator of the Michael Jordan era and style of playing, I have enjoyed watching Wade and Shaq play. But after reading Simmons’ article, I find that I cannot disagree with him. So for the sake of the NBA, and for the team spirit that is so unabashedly American (and goes against everything the selfish political party now in power stands for), go Mavs!
Comment by Matt U -
Geez, that was just page 2? Don’t read the whole book, or you’ll be elligible for Social Security by page 7.
I’m really torn though. Yes, I really like how the Suns and the Mavs play ball. And even the Clippers. It’s good basketball. They play like teams and all the players are good fundamentally. I wouldn’t laugh seeing any of them coaching a youth camp, which I couldn’t help but do when I saw the local story about Kobe coaching his and talking about how he wants the kids to learn the basics of the game. He didn’t spend a day in college to learn that stuff. It’s hilarious. But on the other hand, Dwayne Wade is just amazing. Nobody ever hyped him up and he is just a baller. He doesn’t seem arrogant or bothered that Shaq made those free throws in game 3 or that Payton made two totally clutch shots that kept them in this thing.
I guess as a fan (a Laker fan who is probably going to enjoy Kobe highlights and no championships for another 5 years), I would enjoy seeing battles like Miami/Dallas pitting Wade and supporting case against balanced teams for the next 5 or 10 years, each Finals going 7 games, and the two styles splitting the Championships. This is great basketball to watch, especially with all the drama.
Comment by Brad Hutchings -
I am going to have to disagree with Bill and agree with Bryan up above. Here’s why:
Go ask your neighbor who doesn’t know much about the NBA to name one or two Pistons. Ask them to name one Spur other than Duncan (if they even get Duncan). Ask them to name one Maverick. Chances are, they’ll have trouble even coming up with Dirk. Now, ask them to name TWO Heat players. Or, more generally, ask them to name the top players in the league. My guess is you’ll hear names like Wade, Shaq, Lebron, Kobe, maybe Iverson, Melo. And guess what all of those players have in common: they’re all on one or two man teams. I hate to say it, but superstars draw more fans. To the true NBA fan, team ball may be more pretty, but it’s not what the casual fan wants to see. And it’s the casual fan that brings the NBA money. Fans want to watch Shaq, Lebron, Kobe. They don’t want to watch a goofy looking, Hasselhoff-listening Dirk (although the Hasselhoff thing has been good for the crowd this postseason). Superstars are what people want to see.
Now, I would also disagree that this transformation that the Heat winning may kill actually developed this year. The Pistons have been playing team ball for 4+ years. The Spurs have been as well. And the Mavs and Suns also have been doing it for several years, except the Mavs refined it this year to include defense and have gotten this far, which is great for them. So to say that the Heat winning will suddenly kill something the several teams have been developing over several years is kind of silly, if you ask me. That’s not to say it won’t, but I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion. The Mavs should only get better, and if the Suns learn to play defense with Amare, they could be right it in as well.
In the end, I think the NBA wants superstars to win. It’s wants Lebron, Shaq, Wade, Kobe, Iverson, etc. in the Finals. Those are the guys who bring in the money.
That said, Go Heat!
Comment by Jordan -
A) I’m sick of everyone bitching about Dallas planning the parade and blah blah blah. The Heat’s parade is tomorrow, you think they didn’t start planning until after the game last night? Give me a break.
B) Anyone who is saying Mavs fans are blaming the loss of the series soley on the officials are morons. We’re not saying that. Games 3 and 4 were Dallas collapses, plain and simple. But yes, in Game 5 there were some very controversial calls and Game 6 seemed headed towards the same, but sadly, that’s the nature of the game and we as fans have to deal with it.
C) Now here is logic I’ll never understand. You hate Mark Cuban, you think he’s an idiot, a disgrace to Dallas, to the team, blah blah. Why the hell are you reading his blog? Why are you taking time out of your day to tell him how much you hate him? There are plenty of people in the public’s eye that I can’t stand, but I ignore them, I don’t waste my time on them.
D) To the players, coaching staff, training staff, administrative staff, and Mark, thank you for a great season. Yes, we wish it could have ended with a championship, but it didn’t, so we need to take away from the season the good stuff. We finally got past the Spurs, past the Suns, and won our first ever Western Conference title. You got the city fired up about the Mavs in a way never before seen, and you gave us hope for the future. So here’s to the Mavs and here’s to next year, a year filled with amazing possibilities.
(And hey, on a lighter note, be glad you didn’t win this year, think about it, the Heat won in the 6th month, of the 6th year, in the 6th game. 666. Haha. I’m just teasing.)
Comment by Kate -
Disclaimer: I don’t live in Texas or Florida.
But c’mon – the Mavs fans who are whining about the officiating need to give it a rest. So what if Wade makes a lot of trips to the line? News flash: he drives a lot too. He gets a lot of MJ comparisons, but Wade is more of a slasher (or at least, seems like it, because he plays almost zero post-up game).
There were some bad calls but that went both ways. I personally disagreed with the drive Wade made with his forearm into Dirk to draw a “foul”. On the other hand, does no one remember the stupid travelling violation called at the end when the Miami players were fighting each other over a rebound? Give me a break they didn’t even have control of the ball yet.
Except for the opening burst, game 6 stayed close the whole way. And you guys in Dallas got a chance (and it was close) to tie it in regulation. Miami had a chance to tie in regulation in game 5 and converted. Two plays, and the series could’ve easily ended the other way.
Comment by MiscNBAFan -
None of this really matters at all unless the guys on the floor beleive in each other. Or at least that one of them can pull you through when it’s all on the line. that’s why the Spurs, yes, those Spurs, are the best TEAM in basketball. Dallas is more talented, young, and athletic, but they still lack the presence of a dependable leader. I hope they find or develop that because it is in the best interest of the league, and the Mavs are exciting to watch when it’s clicking. But when it’s not, you go home in six.
Comment by Shawn Hamby -
Mavs fans love to backtrack. Josh Howard backtracked, trying to take back his timeout. Cuban backtracks, trying to act like he doesn’t criticize the league for being biased. Mavs fans backtrack, trying to pretend they didn’t just spend the last week blaming the league and officials for their team’s collapse.
Comment by Joel Thomason -
Everyone stop whining about the Refs. Yes they called some very questionable calls in several games but the Mavericks should not have let the game be close enogh for the Refs to make a difference with a couple of stupid calls. the last 3 games were lost by the Mavs because they wouldn’t adjust to the hard style of ball the Heat and the Refs were aiming for. I am a Mavs fan and love the team but I got 4 words for them: DRIVE THE DAMN BALL!
Comment by Lloyd -
Furthermore, the MAVS didn’t create this “team-first” idea that’s supposedly the new NBA … I think the Detroit team of the past few years might have been the best example of that, seriously. But, no NBA team wins wihtout some “stars” – just doesn’t happen.
Secondly, as a coach I try to encourage my plers to overcome officiating and other distractions. It might be helpful for an owner to do the same. To win championships, good teams overcome.
Comment by b-matt -
The first half of Simmons’ article is a complete joke. The Mavs stopped playing like a team in their losses. Jason Terry had 10 assists in the first 2 games and 11 in the last four. Compare his stats: two wins – 10 assists and 33 shots, last two losses – 6 assists and 48 shots. The Mavs offense looked lost and as Avery said, they fell in love with the jump shot. Look at the shot chart on ESPN, the Mavs took the lead in Game 6 with a balanced attack and lost the lead by forcing jumpers instead of taking it to the hole. Marquis was one of the few guys who took it to the hole (and is it any surprise he was one of the more efficient Mavs?) The Mavs made their comeback by playing zone and forcing the Heat into low percentage shots. The difference was that the Heat did a better job finding the open man while the Mavs forced shots.
The officiating part of the article is pretty good. Hard to argue against. Still, when you take fadeaways like the Mavs did, it’s hard to get to the line. In Game 5, Wade drove and got the foul. Terry took a fade away and avoided contact.
Comment by Kevin Mendonca -
Hahaha, 780. I’m a different Alex but that was HILARIOUS!
Comment by Alex -
I’ve not been much of a sports fan in years – too consumed with operating my television production company and caring for my retired and health challenged parents, one with Alzheimer’s and a Neuromuscular disease. But the past months of getting to know and watch the Dallas Mav’s as well as learn more about Mark Cuban’s passion…it’s been good medicine and therapy for all of us here in Arlington.
Sure I’m disappointed the Mav’s didn’t clinch the title but I’m not embarassed or angry with them at all…in fact, quite the opposite. I really didn’t know who Dirk was prior to this ramp up at the end of the season and couldn’t have told anyone who played for the Heat. Knew little about them. But I do now and glad I’ve had the exposure and education.
I’d like to thank Mark and the Mav’s just for the opportunity late last night getting to listen to Alonso Mournings comments after winning the title. He put it all into perspective for me as I struggle with the real issues and pressures of life – trying to pay off business debts, care for family, and at some point down the line hope to enjoy prosperity and work satisfaction in some way.
Mourning talked about the darkest point of his life and persevering on to now this new highlight. But his real celebration is for life and encouraging people with real challenges to persevere. Sort of like Winston Churchill’s “We shall never give up,” speech in WWII I was inspired after the sting of defeat in game 6. I got that with the above shot over Mark Cuban applauding. Little things like that demonstrate Mark is a class act.
Sure, we felt the Mav’s anger at the end of game 5 in Florida. But the Mav’s have a lot to learn how to deal with Anger. So does Mark. Listen, I’m glad he gives dollar for dollar to charity for those fines – but wish he could give both dollars to charity and not one to the NBA. $70k would put my company into the black out of the red after 7 years of challenges – and I’ve had to learn how to control my anger for greater success. I hope Mark, Avery and the Mav’s can learn this hard lesson too.
We (as a family) held the dream with the Mav’s and the enthusiasm of DFW. But you really loose nothing when you give your best – and for this past season the Mav’s gave their best. Think back to the magic when everything is in synch – when those 3’s just swish through the hoops as all of us cheer if not in the arena then wherever we are. Thanks for those endorphins Mavs – they were great. But in life they don’t happen night after night. Just ask the Heat after games 1 and 2.
Just because this 2005-06 season didn’t amount into the title doesn’t mean the MAVS or WE are loosers in any way. They are young and will probably learn more from the defeat than had it been an easy cakewalk into a premature title. I know that’s been my lessons of struggling as a small business television producer. Had it been a cakewalk I might have not slowed down to get to know my father and mother as they have persevered through health challenges that don’t always get better. Had I been more successful I might not have given so much down time to nonprofit organizations, churches and individuals. There’s somthing valuable to realize when we eat humble pie: It builds character and respect.
The only time I’ve been disappointed with the MAVs, Mark and Avery was after game 5 – in how they processed their anger afterwards. My disappointment came as a dozen or so fans were at Love Field to cheer them up and most just whizzed past or stood them up. The Heat though responded differently – with maturity. There’s something to be learned in that. Can you imagine the MAVs with a little more maturity? Wow…what potential that will be!
That’s what we do with dreams if we have the tenacity to press through the challenges. I was once with an NBC affiliate, a big fish in a small pond of television and radio. Came close to my dreams in 1990 but for the past 16 years had some of that ‘hope deferred’ to face and deal with some dark challenges of my own life and that of my parents. What makes it worthwhile today has been the honor to share in the excitement of the finals with our family around the television identifying with the Mav’s and grateful for all they gave. It sure gave us a diversion from otherwise brutal and depressing challenges.
Talk about Dreams… Just the opportunity to share in the MAVs dreams and those of the Heat was inspirational and life educating. I know If HD Net were based in DFW I’d be on Mark Cuban’s doorstep in a heartbeat as a producer, writer and/or editor. That’s one of my dreams. Like Alonso Mournings comments in the post NBA room – contrasting the dark hours of his Kidney Transplant years ago to persevere through his challenges and hardships to the victory of the finals – the come from behind fight – was inspirational to me. I hope its not lost on Dallas and the MAVs.
There was a heated political campaign in a small outlying DFW town this past weekend where defeat inched past the close taste of victory. It was there that I watched some 70 or so hopefuls come together in a circle of prayer in thanks for the hard lessons learned and praying for the wisdom and success of those who won to work towards common goals for the future. That humbled me. When I think of what the MAVs might become – through this educational Finals experience all I can say is “Wow, there’s a ton of potential ahead.” Even as a group of cities and fans we might have the opportunity to grow and become more hospitable to those who come to our home court. Maturity in victory is admirable. That may very well be one of the lessons we needed to learn.
I know my own dreams and goals are far off right now. The key (Mourning cited) is “not to let your mind get down with disappointments and life’s challenges. That the ability to succeed is to never let your mind give up.” That’s what’s got to happen with the Mav’s and the Mav’s fans too – especially myself.
The challenge now is not to wallow in the ‘what if’s’ or the calls of the NBA officials in each game. The challenge is to file the life lessons, learn from them and press on to be more mature in how we process it all in the next season and seasons to come.
Anyone remember the 1980s Timbuktu song “The future’s so bright I’ve got to wear shades?” That’s where the Mav’s are right now. Maybe it will become a theme song and phrase for the team in the coming season. We can’t do anything about what happened last night or even a minute ago…but we sure can do a lot with right now in preparation for a minute from now, a day, week, and season to come.
That’s what I’ve learned. I’ve had health challenges all my life as the result of a birth defect. Mourning is right and I have got to thank Mark Cuban and the Mav’s for all they gave and give to the DFW metroplex. I might have given up had all these life lessons not been presented and had I not had the opportunity to catch the Mav’s fever here in the metroplex with the championship followed by the finals.
I now know many Mav’s by name – Dirk, Stackhouse, Terry, Mark, and Avery…I thank ALL of you for inspiring me and our family! Even my father with the mid stages Alzheimer’s got into the games. His primary care giver, my mother really got into them too. And I, not always having water cooler sports conversation had it with friends I know, clients I have, and even fetching Braum’s at halftime in a quick run from the house.
MAVS? You made our lives a little bit better with what you did and gave over the past 6 games and past 6 months. Thanks for exposure into a new sport for us! I hope Mark doesn’t sell out or give up – seems like he’s just on the cusp of making a difference in the NBA. Could you imagine in 20 years what the NBA might look like with his leadership? His time will come. So will the Mavs.
And as far as
Comment by Steve Myers -
Everyone stop whining about the Refs. Yes they called some very questionable calls in several games but the Mavericks should not have let the game be close enogh for the Refs to make a difference with a couple of stupid calls. the last 3 games were lost by the Mavs because they wouldn’t adjust to the hard style of ball the Heat and the Refs were aiming for. I am a Mavs fan and love the team but I got 4 words for them: DRIVE THE DAMN BALL!
Comment by Lloyd -
Dont Mavs fans realize that Mark Cuban does not own the Dallas Mavericks anymore?
Dwyane Wade does
Comment by Alex -
So, the Heat won… big deal. The Mavs are young and guess what? They will win. Soon. I know its hard to swallow now but maybe this is better… it will make the Mavs stronger. Avery Johnson has got to be my favorite coach and I hope he learns from this loss and uses it to his team’s future advantage. By the way I loved it when Dirk kicked the ball onto the stands… it just cheered me up because those losses were hard to swallow… I am still chewing on it from yesterday but I expected it. A young team at a disadvantage to a coach with 4 rings. But Avery will surely come up with a plan for next year… at least I hope so! GO MAVS 2007!
Comment by Sofya -
Whats up with the fact that when a team is fixing to get eliminated or put away as the Heat were with 6 min in game 3 that calls always seem to go in there favor. Mavs were down by 10 in game 4 and we started to get the calls. If it wasn’t for this fact I think the mavs would have won game 3, and went on to win the championship. I guess I’m just another whiner but one blown call could have cost the mavs the series anyway you look at it. Why isn’t there instant replay in the NBA. I guess maybe it would take to long to review the tapes. I for one wish there was, so nobody on either team would have that feeling in the back of their mind that they got screwed by a call.
Hats off to Miami for capitalizing on the last 4 games and playing great defense in each one. I’ll give credit to the Heat for playing well in the last few min of game 3 and also some credit to a couple of refs for keeping that momentum swaying in favor of the Heat in that game. It changed the whole series, and thats where this championship was won and lost.
To the dumbasses that scheduled a parade in Dallas. Great Move. Anything that helped light a fire under Wades and Shaq only helped motivate them that much more. I bet that won’t happen again.
Heat win 4 games in a row. Rileys good but not that good.
Comment by Tim -
And Cuban gets the last laugh – b/c all you non-mav non cuban fans are reading his blog…
???WTF???? –
No whining, no complaining, just wish we were still playing tomorrow night – I have been a mavs fan for years – and will be for a long time coming.
I just wish that the Miami FANS were as classy as they should be — I almost got beat up (a 42 yr old woman) b/c some “fan” called Dirk a very nasty comment referring him to a WWII criminal – and I wouldn’t let him get away with it. (I was in Miami for game 5).
Come on guys – is it really worth all the insults and digs — IT’S A GAME, PLAYED BY MILLIONAIRES, OWNED BY BILLIONAIRES AND PATRONIZED BY NONE OF THE ABOVE…
Take it for what it is! 🙂
Comment by Jennifer Z -
For many years now watching the NBA I got the feeling “the fix is on”…last night was no different. Next I am looking for David Stern to try and arrange a merger of the NBA and WWF and announce Hulk Hogan will be playing for the Lakers.
Comment by Brent -
I am a huge Mavs fan, and I am disgusted by the way our team lost those games. We missed so many opportunities and then us and my fellow fans started complaining about officiating. We should be ashamed of ourselves for being such petty assholes. The officiating had little to do with the outcome; we choked, plain and simple. Props to the Heat for handing our asses to us. Sweeping us was not going to be easy, but they did it. Dwyane Wade is amazing; I hope we never have to face him in the Finals again (a la Utah Jazz against Jordan).
Mark, please stop complaining so much. It spoils us rotten. I am ashamed to be a part of the Mavericks fanbase.
Comment by MavsFan1 -
Thank you Mav’s for an exciting season and a great ride. Highs and lows – loved every minute of it. Disappointing we didn’t win, but looking forward to watching the Mav’s grow as a team — they are only going to get better. Great guys, all of them. To borrow a little bit from Avery — We saw the best and worst of the Mavs in this series, but no excuses, and the Mavs will be back.
All of you who blame this loss on Mark Cuban are way off base. It is his passion and drive that has brought the Mav’s to this point. Everybody has an opinion, but I think they lost for a combination of reasons – Mainly – not aggressive enough in going to the basket, too many jumpshots, and just not quite “there” yet. The only thing I would say to Cuban is that it does matter what words you use. You are the leader of this team and you set an example, like it or not. The example here lately has not been a good one, and I wonder how much it carries over and comes back to hurt the team and even the city. I was really disappointed to hear the fans booing during the ceremony after the game. TERRIBLE. Show some class. I don’t care if they were booing at Stern – No excuse for that. Not saying it’s your fault, but wonder if your comments and the fine played a part. Still, love what you have done overall for the Mav’s and for Dallas and I look forward to next year.
Congrats to the Miami Heat because they EARNED this win.
Comment by Melissa - Dallas -
I really wanted to see Dallas and Mark win this thing, but honestly, it looked like Miami wanted it more. Zo was incredible. Wade was incredible. Haslem balled his ass off. Not to mention Dirk disappearing again in the second half. Also, Dallas’ body language. With about a minute left in the game, they looked like they had already lost. The better, stronger team won this series. Good luck next year Dallas.
Max @ http://www.seve.tv
Comment by Max -
I like you Mark … I think you are good for the league. But you need some help in choosing your heroes. I’d expect more from you than choosing someone who overstates the oversimplified. You and I both know, except maybe only I will admit it, that the Heat and Mavs are not THAT different … you too have “a star” in Dirk and the job is to find the best players to fill the other roles – sometimes different people on different nights. In fact, as a basketball coach, one of the biggest things I try to do is instill in my players a willingness to fill whatever role is necessary for the team to win based on their skill-set. Bottom line in this series … despite any calls or inconsitencies you may have seen … Dwayne was better than Dirk when it mattered most in the games. Period.
Comment by b-matt -
You know victory tastes alot better when the other team takes losing so badly. Suck it up, and be proud of your team for getting as far as they did.
Comment by Jonas -
Believe it or not The Miami Heat are the Champions.
Comment by John -
Nobody in the Mavs organization is blaming the refs for the loss. All they are saying is that the quality of officiating should be much better than what it is. Yeah refs make mistakes, but its to the point where the bad calls are outnumbering the good calls. It’s ridiculous. Fans shouldn’t have to put up with it and neither should players. The league needs to do something to fix the situation.
Comment by Bradley -
Thanks Cuban for being such a clown. It’s hysterical and entertaining.
Comment by Vidal -
Heather,
No, the Finals will be remembered as a coming together of talent and egos to overcome. It will be remembered as the emergence of the next great superstar of the league, Dwyane Wade. It will only be remembered as you say by people like you, who choose to ignore the facts and visual evidence and complain. The Heat won, fair and square.
Comment by Alex -
negative feedback is still feedback. look at all the attention you’re getting.
MFFL.
Comment by m -
I am a huge Heat fan and I am disgusted with the way we won I didn’t even celebrate. I seen the refs favortism in game 5 and was hoping they didn’t cater to Wade in game 6, but the NBA once again let me down and although I got to see the team my pops play for win there first title I did not celebrate and my NBA love has been snuffed out. And all you self proclaimed heat fans who think mav fans are”winning” you need to get off your high horse and remeber our heat were playing hockey not basketball. 35 years of cheering for nothing CUBAN is right!
Comment by Heat Fan -
760…I hope your blame game ends before next season, cause if it’s still going, then the label of Cry-Baby Mav Fans will stick.
Bottom line…you had no answer for Flash. Avery Johnson had no answer for Flash. And now you’ve created a monster. Imagine trying to gameplan for Wade next year. Thanks a lot loser Mavs.
Comment by Vidal -
Miami fans, how can you post and make rude commits to mav fans. Knowing if the roles were reversed you would react the same way. Why don’t you go celebrate and let us bitch. It’s our right!
Comment by R.D. -
Your attitude may be over the top for some but I admire your outspokeness (sp?)on everything under the sun.
Sorry you’re getting fined so much for being a refreshing personality in the world of sports but guess you can afford it.
Nothing specific to comment on but just wanted to take the minute to write this to let you know that I admire your integrity for the game and life in general.
Keep up the enthusiasm, Mr. Mark Cuban, you’ll get ’em next year.
Comment by Dave Callan -
Note to Classless Stackhouse:
Did it ever occur to you that Cuban and the Dallas fans had the right to be angry and frustrated? Do all the Miami fans honestly believe that this series was called fairly? Can you hoist your trophy in good conscience, knowing you earned it without outside help?
They always say that the calls even out, during a game, especially during a series. OK, show me the bad, incorrect, or phantom calls that went against the Heat in these 6 games. Anybody? Show me the Dallas player who got a foul call every time a Heat player moved within 2 feet of him. Show me the Dallas player who shot as many free throws in a game as the entire Miami team. Didn’t think so.
Every referee I’ve heard interviewed the last few days has said the normal procedure when a player calls for a timeout in an unusual circumstance (i.e. Josh Howard at the end of game 5) is to clarify with him or even with the bench when they wanted the timeout. Make sure it’s right, tell the other coach there was a communication error, let the player at the line shoot the free throw, then give the timeout. Happens all the time, they all said (and I’ve heard several interviewed on the radio in the past few days). The officials in this game stuck to the book, obviously not wishing to extend to Dallas the same courtesy they normally give in a regular season NBA game.
So please understand that Maverick fans are a bit upset. We believe Dallas is the better team. In a fairly, evenly called series I think Dallas would have won 4-2, so yeah, I’m pissed. If the end of game 5 had been called correctly then at the very least we’d have a game 7.
Until game 5 I didn’t believe there was an NBA conspiracy against Cuban – I’m still not sure I do now, but I think several referees saw an opportunity to get back at him and took it. The saddest thing is that David Stern and the NBA will be too gutless to do anything about it or even admit that anything was wrong.
Congrats to Miami & their fans. You have a likeable team and they did nothing wrong. Too bad this will forever be a tainted championship.
Comment by Disgusted NBA fan -
Dear Mark,
As a San Antonio fan I just don’t understand how you lost to Miami. In the SA series both team played perfect bball for 7 games, and Dallas won. Sure there were bad calls by the ref in favor of Dallas, but the best team won.
How did you loose to Miami, You played horriable bball, if you just played average you would of smoked them. VS. SA Dirk was clutcher than Jordan, and now he blew two games missing free throws, scoring 2 points in the 4th quarter.
The NBA is rigged eh
Comment by Tim -
Okay, #752, I’m gonna have to disagree. This finals series will most definitely be remembered for no-calls and bad calls, and no matter if you are a Mavs fan, Heat fan, or an NBA fan, you’ll look at this championship as tainted. The refs should not have the ability to sway the outcome of a game, let the players win it or lose it. End of story.
Comment by Heather -
First of all the better team did not win this series.
HEY KENNY…NOT SURE WHAT SHOW YOU WERE WATCHING LAST NIGHT (SURVIVAL?) BUT THE BETTER TEAM DID WIN THE SERIES.
The best team had the series jacked from them. HEY KENNY…THE ONLY JACK THAT I SAW WAS THE FOOL ON THE COURT AFTER GAME PRETENDING TO HAVE CLASS. You heat fans talk about dallas being whinners. Listening to all you miserable little bitches whine about mark is great. HEY KENNY…THAT’S WHINERS NOT WHINNERS. YOU MEAN WINNERS NOT WHINNERS? You just got the championship handed to you on a silver platter, and where are yall at??? HEY KENNY….WE’RE AT THE CELEBRATION IN SOUTH BEACH. WHERE YOU AT? THE FREAKING TACO STAND ON THE CORNER BY YOUR HOUSE? Your on Mark’s blog bitching. HEY KENNY…THAT’S RIGHT BECAUSE ALL YOU CLASSLESS FOOLS ARE HERE TO FRUSTRATE. HAHAHAH. Cuban OWNS the heat fans. HEY KENNY…CUBAN OWNS THE LOSER MAVS. Hey alex, get a job….Go Mavs. HEY KENNY…GET A LIFE! GO SPURS GO!
Comment by Mark Gordon -
http://i5.tinypic.com/14wublw.jpg
In the end, one guy got the call, one did not. Nothing more need be said.
Comment by kem -
Great column by Simmons, at least there’s one mainstream guy who talk about the biggest problem in the NBA, because the players can’t and the rest of the mainstream media “can’t”.
This is not the homecourt swaying the officials which is actually a great part of the game, and I don’t think it’s about Stern’s feelings about Cuban, it’s worse, much WORSE: the dreaded superstar-making machinery is back at work, the Kobe/Jordan Rules are reanimated! _That’s_ what’s so depressing… We had a couple years free from that kind of favoritism, which surely only Madison Avenue boneheads (like Stern?) could possibly love.
Dywane Wade may be a great and not just a very good player, but now maybe we’ll never know. And I hate to root against the guy, he seems like a fine young man, but every series he’s a part of becomes unwatchable for me. What a come down from the excellent Western Conference playoffs!
Comment by fairleft -
Funny after 2 games everyone in Dallas was buying brooms for what they predicted to be a sweep. Looks like you guys got the ultimate sweep in the end. FOUR STRAIGHT LOSSES. OUCH! Were you Mavs fans able to return your brooms to the store you bought them from? Oh well, maybe next year.
Hey Cuban, it was nice to see you rush the court after the game so you could get your last camera time until next season. The NBA should slap you with another fine.
Comment by Hornets OKC -
Taadow,
There is a difference in getting “a call” and getting every call, calls that are not even close or questionable, or getting every noncall.
The beef isn’t with an official getting it wrong once. It is with officials getting it wrong over and over and over.
That is inexcusable.
Comment by Pastore -
All of these people talking about casual fans, or people who have sworn off the NBA for a time need to think about why that is. It’s for the very reasons why the Mavs winning the title would have been better for the league. They represent a team style of basketball which has been absent since NBA GMs started trying to replicate what they saw in the Jordan model.
The Jordan model wasn’t simply about MJ though. The Bulls played team basketball, even without a dominant big man. Pippen, Kerr, Rodman, Grant and the rest were just as vital to MJ winning a title as the rest of the Celtics were to Bird, and the Lakers to Magic. The reason people associate those Celtics and Lakers teams to teamwork is because they had such depth that potential all-stars (McHale, Ainge, Cooper,McAdoo) were coming off the bench. As the NBA expanded in the 90s, that became impossible, even with stripmining the highschools and underclassmen for talent. That’s why when teams tried to replicate the Jordan model with players like Walker, Pierce, Ray Allen, Allen Iverson and the rest, it failed. They don’t have his skills, and in dedicating the team to that one player, they never realized that the rest of the team was that important. This is why I believe the Celtics need to trade Pierce, it’s time to move on and focus on making a stronger team.
Remember, if the Single-Star Jordan Model worked, Jordan would have had a title contender before the early 90s. The reason individual stars stand out is because they’re that good. Dirk, Flash, Shaq, Kobe all have amazing talent. Also, a team needs someone who can raise their game when it matters, so when that someone comes along, people defer. They are the Alpha Dogs of the NBA. The players who you know are going to want the ball at the end of the game, and make that difference. The point is, those stars need people to follow them, to support them. Without a strong supporting cast, a good team around them, a star isn’t worth the paper his contract is printed on.
Comment by Phil -
#731
I disagree with your point of view on the game. We are the fans, and without fans buying tickets, or watching the games on TV, or buying official NBA merchandise, the “game” would not exist very long. The fans support the game; the game does not support the fans. Without the fans, there is no game. I feel the refs should be held responsible to the fans to explain questionable calls. The refs have their jobs because of the fans, too. and by the way, David Stern and Stu, without us you don’t have your jobs. Please wake up!!
Comment by Barbara Bessent -
Sure the Mavs beat the Spurs this year, I’m glad you remember that.
You need whatever gives you a tiny glitter of hope, just remember that when the Spurs went to the finals, they never blew it.
This finals will be remembered for the complete and incomprehensible meltdown of a proud Mavericks team, the emergence of the next great NBA Legend, Dwyane Wade, and the unbearable whining brought forth by the Mavericks nation.
You can blame the refs all you want, but even the worst officiating can’t explain 4 straight losses. Grow up.
You can look forward to the following in the near future:
1. the saying “Bend over and take it like a Mav.”
2. pacifiers at all Maverick road games.
3. more Spurs championships
Comment by Vidal -
Everyone in Detroit Pistons Land feels you Mark, and Simmons’ article was on point. It’s a shame deep, unselfish, well-developed teams like Dallas and Detroit get shafted by touch fouls. Now we have all summer to listen to Miami’s “triumph”. Sad thing is, it’ll be like this the next ten years. I’m not a fan of the NBA as much as I once was.
Go IU!
Comment by B Tuck -
Sure the Mavs beat the Spurs this year, I’m glad you remember that.
You need whatever gives you a tiny glitter of hope, just remember that when the Spurs went to the finals, they never blew it.
This finals will be remembered for the complete and incomprehensible meltdown of a proud Mavericks team, the emergence of the next great NBA Legend, Dwyane Wade, and the unbearable whining brought forth by the Mavericks nation.
You can blame the refs all you want, but even the worst officiating can’t explain 4 straight losses. Grow up.
You can look forward to the following in the near future:
1. the saying “Bend over and take it like a Mav.”
2. pacifiers at all Maverick road games.
3. more Spurs championships
Comment by Vidal -
I say call up Ralph Nader and let’s get a congressional investigation into the refereeing for games 3 and 5. If you think there wasn’t something seriously wrong with what went on out there, then you simply were not watching the games. Conspiracy? I don’t know, quite frankly I don’t CARE. What I do care about is that the players and fans deserve for the league to conduct its games FAIRLY.
To all those who make the easy and predictable criticism that upset Mavs fans are a bunch of whiny, wacked-out conspiracy theorists, all I have to say is that the very fact that this discussion is taking place proves something is wrong. As a fan of the game, I feel cheated, and I hope this disgrace isn’t brushed under the carpet too easily.
Comment by Dave -
I do not think that anyone doubts that the Mavs did not play as good as they could have or as good as they should have. They should have played better.
The fact of the matter, however, is that they played well enough to beat the Heat. Who knows if they ever could have played well enough to overcome the officiating.
Believing that officiating did heavily influence the outcome of this series in favor of the Heat is like saying officiating did not win the Russian basketball team the Gold in the 1972 olympics.
Comment by Pastore -
The Spurs should have been in the finals, not the Mavs. Did anyone see or remember the “calls” the Mavs got in their favor. If you want to take the Heats’ win away, then take away the Mavs previous series….
***Don’t forget Dirk set the record for the # of free throw attempts in the playoffs.***
Comment by taadow -
DALLAS WILL BE BACK
Comment by tracy -
I’d like to begin by saying what a great job you and the Mavericks team have done. It takes a lot to beat other teams in the NBA, and to make it to THE finals is a huge accomplishment. Also, I love how this team plays as an actual team rather than relying on one sole player.
Nevertheless, there are still some spots yall can improve on. Remember, nothing is really accomplished (or won in this case) until it is finally over, and don’t brag about it until seeing the final results. This was one of the bigger flaws I noticed, and it can really take away huge chunks of anyone’s credibility.
Finally, thanks Mark Cuban for being honest. Not many people can come out like you have, and not many will over any lifetime.
Comment by Guadalupe -
Marc Cuban, stay strong. You are NOT a whinner. People hate to hear the truth. Continue doing what you are doing. The NBA needs an overhaul. I am a female that just starting watching basketball and I was flat out disgusted at what I saw. The refs can and did decide who would win some of those games. This entire series was just flat out sick!!!!
Comment by tracy -
The NBA is bad and the refs are suck-heads and Dallas is the best team ever and i’m eleven years old.
I bet Dallas could beat the Harlem Globetrotters and they are really good (my dad told me that!). But poo-head Stern probably won’t let them beat the Globetrotters or anyone else. That sucks because the Dallas team is the best ever… suck-head Stern should have just gave the trophy to Dallas at the beginning of the season and just end the season! he’d probably would’ve saved billions of dollars if he did that!!!!!!
Thank you Mark Cuban for being the best owner who publicly tells anyone who will listen that you give lots of money to charity!!! It really shows that you are a great man if you constantly tell everyone what a great guy you are!!!! thanks for curing me from lupus and for my brand new liver!!!! you’re better than jesus and he was really good!
lylas,
Timmy Timtims
P.S. GO GELDINGS!!!!!
Comment by Jeff S -
Tracy #678- you’re retarded. You enjoyed watching Stackhouse put “THE WANNA BE COP AKA SHAQ TO THE FLOOR.” Don’t be so bitter! That’s not how you win championships. Shaq could beat up the entire Mavs team by himself, so what does Stackhouse hitting Shaq with a cheap shot prove? That that’s the only way you can stop him? And, by the way, not everyone thinks Dallas was the better team. The Spurs were better than Dallas, but you don’t see them complaining. They are older and were injured for this year’s playoffs, but they took the losses with courage and guts. You don’t see them screaming and crying…Mark Cuban started all of this hysteria, then Avery Johnson (who by the way looks like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle) bought into it, and of course the Maverick’s team lost their cool. How do you expect them to maintain thier composure if their coach can’t?
Any of you who think that marketing plans have anything to do with teams winning NBA games are stupid. See what you want you see, the results still stand. Sure the NBA wants to market players to ultimately drive up their revenues and discover new revenue streams. There are plenty of marketing ads up with Dirk in them as well. And what the hell does marketing have to do with games being won or lost anyway?? Most Americans are idiots and are always trying to cloud issues with nonsense and fluff.
Dwayne Wade and Miami played well. Dallas played well too, but not good enough. Period. There’s nothing else to say.
Tracy, you suck. The Mavs will not be back.
Comment by Art -
all i can say is drive to the hoop.every run the mavs went on in every game they played included them driving the basket. dont blame the refs. not to say there were not any bad calls. I just dont see how something so obvious could be overlooked by pros. If I were coach I would have told them dont you dare take a shot outside of the paint with more than 8 seconds left on the shot clock. eveytime they threw one up for the last two games I cringed. when they would get 90% of the way to the basket and kick it out to the perimeter it pissed me off. when you take it all the way to the basket good things happen more times than not. they started out that way and it was working. WHY DID THEY STOP AND WHY DID AVERY NOT NOTICE IT ,AND IF HE DID WHY DIDNT HE TELL THEM TO STOP JUMPSHOOTING ! AND IF HE DID TELL THEM AND THEY DIDNT LISTEN …… I DONT KNOW WHAT. IM PISSED. its not that the heat outplayed us it is that we didnt do what was working. dwayne wade was great beacause he drove the basket and that is the bottom line. and next year it will be stoudemire for pheonix who does it to us.
Comment by chadw -
Posted Jun 21, 2006, 11:18 AM ET by Eric
“EVERYONE IN THE WORLD KNOWS MAVS ARE THE 2006 CHAMPIONS. WADE IS JUST ANOTHER BALL HOG WHO TUNES OUT HIS TEAM MATES! WADE SHOULD PASS IT TO SHAQ MORE. WITHOUT SHAQ, WADE IS JUST ANOTHER DARREL ARMSTRONG”
Eric, the Heat won. D Wade and the crew are hard working, talented guys. The Mavs had a great year and are a force to be reckoned with going forward. Don’t cloud that.
Comment by The Travis Johnson Blog -
ALSO YOU CAN’T TEACH HEIGHT. NOWITZKI IS WAY BETTER THAN WADE. NOWITZKI IS THE MVP NOT WADE
Comment by Eric -
HEY MARK, IF THIS IDIOT BILL SIMMONS IS YOUR NEW HERO, THEN YOU ARE DUMBER THAN YOU LOOK. THE HEAT WON. END OF STORY! THE HEAT WAS BETTER IN EVERY DEPARTMENT RIGHT DOWN TO THE PA ANNOUNCERS! MAYBE SOME OF THE CALLS WENT AGAINST THE MAVS, I’LL ADMIT, BUT THE OFFICIALS DIDN’T MAKE DIRK CHOKE. IF DALLAS HAD SIMPLY MANNED UP AND PLAYED THE WAY THEY WERE CAPABLE OF, WE’D BE PLAYIN GAME 7. GIVE WADE AND THE BOYS THE CREDIT THEY HAVE EARNED. WITH THE ATTITUDE OF THE MAVS AND THEIR OWNERSHIP, YOU WILL NEVER BE A CHAMPION! LOOSER!
Comment by HEATSTA BILL -
Yes, the Mavs are young and have talent, but blaming the officials when they let the championship get away – NO excuse.
Mr. Cuban does more with his mouth and his bad attitude to hurt his team than help it. Okay, he’s rich and a fan, as well as an owner – does he have to show a lack of class and dignity, too? Sir, you remind me of John McEnroe (sp) of tennis in the 80’s.
I feel the same way for the crybaby who punted the basketball, and knocked over the exercise bike – today’s stars are overpaid babies who need to try growing up…mentally.
You Dallas fans want something to feel bad about, think about the families of those poor Soldiers who knew nothing but torture and agony…before they really died. Think of the brave men and women putting their butts on the line every day. Sorry…it’s still nothing but a GAME…
Comment by CAREY, U.S. ARMY -
I would have loved to cheer for the Mavs but Mr. Cuban makes that impossiable. Utah has an owner that also does crap that distracts the team (know one is as bad at hurting his team as Cuban though). When these guys learn to complain more privately and praise more publicly they will get farther and so will their teams. Owners are owners and do have their rights to bitch. But they are not players or coaches and when Cuban does what he does it will always in the long haul hurt their team. Mr. Cuban settle down and grow up and your team will win a championship if you keep doing what you are doing they won’t…….
Comment by Brian -
And you still dont have a championship…..
Comment by SC -
Yes, the Mavs are young and have talent, but blaming the officials when they let the championship get away – NO excuse.
Mr. Cuban does more with his mouth and his bad attitude to hurt his team than help it. Okay, he’s rich and a fan, as well as an owner – does he have to show a lack of class and dignity, too? Sir, you remind me of John McEnroe (sp) of tennis in the 80’s.
I feel the same way for the crybaby who punted the basketball, and knocked over the exercise bike – today’s stars are overpaid babies who need to try growing up…mentally.
You Dallas fans want something to feel bad about, think about the families of those poor Soldiers who knew nothing but torture and agony…before they really died. Think of the brave men and women putting their butts on the line every day. Sorry…it’s still nothing but a GAME…
Comment by CAREY, U.S. ARMY -
Yes, the Mavs are young and have talent, but blaming the officials when they let the championship get away – NO excuse.
Mr. Cuban does more with his mouth and his bad attitude to hurt his team than help it. Okay, he’s rich and a fan, as well as an owner – does he have to show a lack of class and dignity, too? Sir, you remind me of John McEnroe (sp) of tennis in the 80’s.
I feel the same way for the crybaby who punted the basketball, and knocked over the exercise bike – today’s stars are overpaid babies who need to try growing up…mentally.
You Dallas fans want something to feel bad about, think about the families of those poor Soldiers who knew nothing but torture and agony…before they really died. Think of the brave men and women putting their butts on the line every day. Sorry…it’s still nothing but a GAME…
Comment by CAREY, U.S. ARMY -
Heat Fan, entry 459… THANK YOU!!! Someone other than me FINALLY said it, THE MAVS BOUGHT THE SPURS SERIES!!!! Plain and simple!!!
Comment by Andrea -
Bottom line and I’m not kidding about this, the kiss of death for the Mavs was when Cuban went on Letterman and acted like the series was over. And when he gave Nash a few cheap shots I said to myself “They are losing this series guaranteed”. I know people will think I’m nuts but it’s just they way it goes. Like some negative karma. When T-Mac and the Magic were up 3-1 on the Pistons and he said “It’s a great feeling finally making it to the 2nd roudnd”……of course they go on to lose 4-3.
Comment by greg macklin -
Karma is a bitch. GO HEAT!
Comment by Katie -
EVERYONE IN THE WORLD KNOWS MAVS ARE THE 2006 CHAMPIONS. WADE IS JUST ANOTHER BALL HOG WHO TUNES OUT HIS TEAM MATES! WADE SHOULD PASS IT TO SHAQ MORE. WITHOUT SHAQ, WADE IS JUST ANOTHER DARREL ARMSTRONG
Comment by Eric -
EVERYONE IN THE WORLD KNOWS MAVS ARE THE 2006 CHAMPIONS. WADE IS JUST ANOTHER BALL HOG WHO TUNES OUT HIS TEAM MATES! WADE SHOULD PASS IT TO SHAQ MORE. WITHOUT SHAQ, WADE IS JUST ANOTHER DARREL ARMSTRONG
Comment by Eric -
SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT….BUT YOU ARE ALL INVITED TO OUR PARADE DOWN BISCAYNE BLVD. IN MIAMI!
Comment by HeatFan -
Where is all the confidence now? How does it feel Cuban to have a three egg omelette on your face? Enjoy eating your crow this morning, fool. And yes…FOOL is the appropriate word for the owner of the Mavericks. That FOOL cost his team the ring. His antics cost his team the respect of the league. I feel for Avery but he’ll be back. He’s a great coach. Unfortunately his boss is a FOOL. Just remember this Mav fans: the Spurs STILL have three rings! Houston has two rings! AND YOU HAVE NONE!
Comment by Mark Gordon -
Yes, D Wade is a great player, Riley is a great coach, Heat winning is a good story, congrats to them.
So what is the update on Mavs record with Dan Crawford as a ref? And how did he manage to get Game 3 AND Game 6 in this series? No other referee had such a quick turnaround between games.
At least Stern got booed, his officials are a joke, and the way he hides the referees and refuses to let them be questioned or graded says a lot about the agenda they have.
Comment by Impartial Fan -
Good game/good series to all the Mavs fans, to Avery Johnson, and to Mark Cuban.
Comment by The Travis Johnson Blog -
I echo Bill Simmon’s thoughts entirely. I may not be a Mavs fan, but I am certainly a fan of the type of ball that they have played this season. I hope that neither Dallas nor their owner give up on the great team that has been put together and showed us such amazing dynamics this season. Keep the faith Mr. Cuban, the refs can’t call every championship.
Comment by Chris -
Mark,
When you first came into the league, I thought you were a breath of fresh air, in many ways, I still do. And let me say your efforts have had a much more positive effect than negative. However, I feel that Dallas fans take their cue from you as to how to behave themselves and I don’t like what the media is saying about Dallas fans in the wake of the Heat winning. I don’t know if it is the overall displeasure with the refs, which I understand, but that should not be an excuse for booing and taking away from the Heat. I remember when the Stars lost to the Devils in Dallas and most everyone stayed behind to cheer the Devils on when they received the Cup. THAT was class. I saw you applaud the Heat on TV when the game ended and THAT was class. It is unfortunate that most Dallas fans in attendance could not follow your lead on that. Perhaps all they recall is you yelling at NBA officials, etc. from the earlier games. I don’t deny you your passion, which is the reason the Mavs are where they are today. However, you are also in a position of responsibility and people take their cue from you. I hope you take this in the spirit it is intended. Excellent season, no matter the ending. Texas has much to be proud of.
Comment by Fasteddiesa -
I echo Bill Simmon’s thoughts entirely. I may not be a Mavs fan, but I am certainly a fan of the type of ball that they have played this season. I hope that neither Dallas nor their owner give up on the great team that has been put together and showed us such amazing dynamics this season. Keep the faith Mr. Cuban, the refs can’t call every championship.
Comment by Chris -
Mark,
Where is your blog entry????
Laptop die again?
Also, Mavs fans…why won’t you just admit that you got calls in the Spurs series. According to your logic, the Mavs didn’t even deserve to play in this series because the refs ‘gave’ it to the Mavs and ‘took’ it from the spurs. (See Ginobli if you conveniently forget about a bad call made at a crucial point in the game)
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=bayless/060519
Comment by Heat Fan -
(i added wrong with the #’s of free throws and the score, sorry, quite tired from last night) But another thing, Mark, you are supposed to set an example for your entire organization, when you whine and moan and bitch and complain about EVERYTHING, you are sending a message to your coach, players, AND fans that its ok to do so. YOU give your coach, players, AND fans a bad name, when I am SURE that they are not all that bad, just you! : )
Comment by Andrea -
I was kinda pulling for the Heat, but would have been happy seeing either team win. I think Mark Cuban is a great owner, and the NBA clearly picks on him a little. The fines are overboard, and for the record, David Stern is just a power monger. Stern has his agenda, and likes to control everything, and nitpick at any little thing he does not like.
How about the finals? Refs often screw up. Every level of sports, and every sport. Sometimes it gets pretty pathetic. However, I do not think the Mavs can blame their losses on the officiating. The Mavs shot under 40% in Game 6, and under 32% in Game 4, losing by 24 points. You aren’t going to lose a game by 20 points in the finals and win the series.
Comment by Mike -
For the record, I couldn’t care less about either the Dallas Mavericks or the Miami Heat. I hate the NBA and since I live in Atlanta, nobody has given me a reason to care otherwise. So I have no axe to grind here. But I do love and understand sports and I’m a former sportswriter. I’m also the demographic that the NBA would love to attract. I watched this Dallas-Miami Finals series out of curiosity. I think the NBA officiating has gone the way of the World Wrestling Federation. It is a complete and total joke. After seeing that, I wouldn’t attend an NBA game if they were playing in my driveway.
Comment by Greg Thompson -
Simmons said it perfectly. Dwyane Wade is an amazing talent and played a great game. He is a star. The rest of the Heat are supporting players (albeit talented in their own right). The reason that I and many fans love the Mavericks is because our TEAM is the star. We don’t get excited when just one of our players has the ball…we are excited no matter which of our players has the ball. And we are just as proud of the assists as we are the baskets. I want to thank the Mavs for playing for US, the fans..instead of for their own glory. I want to thank them for earning our respect and our love and definitely our loyalty. and most of all, I want to thank them for truly great basketball played from the heart. Thank you…Avery, Mark,Dirk, Josh, Jet, Jerry, Erick, Diop, Lampier, Harris, Marquis, Griffin, Armstrong, Van Horn, Mbenga, and Powell for every moment you spent on the court. You are OUR Dallas mavericks and you are OUR Champions.
Comment by Kimberly -
I really would have liked to see the Mavs win, because I like Cuban as an owner.. I am not a huge fan of the Mavs, but I would have liked to see Cuban get a ring..
But I gotta hand it to the Heat and Wade. That boy is sick. Shaq is over the hill and I did not want to see him win another one, espically watching him try and be such a big part of Wade getting his trophy for MVP bugged me. But oh..
This has been the best playoffs in a long time, and the Mavs will be back.. They are young and full of talent..
Comment by Tommy -
Oh whatever, if the calls would have gone the other way and Dallas would have got them instead of Miami, we would have a bunch of pissed off Miami fans instead of Dallas!!!
Comment by Cole -
************Bye-Bye NBA*********************
I know many people will laugh at me and say: you? a diehard Mavs fan. You will get over it.
No. you are totally wrong. There is no way I will get over it, because I already get over it.
I thought about lots of thing last night and can not even sleep. Why it hurts me so deep that I just want get away from it. Is it because Mavs lost champion, I am just one of the sad man with tear? Is it because Ref killed the Mavs in game 3 and game 5? Or is it because I am just blinded and did not figure out Heat is better than Mavs?
NBA insulted my intelligent. No only mine, but all the NBA fans.
You are kidding me? How could NBA insult you intelligent? Do you think you are fool? Yes, I am fool and I was fooled. But I am not stupid.
************Thank you Mavs Players*************
Last post before game 6, I wrote “Fight like a man, even you loss”. How dare can I say “even you loss”. Did I already know the result?
I did not know it in game 3 and game 4, but I figured it out on game 5, because I am fool but not stupid.
Mavs played just like what I said in the six, they fight like a man, even I knew their destiny, even I knew their heart is bleeding now, during the game 6 and before game 6. but they fight like they never before. I salute to them. You are all my MVPs in my heart.
************Thank Mark Cuban******************
Thanks Mark, I love you and I hate you. I love you because you brought me to a rabbit hole and I saw the wonder land. I hate you because you just showed me the beginning, and did not show me the end. I know you can do nothing about it. I am kind of seeking “Right” people like you and can only live in the wonder land.
************Bye-Bye NBA**********************
Please: do not ever say you are the best basketball league around the world, this will make me throw. If American fans still can not figure out why American National team could not even get to the final in the World Basketball Championship game in past few years, you are not even fool, and you are stupid.
It is simple because World Basketball Championship does not allow the refs from NBA, simple as that. Are you still thinking you are the No 1 basketball around the world, think again, only you say it.
Please: do not say blah blah is new MJ. Come on, legend made legend by him, not made by cooking. You can only spoil him than make him. Refresh your memory, last time you tried to cook a new MJ, what you get?
If NBA move to Hollywood, I probably will come back, but still need see whether it’s drama worth my $5.
Who care my less than $1000 spending on NBA each year? NBA makes billions every year. Now they have a baby MJ, they can make more.
But just please, please (billions – $1000).
Because I am fool but not stupid.
Comment by kurt -
GO HEAT!
4 GAMES!
ALL DAY BABY ALL DAY!!!
Please stop complaining all of you. Yes refs suck, deciding the game in the last seconds, SUCKS, but Mavs and Cuban thought that if they cry and bitch that refs will change and help them out. Please Spurs lost because of refs, so you wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for the refs….thank the refs…good refs. This game Dirk played like a pussy, and has done NOTHING all 4 games, while DWADE on the other hand has done EVERYTHING.
I am sorry for your loss, I am HEAT fan, no let me rephrase that I am Dwade, Zo, Posey, Haslem, and Walker’s fan. Shaq SUCKED, and please go back to Lakers because you would fit so great with Kobe there. Shaq has done nothing but mess up on each play, Zo had to pull them up each time. Stop promising championships when you know that others will get it for you.
So not 15 strong but 5 strong who were consistent throughout the whole season.
As for you Mavs better luck next year, but please stop crying. There was no conspiracy against you, it was just the fact that you played very very bad.
Go HEAT! Zo you deserve it more than anyone!
And to some of you Detroit and Knicks fans: Shut the hell up…I mean seriously…Detroit defending champs, that ONE year there was a glitch in the system and you won but no more please just stop even trying….Knicks, please no one wants you and no one loves you.
Comment by Nina -
Well, I’m one of those people considering reducing my involvement in the NBA. I can’t say I definitely will like others have, simply because I love sports. Time will ease the agony of defeat. But yes, the officiating was truly disgusting. Phantom calls were a major factor. It’s hard to be a fan with that going on.
The earlier post quoting how Shaq predicted Dallas would get all the calls in game 6 like the Heat did in game 5 because the league wants it to be a 7 game series said it all. It didn’t happen like he said, but it’s nice to see that he acknowledged the breaks Miami got in game 5.
Of course, the Mavs shooting was pathetic too. Terry was great in game 5, but only 7 of 25 in game 6, missing his last 11. Josh Howard, who opened his big mouth to say Wade isn’t a great shooter before game 1, finished 5 of 16. Stack, so awful in game 3 & 4 (1 of 9 and 6 of 18 as I recall) was only 5 of 13 last night.
I don’t have the stats, but I have to guess they took many more 3-pointers in this series than they averaged in the regular season. Avery AGAIN talked about how they reverted to shooting jumpers again. That frustrates me greatly. Couldn’t Avery have said, listen, if you keep shooting all these 3’s, you’re going to be warming the bench!???
Best wishes for next year Mavericks. I hope you can make it through the tough Western Conference to reach the finals again.
Comment by David -
Eric,
A few points to prove you completely wrong:
1) Terry’s jersey was tugged a bit, yes, but I was hoping they’d call a foul on that because he would have gone to the line for two with no time left.
2) How can you honestly cite a foul disparity that small when the Mavs were fouling Shaq on purpose so often? If you take away those fouls, the Heat actually have more fouls than the Mavericks! That’s a DUMB thing to cite.
3) How many times did MJ push off and get away with it? 😉
The Heat were the better team, and they proved it by WINNING THE CHAMPIONSHIP. Stop whining.
Comment by Alex -
Bill Simmons can say what he wants, but last nights dismantling of the Mavericks was actually a total team effort. How can you knock the 2006 NBA Champions when Udonis Haslem Scores 17 points? That’s right Udonis Haslem. This series was another typical Mavericks shortcoming as they have for so many years. They took way too many jumpshots and they didn’t play defense. This has been a problem for them even before Mr. Cuban bought the team, and it all went full circle into this series once again.
Comment by Christopher Herbers -
For all the folks that are here with a complaint to Mr. Cuban I just want to ask you this: If he were to buy YOUR team, wouldn’t you absolutely beg him to do it? I know as a lifelong Chicago resident, we’d throw a parade down Michigan Avenue if he were to buy the Cubs! Second, I don’t care whether you’re a Heat Fan, a Mavericks fan or any other stripe of fan, it is pretty hard to deny that the officiating marred what had the potential to be a wonderful series. Watching some of these calls unfold was embarrassing. I would really love for the NBA to find the best and have them out there for the Conference and the NBA finals so that we’re not constantly mired in controversy. Yes, Wade is a great player…No, he shouldn’t be at the line more than the opposing squad. If one is a believer in reversion to the mean, one would figure that the calls would go approximately 50/50 or thereabouts. Now one can adjust for the intentional fouling of O’ Neal…but the numbers still shouldn’t be as preposterously slanted as they are. It hurts to see a product that I loved watching this season (the mid and late 90s were atrocious to watch and my team had Jordan…does anyone care to see another 72-64 NY vs Miami tilt?) get ruined from the inside out by the hideous calls. Mr. Cuban I thank you for your candor and your ability to relate with Joe Six-Pack. I can’t imagine another owner having the deference to allow so many dissenting opinions on one’s site. Kudos for a great season! Maybe the NBA can fix what’s wrong and with objective zebras, the Mavericks are set for a continued good run!
Comment by Disgruntled -
Hey Marky Mark, you losty lost. HAHAHA. Well, you have the largest IPO in history, a great wife, a great child, BUT NO RING, HAHAHAHA. You have a super house, great friends, a wonderful life, BUT NO CHAMPIONSHIP, HAHAHAHA. You are rich with money, friends, lifestyle, but YOU CAME IN SECOND PLACE, HAHAHAHA. You jinxed yourself on Letterman when you made fun of Stevie Nash.
On a side note, do you realize when someone asks you a question you tilt your head and your eyes sink upward into your brain?
Comment by Frank Ford -
Bill Simmons should be required reading for anyone who is a fan of the NBA and certainly by the NBA execs.
Comment by Jim -
Video for Game 5 whiners, just something to clear your mind:
http://broadband.nba.com/cc/playa.php?content=video&url=http…
———-
Wow, the NBA’s official website doesn’t criticize the officials? Shocking! I’m utterly shocked! You have certainly provided all the evidence we need, sir. Case closed.
Comment by JC -
None of the games are going to have the “exact” number of fouls for each team! Why does everyone keep posting numbers of fouls and “what if’s”? Even if the refs had called the jersey pull, they were still down by 5. He didn’t make the shot, they would have still be down by 2 if he had made all of the free throws with less than 2 seconds left…. not likely for the comeback!
Comment by Andrea -
Congrats to the Mavs…..great run this year. We overcame a lot of adversity on a number of levels, and it just wasn’t our year.
For those of you that trash Dirk, you should take another look. It’s ‘easy’ for Wade to score 30+ pts when you go to the line 20 times a game and get every call going to the basket (have you seen anyone flop more than Wade? Maybe Genobli).
Dirk played amazing this year and during the playoffs….just consider the pts per game PLUS his rebounding and great passing. Give credit to the Heat for developing a defense that holds Dirk down. I think Dirk played awesome against the Heat when you consider that every time he touched the ball he was double and triple teamed as well as being fouled excessively. The 3 games in Miami hurt cause the refs wouldn’t call the fouls on Haslem and Posey when they were being ‘physical’ with Dirk.
Compare Dirk’s Final’s performance to other ‘legends’…..Dirk outplayed Shaq easily, and he ranks in the top five of all time for averaging 20+ pts and 10+ rebounds.
As you compare Dirk to Wade in terms of MVP status in the Finals, look at all the no-call push offs Wade gets away with, the constant flopping, and the silly touch fouls that the refs call (anyone notice most of the fouls that are called when Wade drives to the basket occur 1-2 seconds AFTER Wade releases the ball and misses?)
Bottom line, when you take away the trips to the line and the offensive fouls Wade gets away with, Dirk is by far the better player and deserves our thanks and respect. We wouldn’t have gotten this far without his high level of play and leadership.
Finally, please stop comparing Wade to MJ….MJ was not a one dimensional one-on-one player like Wade. MJ made the players around him better through his passing, rebounding and defensive play. Wade is just a selfish player that the NBA was propping up to draw in ratings and $$.
Comment by jd -
Which NBA owner was the biggest advocate of the so-called “New & Improved” NBA? An NBA where the slightest bit of contact is now a foul. Mark Cuban!
So, it should come as no surprise to anyone that the Heat, a team built with an aggressive, low-post presence with a drive to the basket mentality was the greater beneficiary of the free-throw line than the Mavs, a perimeter based, jump shot team who ate teams up all year with their fast paced transition game.
So, as long as we have the Mark Cuban/Bill Simmonsy NBA where the slightest bit of aggressive contact is going to get a whistle, the so-called “New & Improved” NBA, you’re going to have these refereeing controveries. Or we can scrap this “sissy” brand of NBA in favor of the “Let Them Play” NBA!
Comment by JerryG -
Die Hard Mavs Fan again —
As much as I hate to admit it: my gut feeling is that Cuban’s ranting distracted Avery and the team.
He has valid complaints but he has not learned that you do not distract your team from their intended goal. I think he learned this lesson and will find other ways to promote his agenda. It’s a maturation process.
Sill love the Mavs.
Losses and mistakes are the ripest time to learn and evolve. Mavs organization: please take a step back and learn from what happened!
Comment by Teo -
Congrats to the Victors…
I am from the Philippines and I rooted for the Mavs, saw what happened in Game 5.
But in Game 6, You forgot Stack and Dirk in the last two minutes. J-Terry was throwing bricks since halftime and if he was playing here in Manila, He would have been taken out and never allowed to take another shot. To cap it off, he even took the last shot even though he has missed the last 10 or so shots!
Comment by Clark -
Hey Cuban,
I’d like to say thanks for putting on a team that gave my Heat a hell of a series. This was truly a case of two of the best teams in the league going head-to-head, and I knew that if the Heat lost Game 6, they sure weren’t going to win Game 7.
That said, now that I’m in Pittsburgh, I think you should look at this site: http://www.iratefans.com/ We need you to rescue our beloved Buccos from the evil, Donald Sterling-like clutches of McClatchy, the good-for-Nuttings, and Dave Littlebrain, er, Littlefied. How embarrassing that my hometown Marlins are surging past them right now, right into the heart of the NL East? CUBAN, SAVE US! COME HOME!!!!
Comment by Joshua -
Eric, from reading your comments its obvious you dont understand B-ball. The tugging on Jet’s jersey was before the shot (not during, not after). SO whats the significance of that you ask? Easy, if the ref calls that Jet gets two free-throws with about 2 sec’s left. You needed 3 pts not 2. You lost by 3. Jet would have had to go to the line, make one (assuming he was not going to choke like the rest of your team) and miss the second hoping to out rebound Miami (which has been kicking your tail in the rebound game all series) and score.
The best thing for Dallas was that fould wasnt called. Maybe if you understood the game a little better you wouldnt be whining about this.
When I saw GP do that I was jumping for joy….I was actually upset that the ref didnt call it – Terry got a sweet look at the basket and, well, just choked.
Comment by #1 Heat fan -
Eric,
Miami was the more physical team. They were also the veteran team. They have players that know how to get to the line. Miami’s superstar knows how to get to the line, Dallas’ superstar knows only fadeaways and flops. When he went to the backet in games 1 and 2 he got the calls. Dirk reverted back to the true Dirk, by whining more than attacking. When the pressure was applied to this team they could not respond, and the biggest choke job was from their superstar.
The whole attitude of the Mavs starts at the top and everybody has bought into the whining attitude. Champions don’t whine. They find a way to win, bottom line. Whining is for losers.
Comment by BobbyC -
Awesome final game, full of great plays and excitement.
Refs and bad calls aside, Dallas didn’t quite perform at the level we all know they can. Would’ve made the series even more wild.
Much props to Cuban for applauding the Heat at the end of the game. That was real cool.
And yes, the crowd booing at the end was classless.
Comment by Benny Wilson -
Lets play basketball without defense. Great lets bring in Old School Loyola Marymount offense. If you can’t guard somebody cry when the foul is called.
Comment by Rogert -
The above post is myopic. How is it a game when the rules are subjectivly applied? I’m not a huge NBA fan, coming here soely to convince Mr. Cuban he needs to watch a football game or two and hopefully get the football bug, but I did wach this season..and only…because of Cuban…not running games, stars, but Cuban. He is a one of a kind Maverick. Its quite simply one of the rarer displays of Leadership in an industry that has become pathetic.Mark, you did the best you could do…considering…..now I ask you to not give up on the reform…..Illegitimis non est carborundum
Comment by Charles -
Being a Knicks fan, I hate Pat Reilly and Alonzo Mourning. However, I rooted for the Heat this series. Why? Becuase I can’t stand you, Mark. Was the refereeing one-sided? Yes. But also, Miami drove to the basket a shitload more times than the Mavs. And need I remind the Mavs fans the only reason they are in the finals are because of the refereeing in the San Antonio series? The refs won those games for the Mavs, and it was despicable.
How many times were Mavs fans complaining when they had the refs doing everything for them? Oh, that’s right- none. Stop bitching about it and stop whining. You guys had more than your fair chace to win and blew it. That traveling call at the end of the game? Your chance to tie it up. Don’t blame the refs, blame yourself. And Mark, I gotta get down your address so I can send you a box of pacifiers… I’m guessing your done with breast feeding by now but maybe I can get you some formula and a package of diapers. Mavs fans are classless, arrogant pricks- that booing at the end of the game was uncalled for.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=bayless/0605…
Comment by Dylan -
290, Steven Kempton,
THANK YOU. Three double-doubles on the Heat roster last night.
Comment by Dave -
well, time to say hello to all of you from hometown krautland! of course i am disapointed that dirk felt short, but – somehow i saw it coming: guys, this is the nba you all are talking about – its the biggest wrestling show on earth (outside wrestling) – its probably the biggest sportsmoneymaschine worldwide – what did you ecpect? – poor mrstern has been waiting for so long to get his new m.j.-like ambassador of nba sales! – in those dry years he just saw too many tatoos, gangster rappers, wife-cheaters… and now a german stealing the show??? no way!! not if you have a kid with good looks, smarts and the game in your own backyard who first thanks god and than his mother!! i’ll make a prediction to next years finals: it’ll be kobe vs. dwyane – and i promise you more outrageous no-calls on both coasts if any other team gets in their way – this is a wet dream coming true for mrstern! he won’t let that one slip away – and sorry, mark: no changes even close insight!
for me, after over 25 years following the best sport on earth, i will finally give up and loose interest. this has a good side, too: it means i won’t have to get up at 3am in the morning watching 3 and a half quarters ballgame – and than the last minutes ref-roulette. i have hundreds of games on tape, which will help me remembering how the game was, how larry tricked, how the worm fought, how chuck tanked, how malone sucked, and how mj used his forearm to draw fouls… – but wait, skip the last one, ’cause that’s NOW already again!
long live college basketball – cheers and prost – stephan
Comment by Stephan from Berlin -
yeah…lets rag on the heat.
lets forget that dallas gave away a championship.
lets forget that nobody really WANTED to step up other than Dirk.
y’all talk big noise in dallas.
Comment by obi -
Mark…please buy the Lakers…WE NEED U!
Comment by Liz Dowley -
Very poorly officiated series, no doubt. Simmons article was right on the button. Mavs team, from the owner on down, expended too much energy on the officiating bias. Mavs looked tired last night, mentally and physically, which no doubt contributed to the low FG%. I am convinced the better team did not win the title. Congratulations to David Stern, the officials, and the Miami Heat. You proved to be an unbeatable combination.
Comment by Trey -
How many points did Dirk have in the 4th quarter?
2 — 2 — 2
How many points did Terry have in the 4th quarter?
0 — 0 — 0
Was that the refs?
Comment by Dave -
I’m American and I would much rather not see a individual star. Really, I never
was a Michael Jordon fan, he is talented, no doubt but I mean he didn’t liven up
the game any. Everyone always knew what would happen in a Jordon game. The
offense would be set up around him, it’s pretty boring. As well as the defense
would be centered around him. And in reality, we will see a lot less stars this
way. Just imagine if Nowitzki took all the shots? Terry wouldn’t even be
considered that good of a player, afterall, his assists are not that high. But
Dirk has been a good TEAMMATE, and knows how to give the ball around.
And by the way, America is not the only country. So other countries, do matter.
And as far as it goes, I like fast paced tempo, I like seeing the game on the
fly, if we goto 90s basketball, free throw contests are not what I’m looking
forward to. It would be almost like it’s football. And I hate watching football.
Why? It’s too slow, I’ll play it, but watching it is almost as fun as watching
golf. Team huddle for a couple of seconds, takes a few seconds to get in
positions, ball is hicked, fun for those few seconds until something happens for
the play to be over, take a few seconds to get in a huddle, decide a play, take
a few seconds to get in position… and so on. It’s just boring waiting that
time.
-Ted Daniel
Comment by Ted Daniel -
I got something call TIVO, don’t know if many of you out there have it or not but its great to see how “WELL” the refs call the games. Last nights game was the perfect example of why the NBA needs to adopt the replay rule.
It seems that everytime Wade drives to the basket he was waiting for a call and the refs are waiting to give it to him. Marquis Daniels got called on for his air touching Wade as he drove to the basket. Thats two free throws, two that could of been taken away, meaning mavs trail by one. If that was the cause Terry wouldn’t have to break off the the PAYTON BEAR CLAWS to get off a shot, instead he could of drove to the basket and either get a “RIGHT” call or make a higher percentage shot.
Here’s a suggestion for you Stern. Use that 1.7 mil you borrowed from Cuban and either get some new refs are whose eyes are better, legs are faster to keep up with the game and not call it as they thought it ought to be. Or get better technology to pinpoint out what the refs can’t and can’t and can’t see and reserve 90% of the calls they miss and maybe the game can be played fair again.
G’luck Next year Mavs. WE WILL BE BACK
Comment by Poor officiating -
“Dallas surpasses Napa as top produce of wine in the USA”
That article as well as your antics hurts the game The MJ years are the most exciting times in NBA history.
Dominant players are what make the NBA. Who wants another NCAA league?
Lesson number one: Money doesn’t buy championships. The will and desire do; period.
Stop blaming your team’s shortcomings on the refs. Be a man and own up to being schooled by a better team. An old school team! Riley Rules!
Comment by Thomas -
Jim, Bill Simmons is an editorial writer on ESPN.com. He knows about basketball, but I’d hardly say he knows a lot. He follows the CELTICS for gods sake. It’s not a lopsided smear of an article, unfortunately it’s the truth. Who wants to see early 90’s basketball again? Who wants to see a team with 1 superstar, 1 sidekick, and Bill Wennington out on the floor every night? I know I don’t, and many other don’t either. I’d rather see Dirk, JTerry, JHoward and Diop…or I’d rather see Sheed, BWallace, Tayshaun, Billups and Rip Hamilton….TEAM basketball…
Mark Cuban is only called a crybaby because his team is losing and he’s speaking up about it. The officiating was terrible, as it was during the Heat/Pistons, Spurs/Mavs and Mavs/Suns series.
Save us all from your “witty” little “you’re no cuban” comments…they really don’t make sense when you think about it.
Comment by Danny B. -
SIMMONS excellent piece . Being a (locally described) notorious gambler/speculator I had no bias on game 3 or 5.I made a XXLLLLL huge punt Game 1 ..thanks MAVS. My take is Dallas got screwed by refs game 3 an 5.
Butt that’s only after watching ,playing , and gambling on hoops since 1960….
I’m neutral on being a Mavs fan or Cuban fan but in fiarness I would have reacted 100 times worse than Cuban did had i been screwed like that.
Referees,Umpires etc. etc. is why you see stats for them like players on how they officiate GAMES. I MAKE MY OWN…. maybe Simmons will publish them.
Comment by Ron D -
I got something call TIVO, don’t know if many of you out there have it or not but its great to see how “WELL” the refs call the games. Last nights game was the perfect example of why the NBA needs to adopt the replay rule.
It seems that everytime Wade drives to the basket he was waiting for a call and the refs are waiting to give it to him. Marquis Daniels got called on for his air touching Wade as he drove to the basket. Thats two free throws, two that could of been taken away, meaning mavs trail by one. If that was the cause Terry wouldn’t have to break off the the PAYTON BEAR CLAWS to get off a shot, instead he could of drove to the basket and either get a “RIGHT” call or make a higher percentage shot.
Here’s a suggestion for you Stern. Use that 1.7 mil you borrowed from Cuban and either get some new refs are whose eyes are better, legs are faster to keep up with the game and not call it as they thought it ought to be. Or get better technology to pinpoint out what the refs can’t and can’t and can’t see and reserve 90% of the calls they miss and maybe the game can be played fair again.
G’luck Next year Mavs. WE WILL BE BACK
Comment by Poor officiating -
Congrats to the Mavs on a great year – I know they’ll be even tougher next year.
But the doom and gloom predictions from that link are just silly. Does officiating need to improve? Of course. Does the single-scorer style of team detract from what is supposed to be fundamentally good basketball? Over time, yes it can.
But it’s just silly to get all doomy because the Heat won with D-Wade carrying them on his Jordan-esque shoulders. This season was exciting from beginning to end, and this was the best playoff season I’ve seen in years. The NBA is not going to fall apart.
Anyone who thinks the league is biased against the Mavs is just… well, wrong. I’m sorry, but bad calls go both ways, and any true neutral fan can see that bad calls are made on both sides. People used to say there was a conspiracy against the Pacers because they weren’t a big enough market. Fact is, they just got stopped (repeatedly) by teams that were better when it mattered.
The Mavs didn’t lose this series because of officiating. They lost because they didn’t keep their composure in the end. God bless Dirk Nowitzki, ’cause he is one heck of a ball player, but scoring only 2 points in the 4th quarter when your season is on the line just ain’t going to cut it. He’s the team leader on the floor and needs to dominate. He had an awesome game, but only over three quarters, and that’s not a championship formula. He must dominate when he’s on the floor. No exceptions.
Don’t blame your losses on bad officiating, bad luck, or conspiracy theories. I remember being a Bulls fan back in the 90s…. somethimes it was hard to swallow, but every once in a while, they got overconfident and got beaten. It happens to every good team. The mark of a GREAT team – which the Mavs have the potential to be – is that they find the way to win in THEMSELVES. They study their losses and find their own solutions instead of constantly blaming outside factors.
Thanks for a great season, and best of luck next year!
Comment by Charlie -
Yes…make that comment #328!
Comment by Heat Fan -
The “bump” defensive play is a foul but the refs won’t call it – why? Isiah would not make it in today’s NBA because the refs don’t call fouls. Dennis Johnson was a defender – it was hard work – and he got called every time he “chested up” on a ball handler. Half the guards in the league turn the ball over every time they touch it. It is boring to watch a point guard dribble the ball at the top because he doesn’t know what to do and boring to watch 4 other players stand there and watch him. Jerry Stackhouse is a ball hog and slowed every game down every time he touched the ball. Your point guard was not strong enough to even think about guarding Wade – it was a joke – matador defender. Keep Terry, Nowitz, and Dampier – trade the rest – they don’t want it bad enough.
Comment by Keith Prater -
Did all of you heat fans notice that when the interviewed Shaq and Wade after, that when Wade was asked a question Shaq answered for him. What is Wade, Shaqs puppet now?
Anyways, Great job this season Mavs. It was a tough loss, but it was a great season. See you all next year!!
Comment by Liz -
Who cares about Bill Simmons… It’s 9:15 and I’m just anxious what kind of bitching and moaning YOu have to post for us today Mr. Cuban.
I’m sure you’ll completely forget the fact that Haslem had 17 points and went 9 for 13. Or that Zo had 6 Rebounds, 5 blocked shots, and 8 points off the bench. You’ll probably even ignore the 36 points that Wade had, and the fact that he averaged more points than MJ did verse the Lakers in his first Finals. Once again, it will be all the officiating and the “conspiracy” against the Mavs. Fucking crybaby.
Comment by Jason -
Cow lovers…cry me a river! At least when my Spurs go to the FINALS, we WIN it ALL baby!
As I predicted, this was all over last nite. Thank you HEAT for finally shutting Cuban and Whinny baby AJ the hell up!
Dallas you have no class…even talking about a parade after game two! Idiots!
Well, like in the past, you’re always welcome to come down to the “muddy-assed” RiverWalk to see what a Championship parade looks like, because it’s never going to happen in ‘ALLAS….hahahaha!
Hasta la vista losers!
Comment by SP -
Right is its own defense………
Dan Rather is WR
ONG
Comment by Mark B -
The “bump” defensive play is a foul but the refs won’t call it – why? Isiah would not make it in today’s NBA because the refs don’t call fouls. Dennis Johnson was a defender – it was hard work – and he got called every time he “chested up” on a ball handler. Half the guards in the league turn the ball over every time they touch it. It is boring to watch a point guard dribble the ball at the top because he doesn’t know what to do and boring to watch 4 other players stand there and watch him. Jerry Stackhouse is a ball hog and slowed every game down every time he touched the ball. Your point guard was not strong enough to even think about guarding Wade – it was a joke – matador defender. Keep Terry, Nowitz, and Dampier – trade the rest – they don’t want it bad enough.
Comment by Keith Prater -
“I never have to say a word again.”
Please? Do you mean it? I dare you to live up to that standard. Bill Simmons knows a lot of basketball, but after reading that lopsided smear of an article, it seems he’s about as level headed as Josef Stalin on his second bottle. If that’s your standard of journalism, no wonder you’re a crybaby.
Mark, I work with Cubans, I know Cubans, Cubans are friends of mine. And sir, you’re no Cuban.
Comment by Jim -
Who cares about Bill Simmons… It’s 9:15 and I’m just anxious what kind of bitching and moaning YOu have to post for us today Mr. Cuban.
I’m sure you’ll completely forget the fact that Haslem had 17 points and went 9 for 13. Or that Zo had 6 Rebounds, 5 blocked shots, and 8 points off the bench. You’ll probably even ignore the 36 points that Wade had, and the fact that he averaged more points than MJ did verse the Lakers in his first Finals. Once again, it will be all the officiating and the “conspiracy” against the Mavs. Fucking crybaby.
Comment by Jason -
make that 328 by anti
Comment by JustAThought -
AAANNNNNNNNNTOIIIIIIIINE WALKER!!!!
Comment by Dennis -
Perception.
Big word NBA, there is a perception that the game is fixed.
Mark, great season for both our Team and you.
Keep working on getting the perception of the game being rigged fixed.
Comment by Jim -
Comment #326 said it perfectly….
This series came down to 15 strong who stayed focused and committed.
I am so happy for Zo! Way to go Heat!
Comment by Heat Fan -
Mark Cuban. PLEASE hang on in there. We love you to death here in Dallas! Thank you for all you do! Thank goodness for your passion. GREAT TEAM, GREAT GAMES, GREAT COACH, GREAT MANAGEMENT AND GREAT OWNER. I am proud to have the Mavericks as my team!
Comment by AK -
321 – quit being such a “Rich”ard 😉
327 – excellent points. I wonder where Wade learned to throw chops like that 🙂
Comment by JustAThought -
Being a Knicks fan, I hate Pat Reilly and Alonzo Mourning. However, I rooted for the Heat this series. Why? Becuase I can’t stand you, Mark. Was the refereeing one-sided? Yes. But also, Miami drove to the basket a shitload more times than the Mavs. And need I remind the Mavs fans the only reason they are in the finals are because of the refereeing in the San Antonio series? The refs won those games for the Mavs, and it was despicable.
How many times were Mavs fans complaining when they had the refs doing everything for them? Oh, that’s right- none. Stop bitching about it and stop whining. You guys had more than your fair chace to win and blew it. That traveling call at the end of the game? Your chance to tie it up. Don’t blame the refs, blame yourself. And Mark, I gotta get down your address so I can send you a box of pacifiers… I’m guessing your done with breast feeding by now but maybe I can get you some formula and a package of diapers. Mavs fans are classless, arrogant pricks- that booing at the end of the game was uncalled for.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=bayless/0605…
Comment by Dylan -
Heat ’05-’06 Champs. I’ll make sure and donate some Kleenex to you ladies!
Comment by Jimbo -
I read this article and it boils my blood. Let me understand this correctly. Given the chance, you wouldn’t pair Wade with Nowitzki and build around them? Who wouldn’t do that?
The fact is that all the pretty team ball we’ve seen this year couldn’t cut it, not because the teams were bad or the style bad, but because the teams couldn’t get it done. Maybe they spend more time being proud of ushering in the NBA’s renaissance than making the proper adjustments for their next game.
In the end, when I look at the series, I see this: The Mavs couldn’t get it done. Put game 5 in the background for a second and remember this; the Mavs owned this series for 11 quarters. The Heat couldn’t keep up. And then suddenly they could. They came back to win Game 3, and apparently the Mavs psyche was damaged. They slept through Game 4.
Which brings us to Game 5. Stackhouse deserved a suspension. He went up in the air with the sole intention of putting Shaq on the ground. Had the tables been reversed, Walker or Posey doing that to Dirk, nobody would blink over a suspension. Say what you will about the last few minutes, blown calls and ticky-tack fouls, but the Mavs could not put the Heat away. They were up what, 8-12 points in the second half? A knockout punch here and you pretty much wrap up the series. Where was it? The refs certainly didn’t spot the Heat all those points, nor did they crowd the basket to keep the Mavs from putting it in the hole. The Heat won the game.
They won Game 6 too. The TEAM won, not one player.
I know how it feels to be bitter over a loss, you love your team, you want them to do well, you send your passion and will to them, but the teams play and the teams win and lose. Stop blaming the refs, and please, please, don’t try to tell me that the best basketball team in the world is bad for basketball because they run concurrent to the new style of play. It’s insulting to the team and it’s fans, and it makes you look like a sore loser.
Comment by Joshua Hoade -
Once again the NBA got what they wanted.
I was able to again point out the problem with the NBA and how the Refs call the game. Towards the end of the game she started showing me what the Heat were getting away with and wondered why the Mavs would get a call for something that the replay had a hard time showing.
Second half calls were different than 1st half.
Got to show her a great example of shack in the paint for 12 seconds and andother Heat player in there at same time for 5 seconds.
Did you see the punch that Wade threw at begining of day?
Comment by Jim -
Mr Cuban,
I am not a Mavericks fan, but I have always admired you. You have a wonderful coach and a wonderful team. I think that you guys will be back next year. Congratulations on your great season.
Gloria
Comment by Gloria -
Great job this season, by the way.
Comment by James Vaughn -
Well, I was rooting for the Mavericks all the way. Me I’m all for team work, hearing one guy’s name all game gets pretty old. I really thought this was their year, but they have a great established team right now.
Eitherway, I understand why the Mavericks ‘whined’ about calls being missed. These are the NBA Finals, if any games, these are the games that should be officated right. And I’m sure if the Heat were put in the same situation the Mavericks were, that all you Heat fans would complain too.
Just imagine, being a fan, or even better, a player, coach, and owner, seeing ‘possiable game-changing’ fouls not being called in the Finals, and it’s your first time there. It’s probably pretty frustrating. I mean that backcourt violation and Wade pushing Terry to try and get to the basket in the minute of Game 5, could of changed the whole game if the violation and foul were called.
Game 6, that painfully obvious foul against Dirk in the final seconds. What makes matters worse in these final ‘missed’ calls, Wade would take a few more steps, and a foul would be called on a Mavericks. Were the refs busy at that moment when Dallas got fouled? Eitherway, that does change the game, because instead of Dallas getting to goto the line, Miami not only gets away with it, but gets a trip to the line themselves. And since we never expect the ball in anyone else’s hands but Wade, its definately Wade at the line which in turn, 2 points from the free throws.
I’m not going to say it would have definately been better and Mavericks Would have won no matter what, if the refs did their job. Because we don’t know that, but it is now planted into everyone’s mind that ‘What if…’ question. I know everybody says ‘screwed’ when their team loses, but this is the first time where it actaully feels like it. When all of America can see 3-4 fouls that could of changed the tempo of the game, and ‘experts’ (and I use that term lightly) on the court cannot see it, it amazes me.
But none the less, good job Miami, have fun with the title while you can.
– Ted Daniel
Comment by Ted Daniel -
Smart article. BUT I would rather watch 90’s style basketball and so would most other Americans. Same reason we don’t enjoy soccer. We like stars, we like individual superlatives, heroes. America is the land of the individual, not the team. Whether that is a good thing or not, it is true.
Comment by James Vaughn -
Mark, please conduct yourself in a responsible manner. Your foul language and irrational behavior are sending the ‘wrong message’ to the impressionable masses.
Thanks for all you do for ‘D’ & BEST OF LUCK next year!
Comment by Bob -
I got something call TIVO, don’t know if many of you out there have it or not but its great to see how “WELL” the refs call the games. Last nights game was the perfect example of why the NBA needs to adopt the replay rule.
It seems that everytime Wade drives to the basket he was waiting for a call and the refs are waiting to give it to him. Marquis Daniels got called on for his air touching Wade as he drove to the basket. Thats two free throws, two that could of been taken away, meaning mavs trail by one. If that was the cause Terry wouldn’t have to break off the the PAYTON BEAR CLAWS to get off a shot, instead he could of drove to the basket and either get a “RIGHT” call or make a higher percentage shot.
Here’s a suggestion for you Stern. Use that 1.7 mil you borrowed from Cuban and either get some new refs are whose eyes are better, legs are faster to keep up with the game and not call it as they thought it ought to be. Or get better technology to pinpoint out what the refs can’t and can’t and can’t see and reserve 90% of the calls they miss and maybe the game can be played fair again.
G’luck Next year Mavs. WE WILL BE BACK
Comment by Poor officiating -
As a Maverick Die Hard for 26 years I am disappointed in not winning the championship. However, what makes me extrememly disappointed is the fact that there is absolutely no way anyone can say the league doesn’t have some bias against the Mav’s. The Mav’s played their hearts out all series long (save for game 4) and outplayed Miami. The Heat had their championship handed to them courtesy of the NBA and their bias. Plenty of calls or non-calls were made over and over again either stopping or slowing a Maverick run or compelling a Heat run. It is obvious our team officials are just gonna let this one ride but I will not. Personally I cannot continue to support a team that does not have the huevos to stand up for whats right when they no doubt would be.
Comment by Jon -
For Mark Cuban and Avery Johnson, please give the SA Spurs organization a call, maybe they can give you’ll some remedial training on how to win and lose with class. If you’ll would just shut up and color, this series would’ve gone your way. Avery, you most of all should know that trying to be a Mark Cuban crony is just plain idiotic, and you got what you deserved. Next time try to be more like POPS, a true Champion.
Comment by Miguelou812 -
BOOHOO Toby Reeves, I felt tears coming down after your paragraph of whining and crying on Mark’s behalf. The Mavs lost so now that means that the NBA is broken. WAAAAAWAAAAAA. Hmm. I wonder if all of you Mavs fans that are bitching about the league would be saying this had you won? Oh no, then everything would be peachy wouldn’t it? Get over yourselves, truly.
DocToe, I agree with you 100% Avery Johnson has more class in his little finger than Mark Cuban has in his whole body, it was a damn shame that San Antonio let him go and we all feel the loss. It is even more a shame that someone that has the potential he does is stuck working for a horse’s ass like Mark, because in the long run everything he does as a coach will be overshadowed by Mark’s shitty behavior!
Comment by LAUGHING AT MARK'S EXPENSE -
All you MAVS fans. Congratulations on a good season. But please dont look beyond yourself for this loss. A JUMPSHOOTING TEAM never will and can win a CHAMPIONSHIP. As coach Avery said, live by the jump shot die by the Jump shot.
With all due respect to MAVS, go HEAT…
Comment by suresh -
Congratulations Mavs, you have become a footnote! The only team in the 2-3-2 format to lose after winning the first 2 games. So worried about Shaq that you never even gave a thought to Wade. Dallas stopped listening to Avery with 6 minutes left in game 3 and became the soft defensive team they used to be. I expected to see Nelly on the bench instead of Avery. Outcoached, Outplayed, Outhustled. Yes, the refs blew a bunch of calls but the Dallas players were the ones that played soft defense and slow down, perimeter offense and shot low percentage, desperation shots the whole game.
Comment by Steve -
Mark – Great Year! Take this experience, and use it to improve next year.
Heat – Congratulations.
Stern – Up yours.
Comment by JDog -
That series was bad basketball. Bad for the fans, bad for the league. It wasn’t fun to watch. Watching the same guy just knock people over to draw every foul is ridiculous and not at all entertaining, not even for a Heat fan. Winning is fun, but if the league allows games to be called like this, fans will leave. I am sure you are passing this all along to Stern – maybe Stern needs a reality check. He needs to listen to his customers.
Comment by James -
If its a game of superstars -what about your “softie-star” Dirk. A 7footer denied a single 4th quarter field goal by a couple of smaller defenders? Not only that – getting 2 stupid fouls on Wade in last minutes. Referees are human and a true superstar knows how to read how a game is being called. Wade did and he got to the line.
Comment by pedro nacion - sydney -
It’s weak that Wade should be so disparaged considering that Nowitzki receives the same kind of treatment, if not moreso.
Comment by Holt's Cat -
There is no one to blame for the Mavericks failure to hoist the NBA title but the refs. It is so funny how Wade would drive to the basket with or WITHOUT contact he gets a call and 99.9 percent of the time hes the one to leans into you. A key play to look as yesterday was when Marquis Daniels got called on for not touching wade. clearly CLEARLY we can see that there was no contact but yet a call was made. I think its time for the NBA to adopt the replay rule like the NFL. Too many games are lost and won due to piss poor officiating. Those old farts eyes are no better than their legs but the cameras don’t lie. Look at the play where marquis was called on wade, if you saw contact then you need to replay it. Here’s a tip for you Stern, use some of that 1.7mil you got from Cuban and either buy some better refs or techology and see what the refs can and can’t see. Mavs will be back and hopefully next time we can play this game “FAIR”
Comment by Refs handed miami the title -
wow, this the dallas team that was supposed to heve better d? Everyone in the world knows who miamis go to guy. everyone knows who’s going to get the ball at cruch time. yet the new look mavs who supposedly play “d” couldn’t stop d wade from droppin a line like 36pts,10rbds, 3stls, 4blks, 5 asst. wade was a one man wrecking crew! and sissy mavs could not stop him. one man beat you guys on your home floor. how pathetic. i truly feel sorry for you mavs fans, even though you guys are whining crybabies. with this bunch ofsissies on your team, you will never reach the pinnacle of winning a championship. i would cry if i were you guys too.
Comment by mavs fans shed so many tears -
I’m going to sleep, and seeing how Cuban is likely going to lock this by the time I wake up, I will make a few parting points:
1) Again, the Heat won fair and square, as much as some fans would like to think otherwise. The Mavericks had plenty of opportunities to win games, and they choked them away. The referees did not have a hand in the Mavericks missing open shots and free throws. The calls in Game 5 have been proven to be 100% correct (yes, even the “backcourt violation” that some individuals are still hung up on). The Mavericks and their fans need to stop being sore losers. It’s really an embarrassment. I honestly thought the Pistons fans were going to do this, but by and large I found them to be pretty quiet. Turns out all the pussies are in Dallas.
2) Dwyane Wade is the next Michael Jordan, like it or not. Try nitpicking at all the numbers all you want, he takes over games like no other in this generation. He makes clutch shots, stays cool under pressure, and wins games on his own. Wade made it to his first Finals before Jordan did and outscored him. Whine all you want about him getting to the line too much, but he earns it most of the time. If the Mavericks had the balls to drive the lane all game long, they’d go to the line a lot more often too. Once Wade develops his 3-point shot, he will be completely unstoppable. One can only anticipate…
3) Mark Cuban breeds a lack of classiness. His whining and complaining filters down to his team and his fans. They believe the rhetoric he spews, and then they start to spew it themselves. The fact of the matter is, Cuban is bad for the league. As much as he wants to turn it into the WNBA, he’s too much of a loose cannon
4) Miami is #1. Get over it.
5) I believe the Mavs will win next year, provided this team stays largely intact. They will pull a Pistons circa 1989 or a Bulls circa 1991. Look forward to it and stop being sore losers.
Comment by Alex -
What the hell has Bill Simmons ever done to deserve credibility/attention to his comments on basketball? He has the amount of credibility as a homeless man on the corner of 8th street talking about his “experience” in the Vietnam War. Heck, my opinion should be as credible as his…
Here’s my thoughts: Dallas wont reach the finals again for a longgg time. The Suns and Spurs will dominate for the next 5-6 years.
Dwayne Wade is my HERO!!!!
Comment by White Hott -
WHITE HOT HEAT FAN:
you idiot – the only game any maverick player or coach complained about officiating was Game 5. Enjoy you party on south beach, it won’t happen again for a while. LeBron James will rule the East for the next 10 years so do enough partying to last the next decade. The Mavs will be back , maybe not next year, but at some point in time with such a young team. The breaks (not necessarily the fouls or calls) went Miami’s way and the Mavs had no one with the ability to hit a big shot late. Don’t get caught thinking the Mavs were complaining the whole series. It was one person and all of us in Dallas are used to it. Enjoy your title Miami and, by the way, was I the only one that wanted to kick Antione Walker in the mouth when he did that stupid ass shimmy. Hate the fuck’n idiot.
Comment by Tommy -
Alex it has nothing to do with the numbers between Wade and MJ….
I outlined clearly that Wade did not shoot better from the field in the 2 games “diffining Wade” his numbers got an added 10 of points because of officiating (per game.) His “ability to take over a game” as you put it, is moot! He did not will himself to the line, the refs called a tighter game for him.
If he was playing spectacular that would have shown up in his FG%. He has NOT stepped up his level of play in these 2 games. Any statistician that looks at this will immediatly see a lurking variable that is out of Wades control and into the refs.
Comment by Sean -
This is one of the biggest chokes I have laid my eyes upon. Its amazing that 1 guy, D. Wade can get calls if you look at him wrong. All these people say “dont blame officials” but in the same breath they can say there were calls that where inconsistant and phantom. I believe this will breakdown will forever affect this team and will never be back in the finals much less the conference finals. The dismantling of this team is probably happening as I write this. Say good bye to JET, say goodbye to DA, say goodbye to M. Daniels, say good bye to V. Horn, say good bye to J. Howard if some team offers him the right money. Believe me, he has doubts in his mind about Dirks ability to win a championship and will jump at the chance to be on a team that has a REAL shot at winning the title. And now that the Mavs have been there and folded like a cheap tent, let the return to mediocrity and no heart begin. Its fun down here in chokesville, usa. Any 1 wanna buy a slightly used no. 41 road jersey? cheap?
Comment by mavschoke -
Anybody who supports Cuban should feel duped. When the series ended, he admitted that everything he’s said and done has been posturing. He admitted the Mavs got a lot of ridiculous calls against the Spurs. All his anger and incredulous comments are phony. He knows when he’s right and he knows when he’s wrong, but he’s gonna say he’s right either way. He doesn’t understand basketball at all. He just wants this to be like wrestling, so he can be like Vince McMahon. You seriously can’t believe one word that comes out of his mouth. Whatever he says he says as someone with a vested interest in the Mavs winning, so he has zero crediblity and zero integrity. He probably knows in the bottom of his heart that both Terry and Stack deserved their suspensions. He just argues for the sake of arguing so he can get on ESPN and get his name in the paper. Eventually, it becomes like the boy who cried wolf, and nobody cares even if he’s right about something.
Comment by Aaron Stampler -
Sean,
Did you watch the Pistons series at all? Wade shot a ridiculous 70% in the first four games, and above 60% for the entire series.
Wade essentially willed himself to the line because he drew the fouls. I will openly admit that there have been a few occasions when I said “wow, that wasn’t really a foul,” but by-and-large Wade draws a lot of contact. It’s not his fault the Mavs foul him every time he goes to the hole.
Put it this way: what other player has commanded double and triple teams and still gotten the numbers he gets (free throws or not)?
You are looking at the wrong numbers, trying to fit them into an equation that doesn’t make sense. Wade has come closest to Jordan since Jordan won his last title. It’s plain to see. Your vision is quite clouded (as is every other Mavs, Pistons, or Lakers fan). In a few years, you might be convinced…
Comment by Alex -
I’ve been watching NBA basketball for my entire life. I am neither a Dallas fan nor a Miami fan. I just love Basketball. All of the ridiculous touch fouls called against the Mavs defending Wade in the final moments of these games has made me sick… I never have bought into the conspiracy theories, but you have to wonder why Wade got virtually every call in every 4th quarter… It was ridiculous. Wade is a kid, he hasn’t proven himself as a veteran, a superstar, but he sure got plenty of “MJ” calls this series. WHAT A JOKE. In my opinion the Mavs won this series. If it weren’t for B.S. calls in the last few minutes of these games they would have won 5/6 of the games!
Comment by Norm -
Mr. Cuban,
I must say, you are a personal hero of mine. But I must also say, after watching wade flop around on the floor time after time even when no one was touching him, i felt sick. The nba has lost all credit to me. I will never watch a game again. This “championship” was a farse.
Comment by Thomas -
I guess the “new and improved” NBA is defeated, and the old school prevails. Frankly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ever since the inception of zone defense, the product is crap. You no longer see the physical and emotional nature that the game once had. If I want to see a non-contact sport, I’ll watch table tennis or something. NBA Final is about heart and determination, and it’s about mustering the last bit of strength to obtain the ultimate goal. The Mavs did not do that. Nowitzki disappeared when it mattered, and the Hack-a-Shaq strategy failed by putting the Mavs in constant penalty (which directly resulted in the numerous FTs that Dallasites complain about). The basketball gods smiled on us tonight by granting the Heats the victory. This shows us that hand checking, flopping and a complete dependency on a full court game are no substitute for team defense, master coaching and a well-coordinated attack.
I can sleep well tonight that the game I love remains the game that I love. Old School NBA lives. Long live the old school!
Comment by Bernie -
Shaq showed LA how stupid they were to let him walk away! Congrats to Miami… Mark; get over it & stop whining.
Comment by Ray -
Three things:
1) Forget basketball, when did Texas become the home of a bunch of whining pussies? What happened to J.R. Ewing and Tom Landry and the movie “Giant” and all those toughneck cowboys out on the range? I can’t believe how much whining there is here, but I know it’s because a pro sports exec is in the rare case of having a blog about it (making him No. 2, following the White Sox VP who blogged the title last year).
2) The 2004 Yankees were the best thing to happen to the 2006 Mavs, as Bill Simmons well knows, because no one is calling this the biggest choke in sports history.
3) Without the NBA remaining the same game it once was, we would have no other way to compare Dirk to Karl Malone. Therefore, that continuum is important, so Simmons’ article stands corrected.
Can you all toughen up around here? What happened to Texas?
Comment by Pacifier Vendor -
I guess the “new and improved” NBA is defeated, and the old school prevails. Frankly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ever since the inception of zone defense, the product is crap. You no longer see the physical and emotional nature that the game once had. If I want to see a non-contact sport, I’ll watch table tennis or something. NBA Final is about heart and determination, and it’s about mustering the last bit of strength to obtain the ultimate goal. The Mavs did not do that. Nowitzki disappeared when it mattered, and the Hack-a-Shaq strategy failed by putting the Mavs in constant penalty (which directly resulted in the numerous FTs that Dallasites complain about). The basketball gods smiled on us tonight by granting the Heats the victory. This shows us that hand checking, flopping and a complete dependency on a full court game are no substitute for team defense, master coaching and a well-coordinated attack.
I can sleep well tonight that the game I love remains the game that I love. Old School NBA lives. Long live the old school!
Comment by Bernie -
81 points? Woo freaking hoo. Kobe is a selfish, arrogant player. Wade is a humble, great player who is great at all facets of the game and will win more championships with or without Shaq. Wade is the best player in the league. He has risen to the top. Did Kobe win any Finals MVPs? Didn’t think so….
Comment by Alex -
Well Stern and the NBA finally got their new poster boy!! Dwayne Wade….and not a single tattoo on him. They had to find someone to replace MJ. Hell Kobe bombed out because he couldn’t keep his dinger in his pants, LeBron has all the talent but the Hip Hop (Ala 50 cent) image and tatts……well, his marketing appeal is limited. But, Dwayne….now that’s a whole different story. He is Tiger Woods in sneakers, the NBA’s and corporate america’s marketing dream as long as he stays at arms length from Shaq. This kid can hawk baby food, possibly show up on a new NBA logo. (Jerry’s getting on in years) Nothing but money smiles David Stern. He even thanks God in the postgame interview, stringing coherent sentence after coherent sentence together. I am sure every player from playground, to high school, to college will be working on the D-Wade move. Dribble drive, drop your shoulder and push off to create space, off the backboard for 2 possibly 3. MJ has to be pissed, how many seasons did it take him to achieve this kind of treatment. How many more records would he have held. If you can’t see it for what it is then as Jack said, “You can’t handle the Truth” As far as his composure is concerned, how composed would you be as a player if you knew that you would always be given the opportunity to “get you game back” if you felt it slipping within the 48 minutes. There is nothing like a few free ones from the stripe to regain your confidence. Hell, coaches have run plays for years to get their guys fouled and to the line if their game is slipping. Dwayne knew his game would never get any further away from him than the charity stripe, and it never did. One last thought, Shaq will park his lazy ass in front of his Sub Zero Fridge and gladly put on the 35 that Riley beat off him. That’s set in stone. Put a fork in him, he’s done. The Heat’s owner might as well be eating the rest of his contract. Allow me one more thought, I wonder at what point did Riley sit Dwayne down and tell him, “Son, you are the chosen one, trust me” …….
Comment by Marty -
Cube,
I have read your articles very interesting perspective. Heat beat the best team in the NBA the detroit pistons, you should not have underestimated the heat. Riley is a great motivator and had won championships and with all the success around him he has ignored you totally and did not talk trash. So does shaq. Well be a good boy accept the failures and give some credit to miami, and keep trying maybe you may get lucky someday. I hope this teaches you the lesson of sportsman ship.
Unlike the hate bloggers I would not ask you to shutup, because your a great joker. I would like to see to scream at poor officials and I would like to see dirk kick the ball, I would like to see the stackhouse trying to pound shaq. This is entertainment to me. Your entire team now to me is a big joke.
Tommorrow it will be fun to mock some die hard dallas fans.
Keep up the jokes
John
Comment by john -
sorry but wade isnt better than kobe.
hmm ..
81points..
amen.
Comment by Lakerfan in Dallas -
Simmons comments were perfectly written.
The call on Dirk in the end of game 6 was laughable. If I wasn’t a Mavs fan, I wouldn’t have watched a single minute of the Finals.
I live in LA and nobody and I mean nobody was talking about this series.
I’m too upset to write anything else.
Congrats to the Heat. Bottom line, they won and they are a great team.
My Mavs hat is off to them.
Comment by Matt -
Alex it has nothing to do with the numbers between Wade and MJ….
I outlined clearly that Wade did not shoot better from the field in the 2 games “diffining Wade” his numbers got an added 10 of points because of officiating (per game.) His “ability to take over a game” as you put it, is moot! He did not will himself to the line, the refs called a tighter game for him.
If he was playing spectacular that would have shown up in his FG%. He has NOT stepped up his level of play in these 2 games. Any statistician that looks at this will immediatly see a lurking variable that is out of Wades control and into the refs.
Comment by Sean -
Mav fans, how does it feel getting swept the last four games and the opposing team winning the championship on your floor, celebrating on your floor, basically wiping the floor with your sissy ass players? The MIAMI HEAT bitched slapped your players, your fans, your city, and your crybaby ass team owner. Let the whining begin. Instead of playing hard and taking the losses like men, your whole organization cried about the refs, the calls, and the free throws. Well yall had a chance to go out and win and yall came out like the fuckin red-neck, cow lover, pussies that you really are. Jason Terry said it best.. “if this team couldn’t come out and win two games at home then they didn’t deserve to win”. Well, the whole world has seen what this team is made of and that’s shit. This team is made of a bunch of guys with balls so small even a microscope couldn’t pick it out. I am going out to south beach tonite to party while you sucker ass losers whine and bitch about your pathetic team. Dirk Nowitzki sucks ass. If he’s your superstar yall will spend alot nights like this…watching the other team celebrate on your floor. Ha!
Comment by WHITE HOT HEAT FAN -
I think this finals were rigged from the start. The calls on the Mavs should have been called on the heat. The heat made free throws and the Mavs weren’t able to. Did you see on of the Heat that drew the fowl and landed on the floor and then celebrated? Any other sport would have been fined. It was a good game but a little one sided. You see better on tv than you can at the games. I will Mark and Avery could watch the tapes and get something done about this.
Thanks for letting me on my soapbox. Margie
Comment by Margie -
To everyone defending Cuban:
Would Cuban be complaining if the situation were reversed?
NO.
He comes to the unwashed masses always claiming to be the “people’s champion” but where are his complaints when HE benefits from a situation? C’mon, DON’T BE DUPES. Cuban doesn’t give a rat’s ass about the game or the fans, ONLY HIS EGO! He can’t stand the fact that HIS team lost. He won’t cry when another team becomes the victim of bad calls.
As for his “improving” the game by attacking the officiating, why is it that Allen Iverson at 6’1″ could score 30+ points a night BEFORE the rules changes but Nowitski (and Nash for that matter) didn’t break out until AFTER the rules changes? Cuban attacks the officiating to get AN ADVANTAGE, just like everyone else. He’s no champion of the game. You won’t hear from him unless it AFFECTS HIM!!!!!!!! He’s manipulating most of you on here… USE YOUR BRAINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by James King -
.
I have an idea. Instead of Avery needing to be yelling and pointing on the side line, how about tech?
Each player has something like a BlueTooth, only smaller, and Avery has a hands free mic. The player can still hear the other players yelling on the floor, but he won’t have a cacophony of the other players voices in his ear. Avery can calmly say whatever he wants, and the whole team will hear it. Multi-tasking something like listening to talk radio while driving.
Wait, there’s probably a rule against that?
tt
Comment by tiptoe -
Good job Sean, between the stats you cite and the non-calls at the other end the Mavs were doubly screwed.
Comment by Eric Schweigert -
The Individualist,
You’re still talking about a backcourt non-violation? The rule specifically states he did not commit one. I don’t care that you are in law school, rules are rules. Do you think Wade would have really gone to the backcourt if he didn’t know the rules? Stop nitpicking about something that doesn’t matter anymore.
Comment by Alex -
Well dallas fans i guess thats what you get for having a whimpy girly man owner and for planing a parade for second place. I’m sorry that the refs took four games away from you. I mean the way they made the rim move so wade could score was so obvious. There’s no way the heat could have actually won with out the refs because dirk and terry are so good. Right……
NO
The mavericks and the dallas fans are nothing but whiny bitches who complain about the refs instead of playing the game. Not to mention the entire dallas team has no penis so technically they’re girls. And when men play women men always win.
Plus Dwyane is the best player ever and he beat the mavs five against one. But that makes sense since any man can take on five women at one time.
Go Heat
Comment by D Wade -
Sean,
First, numbers aren’t everything. Second, you know nothing of basketball.
Wade’s ability to take over a game is what has people reminding him of MJ, not the number of free throws he takes. Do you seem to forget that MJ took his fair share of free throws as well? Dwyane Wade is the closest player we have to MJ, and it’s not just for his offense. Read his line for the night: 36 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocked shots. Those are MJ numbers.
I had him pegged as MJ’s successor two years ago, before anyone noticed. It took a Finals appearance to finally get people to notice.
So stop being bitter like everyone else was after MJ beat them in the Finals. Wade’s the man, and he will be for a long time.
Comment by Alex -
Tom, the “Haslem” traveling was called because two heat players rebounded the ball at the same time and maintained possession long enough for the refs to call it. The charge Howard drew against Payton was a charge, even if you didn’t see it that way. As for not having the sack to drive the lane, the Mavs were getting fouled and no calls were being made, and even goaltending was missed. Sure we missed some jumpers, but if the fouls in the lane are called we are on the line making free throws and winning the game. Why are heat fans such poor winners? Its amazing how much people will say online where they don’t have to face real people. Just remember there is a God and He is watching.
Comment by Eric Schweigert -
Mark, don’t give in so quickly on the league’s interpretation of the backcourt violation. I am a recent grad of the University of Michigan Law School, and I’ve been extensively researching the rule with regard to over-and-back. I am 100% certain that Wade committed a violation in Game 5. The league’s explanation doesn’t hold water. The exception they cite is in no way, shape, or form an exception to the rule that a player in the air is located in the position from which his feet last touched the ground. I will post the commentary on my blog (theindividualist.com) tomorrow and will send it to some newspapers.
Comment by The Individualist -
I gotta say, I’m glad to see I wasn’t the only one who noticed that stuff. Heartbreaking. All I can say now is oh well.
Oh, and one other thing. You know half of Miami’s team will be retiring or needing to be retired by next year, so its a shame you won’t be meeting them in the Finals again.
Comment by Nic -
I expect the MFFL shirts will be selling better after that fiasco called the Finals. Why the hell are we always the fucking underdogs? We take San Antonio in 7 on thier court. We mute the number one offense in the league. And now the officiating gets tighter to make Wade look like the next MJ.
The officiating is not playoff basketball. They loosen it to allow the shots and players decide the game not tiny bumps and phantom calls.
MJ? Hardly. Wades performance is directly linked to the officiating not his play. Lemme give you numbers.
Wade averages 27.2 ppg in the season and 8.4 pts from FTs, thus he averages 19 points from feild goals and 8 pts from the line, thats from 82 games.
Games 5 and 6: Wade has 43 and 36 pts.; 21 and 16 from free throws. Wade averages 21 pts from FGs and 18.5 pts from the line. That means factors made Wade get 10 more points from the line….
Is it that Wade was spectacular? If so his points from FG’s would be up from his season average. 19 ppg in the season vs 21 in the series deciding games does not indicate a statistical factor in his level of play. During the regular season his FG% was 49.5, during these 2 games it was 47.8% there is no statistical backing that he did better from the field than he should have.
I wont insult the game by claiming it is rigged, but in order to push the next MJ, the refs have tightened the calling against Wade’s defenders, contrary to normal playoff officiating. These extra 10 points per game, were the deciding factor in the final 2 games, which were one possession games to the end.
Please stop the comparision to MJ. Wade has done nothing spectacular beyond his normal capabilities. Wade still isnt a Kobe, a LeBron, or even a Dirk. He is Stern’s new cash cow.
There’s no need to fear, UnderMav is here!
***All stats were used by Yahoo! Sports; I did not make them up.***
Comment by Sean -
I’m sorry but I just don’t agree with you or Simmons. When Miami lost the first 2 games nobody had a problem with the officiating but now it’s all that’s being talked about.
Simmons comparing Wade’s play to anything done by Carter, Richardson or Pierce is laughable. If what he was saying was true Iverson would have led his 76ers to beat the Lakers in the Finals.
The bottomline is that Dallas should have won the 3rd game. That was their game to win and they lost it. That changed the series.
Dallas will get back to the finals so cheer up.
Comment by youngsmeagol -
Heat proved it. Showed class. Showed will. They deserved it. I am just fed up with all this whinning. Grow up….face it, Mavs, choked, were distracted, didn’t defend well and were outplayed.
BTW, this explaination from NBA should shut you guys up once for all. All 3 calls at end of game 5 right on money. You can’t argue that.
Director of Officials Ronnie Nunn looks at some of the close calls from the end of Game 5.
http://broadband.nba.com/cc/playa.php?content=video&url=http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/nba/nbacom/nbatv/nunn_insiders_060620.asx
Comment by shahpaulin -
Heat proved it. Showed class. Showed will. They deserved it. I am just fed up with all this whinning. Grow up….face it, Mavs, choked, were distracted, didn’t defend well and were outplayed.
BTW, this explaination from NBA should shut you guys up once for all. All 3 calls at end of game 5 right on money. You can’t argue that.
Director of Officials Ronnie Nunn looks at some of the close calls from the end of Game 5.
http://broadband.nba.com/cc/playa.php?content=video&url=http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/nba/nbacom/nbatv/nunn_insiders_060620.asx
Comment by shahpaulin -
Heat proved it. Showed class. Showed will. They deserved it. I am just fed up with all this whinning. Grow up….face it, Mavs, choked, were distracted, didn’t defend well and were outplayed.
BTW, this explaination from NBA should shut you guys up once for all. All 3 calls at end of game 5 right on money. You can’t argue that.
Director of Officials Ronnie Nunn looks at some of the close calls from the end of Game 5.
http://broadband.nba.com/cc/playa.php?content=video&url=http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/nba/nbacom/nbatv/nunn_insiders_060620.asx
Comment by shahpaulin -
I respectfully disagree Mark. I’m a former hoops player in Canada and when my university got to the top of the rankings, we did it by having two great “go to” guys and the rest were all roll players. And when everybody buys into a system, the locker room is a great place to be. I got the sense that Riles brought that out in them[Heat]. I mean all they talked about was the 15 cards representing 15 in the room. I didn’t sense that with Avery. He always seem to be negative in victory, a sort of chip on his shoulder. No disrespect to him, I just don’t think he’s the “one” that will bring greatness to your mavs.
As for the one, two punch in the NBA. Look at Boston with Bird and McHale, LA with Magic and Kareem and the list goes on and on and on. I think you should never have traded away Nash, I know I’m partisan, but he could have made Stack, Howard and Daniels into much better roll players. Could you imagine their numbers with him getting them the rock. I just don’t see the relevance of a strictly scoring PG like the “jet”. Just me I guess, but the trio seem to shrink when they couldn’t create on their own.
Besides that, you should be proud Mark. Many great teams have been born from tough defeats. Detriot took it on the chin from Boston and LA before going on to win two. The same for many others. I think you have something special their in Dallas. Give it time it will make you proud one day.
Comment by Scott Mackay -
Dwayne Wade is not Michael Jordan. Jordan would not CHOKE on two free throws, giving the other team hope in the end. But he got Jordan like calls the whole series. If Dirk got the same treatment, Miami fans would be going nuts right now. Wade got all the calls and Dallas played their “C game”. If they played each others 50 more times in the next 100 days, Dallas wins about 35 of them. Miami is not the first BOGUS championship team, and they won’t be the last.
Comment by Kenneth Pickerill -
A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WHINES
http://i5.tinypic.com/14vpao0.jpg
I know it hurts – but give some props!
Comment by Aaron -
HEY JANET…READ 546 WHILE YOU’RE AT IT….SKANK!
Comment by Mark Gordon -
Why is everyone here looking beyond the FACTS:
Mavs FG% Game 6 – 37% 34-92 (MIA 45% 35-78)
Mavs FG% Game 4 – 32% 25-79 (MIA 52% 34-66)
Refs have nothing to do with that!
The biggest gripes that Mavs fans can come up with is the TO call at the end of game 5 – which was asked for – twice – AND the solid foul call on Wade – there was a picture on ESPN.com right after the game with this picture…
http://i5.tinypic.com/14vmbte.jpg
what you dont see here is Dirks hand shoved in his back – so what is the problem here?
Without Harris’s hand drapped across Wade’s arm – he makes the basket – THAT IS A FOUL.
I dont see the controversy.
Comment by Aaron -
Hey Mavs squad, I enjoyed the season, at least the games I got to see. Lots of fun.
The Heat got the calls (most likely as a marketing ploy – Mavs players don’t historically sell jerseys to teenagers on a national level), but if you’re begging for a shot to win, you didn’t beat your opponent. Sometimes you have to beat more than your opponent, and that’s life. Roll with it. It happens at all levels in all competitions whether you like it or not.
Best wishes.
http://cryptostenchies.com
Comment by huckit -
i truely hate the heat fan fags that come here. Go some place else. And in 13+ billion fan’s heads, we still think the Dallas Mavericks are world champions. Dwayne Wade is a cheap who tries to do it all while the other players just watch him collect free throws from “fouling” defending players.
Comment by Dave (Flameking) -
HEY JANET…READ 542 YOU WANKER!
Comment by Mark Gordon -
So Mark “The Crybaby” Cuban can’t stand the fact a better team won.
It doesn’t matter if a foul was called or not, Cuban would still find a reason to complain. He’s a pompous individual who doesn’t understand that his team got out-played.
You can use the “refs made bad calls” argument once or twice, but FOUR GAMES IN A ROW! Get out of here with that nonsense. You lost…get over it!
🙂 And yes, the letterman interview was the kiss of death. Cuban spoke way too soon.
Comment by Angel -
Mark,
Love your blog. Heat fan. The Heat winning 4 straight was awesome. Have Avery teach the boys to drive to the hoop a little more and the Mavs will get more FTs. Too bad for your sake Stackhouse wasn’t suspended for 2 games. Glad he made only i big shot the whole game.
I really do like your passion. It is what it is all about. Create more HD TV !!!!!!
Good luck next year.
James
Comment by Miami James -
Check it out Heat fans!
http://www.ericfolkerth.com/B1082610743/C1360270701/E20060621011743/
You lose!
That is all!
Comment by Dav0 -
I like Simmons too. It was great in the article when he stated: “Finally, here’s my prediction for the next two games: Dallas wins Game 6, Dallas wins Game 7. . .”. This just solidified the fact that he knows as much about the game as you. Nothing.
Comment by Rob Harper -
Simmons is an idiot! He said Duncan does not have it anymore. Enough said! If you are a Mavs fan, be happy with what they achieved. I love the game of basketball. I honestly dont think Dallas will have another run like this. The west will be to tough. I like the Suns and Spurs in the conference finals.
Comment by Cordero Montoya -
I am a huge simmons fan and am a monster red sox fan…i loved his book and look forward to his work, but this article is WAY wrong…first of all, Miami certainly got huge contributions in game 6 from their entire team, most notably morning, walker, and haslem…second, anyone who truly knows basketball will acknowledge that Miami’s defense on dirk was a large a reason for their victory as wade’s scoring…did wade guard dirk? if dirk had carried his to date playoff scoring average thru the championship series Dallas would have won at least game 3 or 5 or both…he didn’t and Miami’s defensive approach plus its execution is the major reason that he did not kill them as he had killed san antonio and phoenix…lastly, wade is the BEST thing that could have ever happened to the NBA…in a league starving for an inspiring hero he provides it all…he is a true family man, a good citizen, a team player, and a fresh face…that is why his jersey sells the most, even before this series…people want to be inspired and he does that…they (the league) love him and so do the people…simmons has never written a worse, more incorrect piece in his career…
Comment by scott rubin -
Mr. Simmons needs a new axe.
Any capable player can be crafted to become a superstar. If you have a hot hand, ability to score when required, come up with big plays and do it consistently. Guess what, you too are eligible to be a superstar. Someone will always emerge as the go-to-guy on any team.
Comment by More Pain -
Well Janet…since the blog keeps deleting my posts let’s just say your Mavs will NEVER live this one down.
Comment by Mark Gordon -
1st, congrats to Miami. Now to Dallas, you do NOT have the MVP, you gave him away to Phoenix (thank you by the way) so would you please ask your fans to stop the chant MVP,MVP. Get over it. Dirk as MVP for the Champ Series? No Way! D’Wade was the man, better average, cares about the team and not himself. Doesn’t think he is the 2nd comming as Dirk and apparently the Dallas fans think. MVP’s don’t kick balls and equipment as your class act did Sunday night after the game in Miami. MVP’s such as Nash and Wade show their class in how they play the game, with talent, grace and skill. They don’t whine and cry over calls in the game. Bad calls were on both sides of the ball, that’s Pro sports. Get over it, especially since it’s over. On a positive note, you have a GREAT Coach with Mr. Johnson and a great future with players like Mr Howard and Mr Harris, unselfish and true team players. Unlike Mr Gloryhog (Dirk) who always wants the ball, flopping all over the place trying to get a foul called against his opponent rather than showcasing his real talents. By the way where were those talents in the 4th qtr? MIA(MI)
Comment by DJ in AZ -
I see a lot of fans here think, referees have won it for Miami.
But officiating in a game is not done in the same level for all games and players adjust to the way the calls are going for a particular game.
Even if, you are right about certain calls going in wrong direction, you don’t whine about them to the extent that, your players are looking at you instead of preparing for next game.
I cetainly believe that, Dallas was better team and if only Mark didn’t divert his teams attention, they would have been champions. The same officials were in the game for games 1 and 2, where Dallas won with double digit leads. If only, Dallas was concentrating more on game than on officiating, the rest of games might have not came down to the wire.
I love Avery and I believe he is going to make Mavs champions on some day.
Comment by Shiva -
What a loss. I’m having a hard time accepting that the season is actually over because the last few weeks have been an absolute blast. With all the commotion over the officiating, Stack’s suspension, Dirk’s dropoff in performance in the Finals and all that, all I can say is it was a hell of a ride!
There were obviously some phantom calls made, the suspension was suspect as best and blah, blah, blah, but the absolute reality is that the BETTER team wins in a 7 game series. One game? No. Crazy things can happen on a single night. The beauty of a series is that it allows things to shake out on their own.
Could we have won? Absolutely. Should we have won? Maybe. Bottom line. Miami won (and closed it out in 6) and they should be congratulated. Cuban and company have put out a great product and a great team that everyone in Dallas should be proud of. They’re hard-working, strong character guys and easy to root for. I’m already looking forward to next season to see if they can put together another magical run like they had this year.
Miami fans. If you’re reading this, get over yourselves. It would have been different if you were talking this kind of crap after game 2, but you weren’t. You were going into hiding just like good ol’ Shaq. It’s easy to act like a bada$$ after it’s all over. The Mavs will be back next year, stronger, wiser and battle hardened. Too bad DWade’s supporting cast will be in the retirement home.
Comment by Dave -
this guy uses a qoute from his mom about the NBA to justify his stance on the NBA….come on your MOM, Bill?
Comment by bob sacamana -
Mr. Simmons needs a new axe.
Any capable player can be crafted to become a superstar. If you have a hot hand, ability to score when required, come up with big plays and do it consistently. Guess what, you too are eligible to be a superstar. Someone will always emerge as the go-to-guy on any team.
Comment by More Pain -
Well, I see my original post was deleted but I’ll try again.
Just got back from that “filthy disgusting Riverwalk” and picked up a couple of jars of that filthy water for ya like I promised. Thought you might want to share one with your new best friend, idiot Bill Simmons, while you two share all that crow you’re both eating right now. Crow is pretty hard to swallow so just thought you might need something to wash it down with.
Just trying to be a friendly neighbor !!
Comment by Janet Carter -
I didn’t see enough toughness going to the basket from the Mavs last night. I saw it early on from Dirk, and I thought ‘Yeah, he’s ready.’ But it didn’t last. And Terry’s groove went flat on him. Offensive rebounds went missing, and I finally got so tired of seeing Wade taking free throws that I stopped watching.
The Mavs are close, kind of like the Pacers were a few years ago. But they squandered too many opportunities to put Miami away. End of season.
Comment by Bruce -
I cannot believe in that article he says he’d trust Dirk to make free throws to win a game as DWade did, when Dirk missed crucial in that very game. Hope the KoolAid was good.
Wow, that columnist is as delusional as Mark Cuban about basketball!! If the owner didn’t have such a whining wussy attitude, and if Dirk would go play soccer (with all that running around he does) they’d have a much better team. Cuban needs a chess set so he can micromanage without hurting the team!
You score points one way-putting the ball through the hoop. Not whining, running around perimeter, crying about refs, or anything else. Everything not directed at getting ball in the hoop is wastedenergy that could have gone for another 2 pts. Grow up, Dallas, quit whinging, get someone who can play in the paint, and see if you EVER get lucky enough to sneak by San Antone and Phoenix again.
Comment by Matts -
I love Bill and enjoy reading his column. But in this case, I think he’s so far off base it’s not even funny.
I am actually embarrased for the man for writing such a biased and illogical column.
Hey Mark, how much did you “contribute” to Bill for his comments?
Was it more than you’re recent fine?
Curious minds would like to know.
On that note, Mr. Cuban, please feel free to sell your team ASAP. The attention in the media on you instead of your talented team is a slap in the face to every hard working player on te Mav’s.
You should be ashamed of yourself as most are embarrased for your team to have to put up with your childish, immature behaviour.
Comment by Ed -
Losing this hurts bad. Losing the big one always does, but letting it slip out of your hands is all the more bitter.
Congrats to the Heat on winning the title and having one of the best young players in the game, but I must also agree with many on here about the reffing. Face it Heat fans, you won 3 games by a combined 6 points, so you cannot completely discount the officiating. In a series, and games, this close every single point mattered and the disparity of the fouls was an issue. Add that to the league suspending Stackhouse questionably, and I think that a lot of people (not just Mav fans) are at least questioning the role of the league office and the role of officials in big games.
Having said that last night was a missed opportunity for our players as well. Jet, Josh and Stack went 17-54 (31%). So for all those who say Dirk choked, look at those numbers vs. Dirk’s 29 and 15. They did what they did all season. Dirk took what was available and when it wasn’t he found the open guy. The difference is they didn’t knock ’em down.
But I can say that the Mavs had a great year. Are 100% better than 10 years ago. And have a bright, bright future. GO MAVS!!!
Comment by Devin B -
Losing this hurts bad. Losing the big one always does, but letting it slip out of your hands is all the more bitter.
Congrats to the Heat on winning the title and having one of the best young players in the game, but I must also agree with many on here about the reffing. Face it Heat fans, you won 3 games by a combined 6 points, so you cannot completely discount the officiating. In a series, and games, this close every single point mattered and the disparity of the fouls was an issue. Add that to the league suspending Stackhouse questionably, and I think that a lot of people (not just Mav fans) are at least questioning the role of the league office and the role of officials in big games.
Having said that last night was a missed opportunity for our players as well. Jet, Josh and Stack went 17-54 (31%). So for all those who say Dirk choked, look at those numbers vs. Dirk’s 29 and 15. They did what they did all season. Dirk took what was available and when it wasn’t he found the open guy. The difference is they didn’t knock ’em down.
But I can say that the Mavs had a great year. Are 100% better than 10 years ago. And have a bright, bright future. GO MAVS!!!
Comment by Devin B -
Chris, let me get this right. So NBA officials meet in a room, one of them says “I think we can market Dwayne Wade! Let’s call up all the officials…. Hello officials, we can market Dwayne Wade make sure he gets to the foul line 25 times a game.” True the NBA relies on marketing their players and has done a better job of it then any other sport, but you can’t be serious. Why would they not want to market Dirk? Why is Dirk not marketable? Not only could Dirk be marketed well in the States but he has an advantage in the overseas market i.e. Yao Ming. This also gets into the recent debate of NBA players being “from the streets” and this not relating too many of the viewers, which I don’t really agree with, but I can see where the argument comes from. This also plays into Dirk’s favor; you don’t think the NBA wants a “White Poster Boy?” a next Larry Bird? Even Larry Bird said that the NBA needs a “white” superstar, and Dirk and Nash are those guys right now. This being said Dirk needs to act like a superstar, take over a game. He is a 6’11” powerhouse that can shoot from the outside; there is no reason why he shouldn’t be scoring 45 a game.
I was a Mavericks fan but all of their whining, excuses, and Dirks reaction after game five they are my least favorite team in the NBA and rank up there with the Yankees as top organizations that need to re-evaluate their complaining.
Comment by Matt -
Mr. Cuban,
I’m sure your a very smart man and a very good business man at that – else how could you have all that money, unless your plain dang lucky and dumb as a rock. I’m starting to lean towards the later now. Again, if things go your way, your all happy and everything is perfect – this also includes calls that get called for the Mavs when clearly and obviously it should go the other way. BUT when a call goes against the Mavs – Holy Cow, watch out world – there must of been a bloody massacre on your beloved Mavs !!!
In the Spurs series – Spurs were complaining about the refs giving Dallas preferred treatment – in which there were a NUMBER of calls that Dallas got that they shouldn’t of. In the Suns series – again – plenty of calls that went against the Suns shouldn’t of went against the Suns. But did you see the Suns complain any bit ? NO !!! You think that the suspension of Jason Terry was wrong BUT CLEARLY in the replays he did do it. The Stackhouse foul on Shaq you said was not a foul?? Give me a BREAK !!! You are so in denial it is really pathetic. I tell you what, I have only played in the college level of basketball and didn’t play overseas or the NBA but I tell you what, let’s me and you have a 1 on 1 game – and I will punch you like Terry did and I will let you go in for a layup like Shaq was and tackle you like Stackhouse did – let’s see if you think the same and IF, BIG IF there IF you can even get up and play the rest of the game.
Mr. Cuban I’m really pleading with you now – I use to be a Mavs fan and would rout for them when I shifted teams if my team was out. But now you turn me off. You are great for the Mavs and great for the NBA but why don’t you stop for a minute – look at what everyone is saying about Stop Whining and complaining about the refs. I do agree that the refs need to improve but if your going to accept the calls that they give the Mavs you need to be a man and step up to the plate and accept the calls that go to the other team the same exact way. You are a BIG BABY !!! I can not believe that you made the finals to be focused more on you than your Team. I think that is a huge wakeup call for you to settle down and relax and just be the owner. You can think that the refs did you in but I can show you for every call that you thought went against you – at least 2 that went for you.
You were lucky this year to get past the Spurs and the Suns, I do not believe next year you will be able to handle the Suns – with Amarie, Raja and Kurt Thomas at 100%. And if you want to talk about coverups – how about the Suns bailing out Avery’s wife in the assault charge. The SUNS, NOT THE MAVERICKS are giving the victim of Avery’s Wife’s attack playoff tickets free next year. Everyone knows that she did assault the Phoenix fan. But it was the pleading of the Suns to the woman to drop the charges against her. Yeah, I do know about all of that as I do have friends who work in the NBA. Like I said, I use to play and know alot of people in the league. Everyone does like you but don’t like your crying and whining like a big baby. Let the team play and the refs call. I am with you 100% on the improvement of the refs but at the same time – you give and take and accept the calls – as Dallas has received more of their share of calls throughout the season and playoffs.
Comment by Chase -
Plain and simple – Simmons is an idot. A true fan of an opposing team will always cry about ghost fouls on the other teams superstar for one reason – that superstar does not play for their team. If D-Wade was playing for Dallas I bet you that not one Dallas fan (or owner) would be making any statements, only celebrating his play. I have also witnessed many ghost fouls on Dirk that are not even mentioned on this article. Hell, he would be guilty of the same things mentioned in the article in the European Leagues. Regardless, If you truly enjoy the sport you cannot discredit the athletes talents. The two best teams played and one prevailed. Enjoyed the series, enjoyed each teams style and strategy, loved the excitement. Go NBA! Go retire Simmons…
Comment by Eddie G -
Simmons article says it all. Today is the day after the loss…and it sucks. The Mavs are an awesome team, they fight as a team, they win as a team, they lose as a team. The Team will be back next year. It was a heartbreaking loss, but it was awesome to even be there. When I look back to where we have been I realize that this team has been growing and building into the next NBA dynasty, we will get ours. I just hate the fact that we are going to have to listen to the Heat tooting their own horns for the next year, but all good things will come to an end. I just hope that the Mavs are the ones that get to end it.
Comment by Beck -
Bill Simmons has some good points, but…..he rambles. The Heat Mavs was entertaining…Dwyane Wade is ‘good’ for basketball. The Jet and company will get their wins soon enough.
Comment by Fine Whiner -
Sell the Mavs and bring a NFL team to Los Angeles. You will NEVER win a title in that phony corrupt league.
Comment by John -
Get rid of David Stern and all the politics in the officiating will go away. Just make sure you replace him with someone that views the integrety of the game and the fans as being more important than the profits.
Part two is tougher, but still ends up with getting rid of Stern.
The one thing I partly admire Stern for is being strong enough to suspend players when they break rules despite the potential impact to ratings and the game etc…
However, despite my admiration for his willingness to do so, it’s obviously another reason to get rid of him because the policy is beyond idiotic.
Why in the world would you want to institute a policy that consistently impacts the championship runs of the best teams and hurts the fans the most?
Whether it be Dallas, Indiana, the NY Knicks, Sacramento etc…. there is a consistent pattern of marring the playoffs with suspensions and the resultant “what ifs” when key players can’t play in key games.
The idea should be to punish the players and perhaps the franchise WITHOUT punishing the fans. That means you CANNOT suspend players and ruin seasons for every single emotion related problem and fight.
Whether the solution is MUCH STIFFER financial punishment or something more creative, so be it. But every fan wants to see the season decided on the court and not by a commissioner’s ruling on an elbow, punch, or walk to center court to see if your teammate in the fight down the other end of the court is getting killed etc…
Get rid of Stern and the problems will go away.
The NBA needs more than a guy that’s good at making money any way he can.
Comment by W.C. -
I am not a heat fan or a mavs fan. However, I am a Seahawks fan, so I know what it is like to be bitter. With that in mind, the heat clearly won this series. The mavs fouled Dwayne way too much, There were some just plain awful coaching moves, and Dirk played terribly compared to his performances in the regular season. But keep this in mind. You are now a force to be reckoned with. Nobody will say that you can’t do it. You have some great young players that will continue to exel. If the core of your team stays together, the odds are good that you will win a finals soon.
Comment by James -
As a Mavs fan I had more than the odd pepcid moment watching the officiating. In reflection however this series boiled down to 2 very intangible things which had nothing to do with overall talent.
1) Adaption to the style of officiating
2) Timely shooting
Dwayne Wade sat around for approximately 11 quarters and was a complete non factor. At that point a simple epiphany occured.
1) I can hit the odd mildly contested 18 foot jumper at the top of the key area at will
2) If I slash I go to the line … every time … and darn if I am not a pretty good finisher
Unfortunately the Mavericks have one major achilles heel — when the going gets tough, the tough revert back to the Don Nelson mother ship of 18 foot fade away jumpers and easy to get but not so easy to make 3 pointers.
I thought the Mavericks had the same Wade epiphany early in game 6. For the first time I saw actual driving dunks by Mavericks players, life was good, pepcid back in the bottle …
——- News Flash!!! ———-
The refs know who the stars are …
I realize that Haslem was inside Dirks jockstrap in all but the odd moment. But does anyone really think that if Dirk slashed and initiated direct contact (not the lateral fade away kind) that they would call 6 straight charging fouls. Dirk would have gotten 5 of the 6 calls. In case you hadn’t heard Dirk is a superstar.
———- Game 6 Turning point ———–
Mavs up 10 or 12, turnover, driving 3 on 1.5, inexplicable pull up from a layup to flip it to the 3 point shooter. Hello Nelson Mothership … Goodbye Championship
Reminiscent of the moment when Phil Mickselon bounced one of the Top of the Corporate Pavillion on 18 … When teeing off with a putter would have just been fine … Back to the mothership …
———- Adaption to Officiating ———
1) Wade adapts, Dirk didn’t .. Period …
Which is mystifying in light of his outstanding slashing drives vs. San Antonio
Please … Oh …. Please … let us pray Steve Nash conducts a finishing after a spectacular slash to the hoop school that Devon Harris can attend. The Mavs would then be unstoppable.
————- Timely Shooting ———–
Raise your hand if you picked Payton and Posey to make the most critical down the stretch shots of the series.
Raise your hand if you picked Shaq to make 2 free throws down the stretch and Dirk to miss one.
Raise your hand if thought Dampier was the best option when you need a critical bucket (I know he got a dunk in game 5 … why not go to the well again … please !!!)
Raise your hand if you think in that split second when the ref makes a decision to call a foul or not that Mark Cuban’s antics don’t have any bearing.
Rant Over – I feel much better, now time for life to go on 😉
Comment by Formerly Rabid Currenly Casual Mavs Fan -
I am so frustrated. I can see that there is a problem with the NBA, but I feel I can do nothing. I can stop watching NBA basketball, but that only hurts me. It is obvious the league had an agenda with this series. I dont beleieve they wanted the heat to win, but I do believe they wanted to see it go more than 4 games and that was the way it was heading after 2 games. The league has major problems. I as a Dallas fan wake up this morning feeling cheated and robbed, the bad thing is we have to set back and take it. You have David Stern on his throne passing out fine and suspensions. I am glad we have owner that will step out, but it has done no good. The league has had the final laugh!! This League Sucks!!!
Comment by Stephen -
What a stupid article is all I have to say…totally one sided.
With regards to the foul situation, all you soft Dallas fans should stop complaining…Wade drives to the hoop, Wade attacks the rim, Dirk takes jump shots…who do you think will shoot more freethrows? Go look at the stats and see how many 3 pointers Dallas took in last night’s game and ask youself again, why Wade takes so many freethrows.
Give credit to the Heat. They played defense and locked down Dallas. How many times did Dallas score over 100 points in this series? Yes exactly. They needed over time to do that. The Heat defense was too much for Dallas to handle…that’s why the Heat won…not becuase of officiating and not because of freethrows. Wade is a much better superstar than Dirk. No way Wade would have passed it off to Erika Dampiere. He would have attacked the rim. To me that’s the difference. Dirk should have forced the issue and drew a foul (Heat were in penalty). Instead he passes to Erika?
To all you Dallas fans…stop complaining about everything else. Why were the Heat successful in getting the ball out of Dirk’s hands but the Mavs couldn’t do the same to Wade. THink about it. Wade is relentless…..the Heat defense was too good (how many blocked shots did the Mav’s have last night? – exactly!).
As Barkley says “you guys have a soft cake team”.
Comment by Norrin Radd -
As a Mavs fan I had more than the odd pepcid moment watching the officiating. In reflection however this series boiled down to 2 very intangible things which had nothing to do with overall talent.
1) Adaption to the style of officiating
2) Timely shooting
Dwayne Wade sat around for approximately 11 quarters and was a complete non factor. At that point a simple epiphany occured.
1) I can hit the odd mildly contested 18 foot jumper at the top of the key area at will
2) If I slash I go to the line … every time … and darn if I am not a pretty good finisher
Unfortunately the Mavericks have one major achilles heel — when the going gets tough, the tough revert back to the Don Nelson mother ship of 18 foot fade away jumpers and easy to get but not so easy to make 3 pointers.
I thought the Mavericks had the same Wade epiphany early in game 6. For the first time I saw actual driving dunks by Mavericks players, life was good, pepcid back in the bottle …
——- News Flash!!! ———-
The refs know who the stars are …
I realize that Haslem was inside Dirks jockstrap in all but the odd moment. But does anyone really think that if Dirk slashed and initiated direct contact (not the lateral fade away kind) that they would call 6 straight charging fouls. Dirk would have gotten 5 of the 6 calls. In case you hadn’t heard Dirk is a superstar.
———- Game 6 Turning point ———–
Mavs up 10 or 12, turnover, driving 3 on 1.5, inexplicable pull up from a layup to flip it to the 3 point shooter. Hello Nelson Mothership … Goodbye Championship
Reminiscent of the moment when Phil Mickselon bounced one of the Top of the Corporate Pavillion on 18 … When teeing off with a putter would have just been fine … Back to the mothership …
———- Adaption to Officiating ———
1) Wade adapts, Dirk didn’t .. Period …
Which is mystifying in light of his outstanding slashing drives vs. San Antonio
Please … Oh …. Please … let us pray Steve Nash conducts a finishing after a spectacular slash to the hoop school that Devon Harris can attend. The Mavs would then be unstoppable.
————- Timely Shooting ———–
Raise your hand if you picked Payton and Posey to make the most critical down the stretch shots of the series.
Raise your hand if you picked Shaq to make 2 free throws down the stretch and Dirk to miss one.
Raise your hand if thought Dampier was the best option when you need a critical bucket (I know he got a dunk in game 5 … why not go to the well again … please !!!)
Raise your hand if you think in that split second when the ref makes a decision to call a foul or not that Mark Cuban’s antics don’t have any bearing.
Rant Over – I feel much better, now time for life to go on 😉
Comment by Formerly Rabid Currenly Casual Mavs Fan -
Chris, let me get this right. So NBA officials meet in a room, one of them says “I think we can market Dwayne Wade! Let’s call up all the officials…. Hello officials, we can market Dwayne Wade make sure he gets to the foul line 25 times a game.” True the NBA relies on marketing their players and has done a better job of it then any other sport, but you can’t be serious. Why would they not want to market Dirk? Why is Dirk not marketable? Not only could Dirk be marketed well in the States but he has an advantage in the overseas market i.e. Yao Ming. This also gets into the recent debate of NBA players being “from the streets” and this not relating too many of the viewers, which I don’t really agree with, but I can see where the argument comes from. This also plays into Dirk’s favor; you don’t think the NBA wants a “White Poster Boy?” a next Larry Bird? Even Larry Bird said that the NBA needs a “white” superstar, and Dirk and Nash are those guys right now. This being said Dirk needs to act like a superstar, take over a game. He is a 6’11” powerhouse that can shoot from the outside; there is no reason why he shouldn’t be scoring 45 a game.
I was a Mavericks fan but all of their whining, excuses, and Dirks reaction after game five they are my least favorite team in the NBA and rank up there with the Yankees as top organizations that need to re-evaluate their complaining.
Comment by Matt -
Sam,
What color is the sky in your world? The League GAVE the Heat the game? That’s ludicrous. If anything, the League would want all playoff series to go 7 games, because it means more revenue for the League. My hat’s off to Cuban last night for clapping at game’s end…being dignified in loss…don’t start whining like the Seahawks at the end of the Super Bowl. And as far as the Simmons’ articles goes, what is the definition of success…Johnson did a marvelous job with the Mavs this year, but Riley did no less a marvelous job in bringing together the egos on the Heat to accomplish what they did. The League will always need marquee players…that’s just the nature of the business. Lastly, way to go Mark, for this blog…great way to generate interest..revenue…publicity. Bravo!
Comment by David -
I’m a die hard Heat fan and must say that I have great respect for Mark, Avery and the Mav’s. It was a great run and Dallas fans should be salivating over how good their team will be next season. Every great team gets tested, it’s how you get through those tests that makes championship caliber players and I think the Mavs’s players will take this loss and become stronger from it.
As for my Heat this is OUR championship and was well earned despite all the naysayers. We kept our composure in our 2 early losses and never once whined or looked for outside excuses as to why we lost. We took it on the chin and played the next game…better…stronger..and with more desire. I think the Mav’s have seen that and will learn that the fabled “New NBA” like everything else in life requires a balance. A balance between some of the old and some of the new styles, meshing together to form the real new NBA. Stars like DWade,Dirk,Lebron,Nash can already see it coming and are doing their parts to shape it. The Mav’s deserve better than to have a great season tarnished by whining and excuses, take this on the chin, man up, and prove it on the court next year. We will be waiting! Good series Mav’s and CONGRATULATIONS HEAT!! THE NBA CHAMPIONS!!
PS- Mark you produce some kick ass movies, keep it up!
Comment by JF -
The only reason Miami fans are even on this blog, is they feel insecure about winning the title. They feel they have to go on sites and defend themselves. I agree with the people that ask, “why aren’t you out celebrating?” They know if they got the same bad/no calls, they would be griping too.
CUBAN I think you’re the best thing that has ever happened to sports. My husband keeps asking me why I watch these games, if they are just going to be decided by refs. I tell him because I have a passion for the game, much like you do. So keep up the accountability of the NBA. I’ll support you.
Comment by Melanie -
Didnt the refs determine the SA-Dallas series, sure did!
So you idiot mav fans, stop crying about the officiating!
You lost and choked and its right up there with the Oilers meltdown.
Well at least you have that to look up to.
Comment by ernesto de avila -
I’ve read most of the blog entries(due to free time at work), and now its time to talk basketball. Being a Dallas native, I was/am definitely rooting for the home team. Dallas has had a tremendous season and we came along way, from the Roy Tarpley, Derrick Harper days, to the Three J’s, to Western Conference Champs. Its been a great ride, and I hope it keeps rolling. To the mindless fans posting, get a life. The 2006 NBA finals was a mockery of basketball. There is seriously a problem with the officiating. Why can;t the ball players truly decide the games. Anybody who says bad calls didn’t matter in the series, or any other for that matter have obviously never dribbled a ball during an organized basketball game. When two good teams are battling against each other to win, momentum means everything; fouls mean everything; everything counts. For people to give a blind eye for the sake of their favorite team, and sports writers for the sake of the league shows inept people are to standing up. The lack of testosterone illustrated by some of the bloggers, is a good representation of how the league in general conducts itself. I didn’t know you had to be politically correct in reference to basketball. Where are the true hoopers?? Where are the real purists who appreciate good basketball??? I guess their are none left.
As for D. Wade, he is a great ballplayer. I have fond memories of him CARRYING Marquette through the NCAA tourney (posting 42 one game), and leading a young and energetic team to the second round his rookie season. But the comparisons to Michael “His Airness” Jordan must stop. Its not fair to D. Wade, and its not fair to the fans who’ve never witnessed Michael Jordan play basketball. When will they learn that comparisons to greatness the likes of MJ, usually makes those who are compared colossal failures, i.e. (Harold Miner, J.R. Rider, even Stackhouse was dubbed the Next Jordan coming out of college). Are we forgetting that when Jordan was the reckless, young player that D. Wade is being compared to he didn’t get a ring. It was until he learned to trust his teammates that he begin to collect his rings. Not to mention, D. Wade’s supporting cast would crush MJ. Shaq vs. Cartwright, Payton vs. Paxson/Kerr, Posey/Haslem vs. Pippen(although Pip would win this one) etc etc. The bottom line is stop the comparisons. D. Wade has a ring now, it may be his last, so lets be happy for him. He will have his life signed away to Miami with the franchise tag( and have to go through numerous tortuous years of rebuilding). On another note, who would’ve thought that Shaq would look so weak and destructible. If it wasn’t for brain jobs he did on Kobe and D. Wade, the Big Aristotle could be ringless, but enough digression.
Mavs, we have a good team, but our problem has always started at the 5 spot. We have yet to get a good center. Thats the missing piece, not the trading and swapping of guards, or versatile swingmen, it is the center. I can quarantee that if we don’t fix the problem at the 5 spot, we can hang up any championship hopes. Maybe a package of MBenga and Dampier could get some people interested. Nevertheless, keep JT. Money, J. Ho, Dirk, Marquis and the other intangibles, but the Van Horn’s and the Dampiers should be shipped out. They hurt us when it counted. And Avery have you ever heard the phrase, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”??? Because now would be a good time to learn it. Hey Mark, how about you let me intern under the G.M. position. It would be worth it. There is a great basketball mind here.
And to all the people scraming choke, lets see you do whatever you do best in front of 15 to 20 thousand viewing eyes plus millions on television. “Too much pressure and those pipes bust.”
Look for the Mavs and Lakers for next year’s Western Conference finals.
Comment by Mr. Harp -
Mav fans, how does it feel getting swept the last four games and the opposing team winning the championship on your floor, celebrating on your floor, basically wiping the floor with your sissy ass players? The MIAMI HEAT bitched slapped your players, your fans, your city, and your crybaby ass team owner. Let the whining begin. Instead of playing hard and taking the losses like men, your whole organization cried about the refs, the calls, and the free throws. Well yall had a chance to go out and win and yall came out like the fuckin red-neck, cow lover, pussies that you really are. Jason Terry said it best.. “if this team couldn’t come out and win two games at home then they didn’t deserve to win”. Well, the whole world has seen what this team is made of and that’s shit. This team is made of a bunch of guys with balls so small even a microscope couldn’t pick it out. Dirk Nowitzki sucks ass. If he’s your superstar yall will spend alot time watching the other team celebrate on your floor. Ha! And wow, this the dallas team that was supposed to heve better d? Everyone in the world knows who miami’s go to guy is. everyone knows who’s going to get the ball at cruch time. yet the new look mavs who supposedly play “d” couldn’t stop d wade from droppin a line like 36pts,10rbds, 3stls, 4blks, 5 asst. wade was a one man wrecking crew! and sissy mavs could not stop him. one man beat you guys on your home floor. how pathetic. i truly feel sorry for you mavs fans, even though you guys are whining crybabies. with this bunch of sissies on your team, you will never reach the pinnacle of winning a championship. i would cry if i were you guys too. Also, since when are titles given? you need to be complaining about how your sorry ass team started shooting more bricks than shaq at the free throw line. you need to start complaining about how the soft ass mavs players simply stop going to the hoop (maybe they’d get fouls and be in the penalty-sound familiar)and started settling for jumpers. The mavericks loss the game because they choked. Nobody wanted to step up and take control of the game for the team. Regardless of what you say about the officials, they don’t play. The players have to execute their x’s and o’s. If you shoot 37% against the heat aint no way in hell you’re going to win (ask the pistons). So, stop complaining, accept the blame. Or better yet, go out and map next years championship pared route. And finally, clutch shooting.why dont we talk clutch? Dirk with 2 big ole points in the fourth, when it matters. Boy, can’t get more clutch than that. Jet goes 7-25, in a game six, elimination game, on your own court. The mavericks can write the book on clutch! Us in miami are now waiting for the parade to celebrate. its fun seeing the crybaby, whining mavs fans resort to form and bash the heat (2006 NBA Champions), the league, and refs. if the mavs players put in as much effort in a game that you people put in complaining, then they would have swept thru the whole playoffs.But alas we must face reality, the mavs couldn’t get rid of the heat. nd you fans are even more impotent than the mavericks at booting heat fans out pity party blog. yall suck and i won’t let you forget it. Miami Heat 2006 NBA champions. like the way it rolls off the tongue. be ready for the dynasty! And as for your team next year,what do you think they’ll do to your no defense, no superstar, no mvp, no clutch two bit no name players. yall will be worst than the golden state warriors. enjoy your first and last championship run. Spurs take the west next year and you guys will go back to being the no name, unloved, step siblings in texas, even worst than houston. the only team unworthy in the finals were the spineless, cowardly, crybaby mavs. so i’ll leave you now to wallow in your sorrow and pity, which exemplifies the spirit of the dallas faithful. Goodbay crybabies, be seeing you next year.
Comment by now titles are given -
Looks a little quiet on the site today boys.
So much for Bill Simmons and the rest of the Mav nation – Parade is Friday at 2:00 PM …IN MIAMI!
Comment by Robert F -
Mark,
I am a Heat fan and just wanted to come here and congratulate you on a well fought NBA Finals. The Mavs played valiently and they had a terrific season. I wish you good luck next year. If Amare comes back in his previous form the Western Conference Finals between the Mavs and the Suns could go down as one of the great playoff series of all time.
Comment by eddie -
Mark I have great respect for what you do. But could you please tell your star player to quit acting so much. Every time Dirk is touched he flops to the floor. Dirk has an incredible shot but he needs to toughen up a little. So, instead of falling everytime he is touch’d maybe he could finish his play and have a 2 + 1 like wade.
Comment by Dan -
Wades assist level? you must obviously be talking about his assist to fast break points for the other team. hes a known blunder when he gets in real situations with real refs who will let the team really play. he throws the ball away he causes tons of mistakes… I like the guy like i said. He is fun to watch but you’re fooling yourself if you think hes MJ you’re fooling yourself worse than scottie thinking he could win without MJ
Comment by Ben (MFFL#1) -
I was an impartial fan of the Finals as I live in Cleveland and am a Cavs fan. However, after the Mavs went to Miami and it became clear that Wade was getting phantom foul-calls every other time down the court, I became a Mavs fan and probably will continue to follow them into next season. Has anyone mentioned the blocking foul called on Dirk Nowitzky on Wade toward the end of game 6 when what actually happened was Wade pushed Nowitzky in the Chest (almost punched him it appeared? They did not show a replay on television (I wonder why not), but in regular speed, it appears clear that either no foul should have been called or a foul should have been called on Wade. Has anyone compared the fouls called on Dallas when playing in Miami vs. home games. I do NOT believe the NBA is fixed – that is ludicrous. What I do think is that sometimes fouls are “assumed” for certain players or at certain venues and this is completely unfair and makes me turn away from the NBA product. Dallas clearly had the better team and I think they were robbed!
Comment by Randy Elkins -
First off lets take a real look at wade okay…
The guy isnt that good… it was almost a pattern every damn first half horrible performance… till towards the end… ALL his shooting streaks came going into half time maybe anywhere from 5-6 minutes in… always followed a string of fouls. and then he would go into halftime feeling okay.
Every coach is in the locker room telling there team no cheap fouls in second half. means mavs come out thinking better not touch wade… wades shot percentage goes up 30-40 percent. its incredible his game was DEPENDENT on refs this series. and you all want to pass the holy grail of mj to a guy who needs the refs to increase his shot percentage to a almost respected percentage, then throw in his 15-25 f/t’s depending on that nights ref. and thats what you guys think is greatness? come on plz lets be real… he is acrobatic fun to watch and seems like an okay guy… but his shot is dependent on to many other factors and he requires to many calls to sustain the MJ star status…
Comment by Ben (MFFL#1) -
Dirk did the best he could, he was being fouled dam near everytime he touched the ball, but guess what he didn’t get a fucking call, but everytime wade got the ball there was a foul called, Cuban is not only the vest owner in the nba, but in all of pro sports, so all you haters can stay of his blog you are jealous bitches, mad because he is the best, he stood up for his team, everyone knew that the mavs were being cheated, he had the nuts to say something.
Comment by 2K DRE -
Oh, the finals don’t count, huh? I guess the Heat players will receive imaginary rings at the beginning of next season. Go to fucking grammar school!!
Comment by eudog -
Jason,
Jordan didn’t have Shaq. The Mavs were distracted in part by Shaq. Also, Jordan was a tremendous defensive player.
Comment by Mark -
Evan
Check the numbers. Wade has a better assist ratio that Jordon can’t touch. MJ ignored his teamates, noyt wade. Proofs in the #’s, your just a bitter Mavs Fan. lol
Comment by Jason Cormier -
The NBA has come a long way in discouraging 1 on 1 play that typified teh 90’s, the got rid of the handcheck, allowed zone defenses etc… But no matter what you change, the game still comes down to execution. Your star has to step up and be a star hit tough shots with hands in his face and bodies all over him. Your role players have to catch the ball and hit open shots.
I’ll agree that there were some generous breaks that went to the Heat, no one can argue that, but refs don’t blow 13 point leads with 6 min to go. Refs don’t make Dirk, Jason, and Jerry miss open jumpers that they normally can make in their sleep. What’s the difference between Tiger and Phil in golf? The difference between Dirk and Larry Bird? Performance under pressure. Where would San Antonio be if Robert Horry didn’t come off the bench under pressure and save S.A. title with his fabulous 6th game performance?
I was rooting for Dallas, but they weren’t ready to win a title this year. Perhaps your players will get angry and spend the summer shooting 600-700 jumpers a day, maybe Dirk,Diop and Dampier will spend time at the Big man’s camp working on their footwork and post up moves. Maybe Dirk and Jason will spend more time in the weight room getting stronger so that they can take on 3 or 4 players in crunch time when the title is at stake.
Maybe just maybe they will make themselves ready to win a title, not just play for one.
“If we can’t win two games at home we don’t deserve a title” – Jason Terry
Comment by kswany -
One other thing: Dirk played very well in this series. The main difference between he and Wade is that Wade is a ballhandler. He is 6’4″, while Dirk is 7′. I submit that it is much tougher to drive to the basket when you are 7′ tall. Dirk was swarmed every time he tried to drive. He is not as shifty as Wade. Dirk is a completely different type of player. Yeah, he missed a key free throw, but he scored 29 points and pulled down 16 boards. Since when is that a bad game? I’d take that as next years average right now.
Comment by Mark -
Mavs,
This year’s playoff series was the best I’ve had the pleasure of watching in many years. Suns / Lakers, Pistons / Cavs, Spurs / Mavs 7 game thriller…was spectacular.
I’m a huge Wade / LBJ / Kobe fan, startign way back from the days of watching MJ, but after watching this year’s playoffs, and the finals, I couldn’t help rooting for Dallas, even though the player I’ve loved to watch since his rookie year was on the other team. I felt a sense of doom when the Mavs made the hurdle and took the Spurs out, playing insane defense, then outshooting the streaking Suns. What a beautiful ball club.
Your players fought with everything they had, you have a coming legend in Dirkadirka, a nice complement of support players, an owner that fights for his team like no other, and a hungry, winning coach that would lay it on the line for Dallas to get some titles. Miami was just the better and more experienced team…this year.
However, I don’t really see the Mavs winning one next year if some changes aren’t made. That one extra person would have done it. Your team’s practically perfect, a reincarnation of the 96-96 Bulls: tall, long, lean, athletic guys on the court that can guard multiple positions and score all over the court, but better. You may not have MJ, but the Mavs are more talented overall, more athletic, and younger.
Except for Jason Bricky, er Terry. Dirk, Howard, Avery, the Mavs and their fans, they deserve better. I had to cover my eyes when this cocky wannabe fired up shot after shot instead of setting up his team. Oh wait, he can’t setup anyone on the team. Dirk didn’t get jack shit for touches, he shoulda got twice as many. Howard became a non-factor in game 6, Stack, Harris, all those guys didn’t get nearly enough touches.
Your German superstar never had a chance to get in rythm and explode for 50 points in the finals, like we all know he can, cause some punk couldn’t resist playing Rip Hamilton and taking brick after brick after brick, instead of running the offense like he should be.
For god’s sake, if you want a championship ditch this AI wannabe and get a real PG like Nash (goddamn) or Kidd PLEASE.
Good luck next year, hopefully once Terry’s gone we’ll see the Mavericks dynasty running some three peats in the future.
Comment by John -
If i hear one more g-damned comparison betweetn mark cuban and jerry jones i swear to god. galloway and hansen both are idiots.. galloway was there with us after 5 then after 6 well i didnt see anything wrong with that game and we should of won lol he’s obviously never played a competitive anything in his life. Once momentum turns spirits break and confidence (and i mean in the way the games being called not there own talent) is broken, you dont just do a 360 like its a z06…. unless a ref gives you the keys.
Comment by Ben (MFFL#1) -
Fuck the heat, fuck the spurs and fuck who don’t like Cuban and the mavs, we were cheated, you stupid bitches, the refs cheated the mavs, in my opion the final didn’t count, Cuban fuck what the haters are saying, I love you, and Millions of mavs fans love you, so fuck them!
Comment by 2K DRE -
This was the last NBA game I’ll ever watch. You take a good, fundamentally team, and turn them into brawlers, they’ll lose every time. This is what happened to Dallas. If Harris played Wade like Haslem played Dirk, Harris would have fouled out in 2 minutes. The announcers even commented on how Haslem roughing him up. This was not basketball. I have no respect for Wade or his game. Why the refs didn’t call an offensive foul on him, when eh elbowed Dirk in the neck, I’ll never know, other than the fact the game was rigged, or the series for that matter.
Comment by Jimmy King -
Yes, complaining about the officiating qualifies as whining. That being said, Wade was protected as none before. There is tremendous pressure placee upon a team (the Mavericks in this case) knowing that a player is unstoppable because of the combination of his own talents and the officials ticky-tack calls. Knowing the other team is virtually guaranteed to score, the players on the opposing team tend to press. This shows up in the Mavs shooting percentage.
Dirk was pushed by Wade at the end of last nights game. That should have been a non-call. The play would have continued and who knows what would have happened. Wade deserves credit for hitting the two free throws, but he should never have been on the line.
Comment by Mark -
Sorry trolls, I’m not a Mavs fan.
Comment by SAR -
All I can say is, “I am PROUD AS HELL TO BE A MAVERICK FAN!”
Comment by Leo Vasquez -
mavsfan1 doesnt sound like a mavs fan at all… OBVIOUSLY AND RIGHTFULLY every mavs fan is dissapointed, and giving us real fouls/calls doesnt make up for giving them bad ones. I think the one thing we need to do is get an enforcer type player that doesnt have to play that kind of ball to be effective but when the occasional bully trying to relive the wrestling match they called the nba in the 80’s comes along, he can drop the hammer on them and protect some of our less physicaly muscle bound freaks of nature, whom seem to think a 3-4 zone is the samething as ligning up as strong side linebacker for mike ditka
Comment by Ben (MFFL#1) -
To all Mavs Fans like me:
Please stop complaining about officiating. It’s an embarrassment. We got beat fair and square. The officials didn’t step up to the foul line and miss shots for us. They gave us an opportunity to get back in Game 4 with those bogus calls against the Heat and we didn’t take advantage. They gave us a chance by calling traveling on Haslem at the end of Game 6. We lost the games because we couldn’t make shots. Kudos to the Heat for playing a great series and making shots when they counted most. Here’s looking forward to next year….
Comment by MavsFan1 -
That’s what happens to big-mouthed, spoiled-rotten, 45-going-on-16 owners who go on TV and trash someone like Pat Riley who is the greatest and classiest coach in the NBA.
Say it with me….
THE WORLD CHAMPION MIAMI HEAT!!!!
Comment by Steve -
STOP CRYING AND ADMIT YOUR TEAM AND CITY CHOKED!
Did the Refs make the Mavs shoot 31.6% in Game 4?
What about 37% in Game 6 on your home floor?
Yeah the refs where trying to block all your shots. Plain and simple the Mavericks got beat by a more physical and championship hungry team.
There is always next year…hopefully just like the Utah Jazz.
Did I mention the parade starts at 2pm ET in Downtown Miami?
Comment by HEATFAN -
Hey Sar #905,
You’re not a basketball fan, and if anything you’re a bandwagon Mavs fan. You don’t know shit about the game and it is very apparent in your comments show you know nothing about the game.
“The call Wade got at the end of game 5”
http://i5.tinypic.com/14vpao0.jpg
Open your eyes and quit your whining. You can clearly see Dirk’s hand on Wade’s back, and you can tell that he is pushing. That’s a foul, quit your bitching.
Oh and if you still want to argue that, how about the foul Harris committed a second later:
http://i5.tinypic.com/14vmbte.jpg
Comment by Mark Cuban -
Oh My God!!! You Dallas Fans are the biggest cry babies I have ever seen.
All the whinning starts from the TOP. Mark Cuban starts the orchestra and you all follow.
Everyone is invited for Friday’s Parade down Biscayne Blvd.
THANK YOU MIAMI HEAT…NBA CHAMPIONS
Comment by HEATFAN -
Enough already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Mavs lost!!!!!!!!!
Heat won!!!!!!!!!
Mavs are never guaranteed to be back.
Mark Cuban is the Karl Malone of B-ball.
Comment by ernesto de avila -
Enough already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Mavs lost!!!!!!!!!
Heat won!!!!!!!!!
Mavs are never guaranteed to be back.
Mark Cuban is the Karl Malone of B-ball.
Comment by ernesto de avila -
SAR wrote: “The call Wade got at the end of game 5 and Dirk being called when Wade initiated the contact with him at the end of game 6 were it for me.”
The whole notion that the offensive player can initiate contact and get the foul called on the defender is just ABSURD.
What skill is involved in that? Won’t the NBA fans get tired of watching free throws all night? I know I do/did.
Well, the Mavs silenced the crowds in Memphis, San Antonio, and Phoenix, but had the tables turned in Dallas.
http://gunny93.blogspot.com/2006/06/this-crowd-has-gone-deadly-silent.html
Keep Terry, Mark, but go get Garnett or Ben Wallace or even Iverson for that matter. I want a guy who will play some smashmout basketball.
Comment by GUNNY HARTMAN -
And I suppose that the league picked the Pistons and Spurs to win titles because they had marketable names (sorry, Duncan is the most boring player in the league). Stop with the whole “the NBA is trying to brainwash you” bullshit. I was a fan of Dwyane Wade when he was a rookie leading the Heat to the second round of the playoffs after everyone thought they’d be in the cellar. He showed me then that he had the skills to eventually compare to Jordan.
I hate conspiracy theories. They’re unfounded and just plain stupid. Grow up and take the loss like real people.
Comment by Alex -
Mr. Cuban,
I dig you more than most guys but I think that you sounded like a little bitch during the Finals. You set the tone for a defeatist attitude by blaming outside forces instead of looking within for the heart of a champion. Shaq didn’t sulk when refs started calling him for tick tack fouls early in the playoffs; he just changed his game. Rosa Parks didn’t blame racism for her troubles; she just changed the world. Be the leader I know you can be. Good luck.
Comment by Gideon -
I am a basketball fan. I watch the game on every level. I watched the Finals without a rooting interest. Now, I’m done with the NBA. The call Wade got at the end of game 5 and Dirk being called when Wade initiated the contact with him at the end of game 6 were it for me. Whether the game is fixed or otherwise, it certainly seems that way.
I want to enjoy the NBA product. However what is advertised—the game of basketball—and what is delivered is something entirely different. Basketball has a set of rules that are to be followed rigorously. The NBA picks and chooses which rules to enforce during each game and some players receive calls in their favor that other players do not get. I’m tired of it. I’m done.
Comment by SAR -
Mavs, we had a good season. well done. should’ve been Champs, however, the commissioner hates M. Cuban so he is affraid to hand the trophy over to Mark so he has his officials do the dirty work for him. there were so many PHANTOM FOULD in this series in D. Wade’s favor it is REDICULOUS. The NBA should be ashamed of this travisty of an officiating crew.
Mark Cuban is 100% correct. the NBA is a joke at the moment.
Comment by Daniel O'Shea -
Wasn’t Mark Cuban on David Letterman last week saying how proud he was of the way that he had changed the rules in the NBA so that physical teams like the ones that Pat Riley builds could no longer rule the league? Yes, that’s what Mark Cuban said.
So what does it say about the Mavs when they, a team tailored to the “new NBA”, could not beat a team that was supposed to be crippled by all of Mark Cuban’s rule changes?
Like it or not, the Heat beat the Mavs on the Mavs’ home floor, in front of Mavs’ fans, and playing according to Mark Cuban’s rule book. Oh, and by the way, they did it by winning four straight games. All this from an opponent considered “unworthy”. Pardon us Miami fans if we revel in this victory.
By the way, there’s only one team worthy of holding up the Larry O’Brien trophy, and that team isn’t Dallas. How’s that for unworthy.
Comment by Demetrio Perez -
#898 … you think the Lakers are going to make the playoffs in 2007?
Suns if healthy, otherwise good ole Spurs.
Comment by mikloyd -
In reference to post 868 I would question what you consider classy. To me, Miami fans coming on to a blog of the opponents and talking crap is not classy. I’m a Mavs fan and don’t think it is right to go on the opposing teams site and make comments about how we are better. Of course if those were the only headlines concerning the Mavs then you could be on to something, but being selective and only choosing negative headlines weakens your arguments. I’m sure I could find just as many negative headlines about various Heat players. I also like how you don’t tell the complete truth about each story. That fact that Cuban matches his fines with a donation to charity is very classy and proves that something positive can come out of a negative. I’m also glad that I have an owner that is a fan and is passionate about his team. More owners should be like him. If Dallas didn’t have class then they wouldn’t have shook hands and hugged the Heat, Cuban wouldn’t have clapped and Johnson would have complained in post game comments. The actions that Dallas displayed after the game were classy in what I would consider to be the most difficult time to be classy. I believe that Dallas will be back and continue to improve and I will be right there with them. I also look forward to future match ups with the Heat as I did with the Spurs in our quest to be the best we can be which I hope involves a championship.
Comment by Kevin Jones -
Dallas will NEVER win a championship. Dallas and Cuban suck. I am so happy that idiot Cuban lost.
Comment by Laker's Rule -
Dallas will NEVER win a championship. Dallas and Cuban suck. I am so happy that idiot Cuban lost.
Comment by Laker's Rule -
Isn’t it so sad how the NBA is trying anything they can to win back the fair-weather fans they lost when MJ retired.
If you happened to miss the entire finals, all you have to do to see how good their latest programming efforts have been is read every other comment on any forum, or blog discussing the series.
Every time you read a comment that compares Wade to Jordan, you know the mind programming is working.
I guess it’s not really a bad marketing approach.
First you get a guy named Michael Jordan that has an innate ability to jump and twist. Then you let a huge Corporation to throw tens of millions of dollars behind his name in order to put him on an out-of-this-world-level, then the NBA buys into it so they allow this person to get away with things no one else could even dream of getting away with in order to confirm what the marketing and promotions say.
As this goes on, people don’t realize how they are being programmed but they don’t care. Everyone else thinks the same thing they do.
Fast forward a few years and what you have is a huge shoe corporation that’s grabbing up market share left and right and the NBA is growing by leaps and bounds.
Everything seems to be going just fine until this guy is accused of gambling violations so he and the league decide to keep the focus off of these allegations, which could ruin all of the marketing done by Nike and the NBA, and they announce his retirement. All the while the programmed masses become even more hungry for MJ, while never getting a chance to learn more about his gambling problems and whether he bet on NBA games or not.
At this point, most of the fair-weather NBA fans say “Why should I continue watching NBA games? The best player in the universe has retired and everybody that’s left is just slag and scum.”
During the year-and-a-half that Jordan is retired the NBA spreads their marketing focus to other good veteran players and up-and-comers like Shaq, while they bide their time for Jordan’s return.
Finally, it’s time to come out of retirement so the programmed masses can get their fill. NBA ratings go through the roof and Jordan wins* three more titles. Nobody really understands why he retired in the first place but dang it’s awesome marketing.
After all of these years have gone by and the NBA has benefited from the Nike/NBA marketing/mind programming campaign, they know Jordan is not going to play forever so they start to really pump guys with innate abilities, like Mcgrady, and Kobe, and just to make sure they don’t cut themselves short by promoting only one position, they start pumping guys like Shaq, Garnett, and Duncan.
The test now is to see which of these guys can showboat the most, or which one has the best one-liners. As luck would have it, two of these guys get matched together on a team with history, and it’s all gravy from their.
Now the NBA doesn’t have to worry about leaving fair-weather fans with nothing to latch onto when Jordan finally retires. It’s now time for the Big-guy-with-good-one-liners/self-promoting-showboater/Phil-Jackson-just-to-hang-on-to-as-many-fair-weather-NBA-Jordan-drones-Show.
Well that lasted quite awhile but didn’t convince all of the Jordan bots to abandon ship and jump on the Lakers bandwagon…but it did keep NBA ratings from going down too low.
Well, we’ve now been in kind of a lull for the past few seasons with the NBA trying everything they can to get things back on Jordan-track.
The Pistons just haven’t cut it over the past few years because getting away with every foul in the book just don’t score points. I guess the ole modern-day-compared-to-old-time-Detroit-Bad-Boys initiative didn’t work out too good.
The Spurs are a good fill-in team. Their three titles were won in a short year that hadn’t produced any stars except for the David Robinson/First-Pick Tim Duncan/twin towers/etc., and was against a team full of injuries. The second one was against the Nets, after beating a Dirkless Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals (Any West Coast Playoff team could have beaten the Nets with their eyes closed). And the third was against the Pistons. You know, that team that can’t convert getting away with every foul in the book into points.
Lebron hasn’t been able to make it too far into the playoffs as yet, but his time is coming.
The Mavericks will always be the team that just can’t do anything right because that’s the niche they were put in long ago.
So were left with the Heat. A team with the same Big guy with one-liners as was mentioned earlier, a famous coach that was once the Lakers coach; therefore, allowing him to use the Laker legacy to string along west coast fans, a whole mess of former franchise players turned has-beens ranging from Zo, to Payton, to Walker, to Shaq, etc., and a brand new baby boy born with the innate ability to jump and twist, that gets to use all of these years of marketing efforts by the NBA and Nike, all of the Payton fans from Seattle, the Shaq fans from across the world, the Walker fans from Boston, the Riley fans from LA and New York, and the good ole underdog story created before this series started (because they were up against the much superior Dallas Mavericks), as the best and most valuable launching pad the NBA has ever had to hype the next Jordan to a new breed of NBA fans that are too young to know anything about the original Jordan Inc.
The leagues efforts over the past week or so should insure that the NBA at least maintains their ratings numbers for the next ten to twelve years.
Compare that to the Mavericks winning the title.
What? PICK a white guy from Germany with an introverted personality to build NBA ratings for the next ten years? Please!
For those of you who don’t understand, just think of the Macarena, Hammer pants, spandex shorts, and 50 cent.
Don’t even try to tell me you liked this crap because it was good.
You were programmed!
P.S. I’m still trying to figure out how the League is going to promote both Lebron and Wade as the next MJ.
Comment by Kobe Bryant -
The NBA cares about itself, and itself only. That’s why the Mavs will be playoff contenders for however long Mark Cuban remains the owner. Why? The NBA LOVES Mark Cuban. Just look at all the hoopla on monday. 30% about the upcoming game itself and 70% about Mark Cuban. The drama between Cuban and Stern is inescapable – admit it, you are just waiting to see what Cuban will say or get fined for next! It’s the best reality TV show on anywhere!
On to D Wade. The NBA has been looking for the next MJ for quite a while. They desperately did not want a thuggish looking player like AI or Spree, so they tried it with Duncan, but he just wasn’t pretty enough (same is true for Dirk). They tried it briefly with Parker, but he lacked the talent. Steve Nash is too old and fragile. LeBron and KG don’t have the team to support them, and Carmelo has been a flop. Kobe? – please…he screwed that one up himself (literally). They even tried it with Teyshaun (sp?) Prince, but he just couldn’t get much support outside of Detroit. The NBA is looking for a clean-cut, role model type that has enough talent to turn into the new marquis player of the NBA. Along comes D-Wade with his 50 most beautiful people award, his Gatorade endorsement, etc, coupled with a decent coach and supporting cast. What an opportunity for the NBA. So they gave him the carte blanche with the referees. Then, all he needed was a handicap, so he got the flu…then the fake knee injury….etc. Instant superstar…just add exposure.
I guarantee you this. If Kobe gets his butt to church and improves his image, you will see the Lakers vs. the Heat next year. Kobe vs. D-Wade (and a Kobe vs. Shaq bonus). The Mavs will lose to the Lakers in 7 in the WCF.
Comment by dave -
More of an NFL guy, and just a casual basketball watcher.
More of a Rockets fan (but times are hard right now).
It is just hearbreaking to watch any professional game, especially a championship, be decided by poor officiating. To see one bad call change a game is horrible. To see a string of such calls…words fail me.
Comment by v3rlon -
Why do owners of Dallas sports teams have to be pompous asses who are so full of themselves? Do they think that being wealthy gives them a right to have no class whatsoever? They should take a lesson from real professionals like Wayne Huzienga and Micky Arison.
Comment by paul -
Mark/Avery
Great job this year, let the haters hate, fact is its over now so we wont have to deal with them anymore in about 48 hours. And the definition of gutless: A Team that wouldnt respond to a moronic RADIO broadcaster and defend this team on the spot with no preperation. Thats what its about. IM SO sick of the dallas media and the way they blast every dallas/north texas team. J-Ho/Terry/Dirk please dont let them effect you at all… EACH AND EVERY TRUE mavs fan loves and appreciates what you’ve done for us this year. Dirk i think you’re awesome i do believe you need to realize how bad ass you are. you are the man and when you realize that bro… you will rise up above even legend status. I think this is the best place for these guys, If they can take away Avery ferocious discipline and Mark’s heart and courage we will be unstoppable. the dreamteam of the future. Daniels i know the end of this year was frustrating for you BUT YOU TOO will get your time, you proved that last night and anyone watching that game knows you will be a HUGE factor, aslong as you put the last half of this season behind you and stay patient and ready to go in and prove your as good as we know you are. in the future of this maverick orginization… all of you pissed off at mark, You all know you’re hypocrits most of you’ve cussed or bitched over silly things for example that time you gave a teenager a hard time because he messed up your order at mcdonalds… That cost you what 5 dollars max. This is a 300 million dollar investment for Cuban so try to imagine the anger/frustration to see so many bad calls RATHER it was intentional or not the fact is they were there. We as a society cant control emotional outburst over 5 dollars… but good ole Mark needs to shut up and suck it up and just forget bout the hundreds of millions its cost to build this great orginization ALL YOU MFFL I LOVE YA ALL WE WILL BE BACK, AND LETS NOT LET ALL THESE IDIOTS TAINT this season.
Train hard
Keep faith
AND LETS GIVEM HELL NEXT YEAR BOYS
Comment by Ben (MFFL#1) -
damn i wish the spurs went to the finals, at least the represent the western conference well…its like…the mavs just gave it to the heat while just winning only 2 games….jk the heat played magnificent and wade is awsume! but seriously, the spurs never ever blew the finals, they actually really wanted championships….
Comment by Kathleen -
Anybody who blames Dirk for the series loss is clueless. He had 29 and 15, which is a lot better than anyone else did. He also didn’t get passed the ball a whole lot in the 2nd half. Where was Howard? Where was Terry?
The real reason the Mavs lost is because of Avery and Cuban. Barry Melrose on ESPN says it all the time, the # 1 cardinal sin a coach can do is give his team an excuse to lose. And by all the non-stop whining and moping about the refs, AJ and Cuban did just that. The players knew they would be held blameless because their owner, coach, and fans would just blame the refs.
Just awful, awful leadership.
Also, I’ve noticed that the beloved owner hasn’t shown up here in a while. What’s the matter Mark? Your laptop run out of batteries again?
Comment by Aaron Stampler -
Although I did find the article interesting I do find it surprising that he has such a problem with the era that made the NBA fan-tastic. I feel it is important that you have a great team but tell me one owner that wouldn’t want to have a superstar on his team to solidify their championship chances. I just feel that nothing should be taken away from the Heat because however they did it the fact is they got it done. No offense to the Mavs because they are a great team, but for what ever reason it wasn’t enough and you can’t fault the Heat because they were able. The Mavs will be back and hopefully stronger than ever and I hope they take this and use it as fuel and prepare for next season with an even great sense of urgency.
Comment by Rey -
Hey Mark! What do you think your chances might have been if you had a real point guard, like maybe Steve Nash? Oh yeah, you really like the kid, but he didn’t play like an MVP for you! Instaed you have Jason Terry and you’re in the Finals and Steve Nash is home watching. Steve Nash is home watching because it took your Mavs 6 games to dispatch a Phoenix Suns team missing Amare Stoudemire and Kurt Thomas. That’s the same amount of games it took the Miami Heat to take care of the Mavs. FOOL!
If you had a veteran point guard to run the show, distribute and score a little, you’d have the championship right now. Instead you opted for Jason Terry, who couldn’t set up a teammate if his life depended on it.
Comment by Patrick Mertz -
I believe the league wants D Wade to be the next Jordan. This is an era of lots of players with Jordan-like talent, (Lebron, Kobe, T-Mac, etc.) 7 foot Germans and 7″7 Chinamen.
Wade got every call imaginable. When he wasn’t at the free throw line, he was shooting wide-open shots because the Mavs were scared to foul.
Ridiculous. The better team did NOT win.
Comment by Pete Jensen -
Kudos to you though Mark for sticking around to clap for the heat … I was hoping to see Dirk not run off like the big wuss he is to see the Heat celebrate on his court.
It might have lit a fire under him.
Oh well … the Spurs will make it back to the finals next year (unless the Suns can somehow stay healthy)
Comment by mikloyd -
So, Simmons says that the NBA lost because the Mavs (and their supposedly better style of play) lost.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but if the Mavs’ system were truly better, wouldn’t they have won to begin with? Wouldn’t they have at least taken this to a game 7? They lost the series without even forcing a game 7…by definition that seems to make their system inferior. If it was truly “the future” they would have beaten “the old outdated” style of play.
If it’s circus acrobatics that Simmons wants, he needs to hit Google.com and see if the Harlem Globetrotters are on tour somewhere.
Comment by Jason -
Mark Cuban, along with the Maloofs in Sacramento are the best owners in the league. When are people going to wake up that the officiating in the NBA sucks and is biased against certain teams. Have people forgotten about game 6 of the Western Conference Finals between Sacramento and the Lakers in 2002.
Mark and the rest of the owners should do, what should have been done years ago, and get rid of SATAN STERN as Commissioner. Perhaps then the league will finally address their officiating problems that cost teams victories, and as we’ve seen this year, championships.
Comment by Ron -
Hey Disgusted NBA fan (#778),
This series will not be remembered as a tainted one. It will be remembered for the heart and sacrifice exhibited by the Heat, for their effort to turn around what appeared to be a lost cause of a series, and mostly for the incredible display of basketball ability and savvy displayed by Dwayne Wade.
While Mavs fans can console themselves with the fact that they beat the Spurs, the Heat didn’t settle for a victory over the Pistons. And they certainly didn’t assume the championship was theirs. They worked for and earned it. Four wins in a row. Three and 0 in games decided by three points or less. They, and not the Mavs, did what it takes to win games in crunch time. That’s what everybody will remember. The Mavs should too if they ever want to win one.
Comment by Herbie's Boy -
.The sore winners are STILL here.
Go post on Micky’s blog. WAIT, he has NO blog. Doesn’t he know how to keyboard?
I know. He’s probably on a CRUISE Bet it was HIS boat with the Mav’s sign on it.
Let talk $,$$$,$$$,$$$.$$ Miami.
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/10/OAU8.html
#94
Fortune: INHERITED (the EASY way) and growing
Source: Carnival Cruises
University of Miami, Drop Out
NET WORTH: Net Worth: $6,100,000,000.00
As for our Mark. He’s only #428, but he is SELF-MADE and he did graduate.
Indiana University, Bachelor of Arts / Science
What does this all mean? The Miami folks are incredibly JEALOUS of our younger, smarter, more handsome and vibrant owner.
Otherwise, WTH are all y’all doing here STILL BITCHING??
Comment by tiptoe -
#871 EXACTLY …
If the MAVs are gonna get whistled for breathing on D WADE, might as well arse rape him.
If you are gonna do the time, might as well enjoy the crime.
A few hard (and deserved) fouls might have turned this around.
All those continued jump shots despite a shitE % might have not helped also.
That’s just me, and I could be wrong.
Comment by mikloyd -
Well I used to be Mavs fan. But Cuban screwed that up. Everyone thinks Mark is so great and different, and he helps the league evolve. I think he is a baby and has a foul mouth. I wish we had a different owner. It’s pretty bad when you think it’s funny to hear a 3 year old say curse words. Mark is just trying to make a name for himself, so he can be more famous and make more money. He wants to be the most popular owner. He doesn’t really care about the Mavs, because he shows them no respect. Instead of taking the losses, he blames refs or whomever. I’m ashamed of you Mark. You need to show a little more respect for the game, and your team. It’s obvious that we were out played and out hustled. We went flat at the worst times. Where was our killer instinct? We let them come back everytime we had them down. The one or two man team might not be good for basketball, but it wins games and always will. We have Dirk and Terry, and we also have Stack, but none of them stepped up. We need a leader. I thought Dirk became that in the Phoenix series, but Phoenix just could play defense.
Why didn’t we go to Dirk in the final play? He’s more likely to get off a shot. I hope Mark learns from this, so we can have a championship next year.
Mark, you lost this series. Not us. The Mavs were great and I still love them. But you make it hard to enjoy. Other owners don’t make fools out of themselves and then disrespect their teams, not to mention the NBA. Not good Mark, not good at all.
Comment by JiggaMan -
Sure the Mavs beat the Spurs this year, I’m glad you remember that.
You need whatever gives you a tiny glitter of hope, just remember that when the Spurs went to the finals, they never blew it.
This finals will be remembered for the complete and incomprehensible meltdown of a proud Mavericks team, the emergence of the next great NBA Legend, Dwyane Wade, and the unbearable whining brought forth by the Mavericks nation.
You can blame the refs all you want, but even the worst officiating can’t explain 4 straight losses. Grow up.
You can look forward to the following in the near future:
1. the saying “Bend over and take it like a Mav.”
2. pacifiers at all Maverick road games.
3. more Spurs championships
Comment by Vidal -
I wish that people would stop comparing Dwayne Wade to Michael Jordan. I can understanding comparing Kobe Bryant to Michael Jordan. Dwayne Wade was proctected by the refs!
Dwayne Wade, when you get three rings, maybe will will consider the comparison.
DALLAS WAS ROBBED OUT OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP! Just flat out criminal! Just flat out harrassed by the NBA.
Comment by tracy -
I am sad you lost because I am a huge fan of yours. However, I am glad the Mavs lost because I absolutely hate Jason Terry. He is a dirty son of a bitch. That’s saying something considering he went to my alma mater, University of Arizona.
He burned us by opening his big goddamn mouth about what the U did for him. He refused to repay any of the money UA had to forfeit as a result of his big mouth. Beyond that, he has done nothing in the NBA to change my opinion of him. Now add to the list, L-O-S-E-R.
Rock on, MC and HDNet – I love that shit.
Comment by Brandon Gastelum -
Attention Heat fans:
If the Mavs fans want to whine and blame everyone but the CIA and Fidel Castro for their Finals choke job, let them. This type of “it’s not our fault…we’re being held down” attitude is what let the Heat (with their superior attitudes and “this is on us” accountability) to take back the Finals. Hopefully, they’ll keep playing the victim card and won’t work to correct their mistakes, and that’s one less team we have to worry about.
However, one last word to the Mavs (and their fans). Aggressiveness pays off in the NBA (especially the Finals). Always has, always will. Kind of hard to get to the line when you’re always settling for jumpers and not driving to the basket.
But of course, none of that is why y’all lost, right?
Y’all actually have a solid team. They (and you, as fans) just need to acknowledge that you were beaten and then work to correct your weaknesses (which doesn’t mean “blame Stern”) and maybe next year you’ll be right back in the Finals. But, if you keep living in this fantasy world that your team played perfectly and a vast NBA-Florida cabal conspired to send the title to Miami, then y’all be watching the Heat defend their title against the Spurs or Suns next year.
If you let yourselves act like victims once, you’ll do it ANYTIME you encounter adversity. The Heat didn’t do that when they started off 0-2…that’s one lesson y’all should be getting out of this.
Comment by Jason -
I wish people would stop comparing Dwayne Wade to Michael Jordan. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO COMPARISON. When Dwayne can get three rings, then maybe we might have something to talk about. The only ball player that come close to Michael Jordan is Kobe Bryant. LaBron James is better than Dwayne Wade. Dwayne Wade was protected by the refs! People wake up!
Check out the Dan Patrick show. Even Phil Jackson made a comment about all of the fouls re D. Wade. Phil also said that Dallas was a better team.
DALLAS WILL BE BACK!!!
Comment by tracy -
I am sad you lost because I am a huge fan of yours. However, I am glad the Mavs lost because I absolutely hate Jason Terry. He is a dirty son of a bitch. That’s saying something considering he went to my alma mater, University of Arizona.
He burned us by opening his big goddamn mouth about what the U did for him. He refused to repay any of the money UA had to forfeit as a result of his big mouth. Beyond that, he has done nothing in the NBA to change my opinion of him. Now add to the list, L-O-S-E-R.
Rock on, MC and HDNet – I love that shit.
Comment by Brandon Gastelum -
Mark, you are my hero, best owner in sports man, keep it up, Keep Terry and you’ll be back, Duncan isnt getting younger
Comment by Mike Richardson -
I am so sick of the whining about the refs, Dallas had the series in the bag and quit giving the ball to Nowitzki and slowed the game down. No matter how good coach Avery Johnson is he showed his inexperience in the finals, Dallas could be back if they get a decent big man,(Ben Wallace)or just remember all good teams had to pay their dues to win a title. To bad all owners dont care as much as Cuban. GO CAVS!!
Comment by Gary -
Well i read that article by Bill Simmons yesterday and it made me even more proud to know that he is a Bostonian than i already was.While reading yesterday i was saying to myself i hope somebody else is reading this with me and then of course i saw marks blog today.I hope the commish, the officials and the other owners reads it too.The commish is a smart guy but he needs to find away to make up or prevent all the silly, stupid, idiotic and i could find 100 more adjectives to describe the calls that his officials makes during games especially in a finals, saying “we will look into it” is just not cutting it any more.I am mad cuz i am fan of the sport not cuz i am fan of Dallas, but fair is fair and Dallas got robbed in the finals and i was rooting for them to win.By the way i know i am not the only one who saw that J.Terry got fouled as the clock was running out when he shot the 3 pointer,its clear as day that the defender pulled on his jersey.But as always the commish and his men will say “we will look into it”
Comment by Rob -
Mark’s personality isn’t any more dramatic or flambloyant than other guys in the league.
However, the officials inability to call the game fairly because they have a chip on their shoulder about Cuban makes a HUGE STATEMENT about the league.
There are dozens of examples (most sending Wade to the line), but the worst was game 5 ending play by Wade where he gets between two players and draws no contact, but is rewarded the winning shots.
A basic rule in officiating is not to let your whistle determine outcome, particularly in the endgame. These refs had already decided the outcome and chose to show their lack of integrity by sending a superstar to the line.
Furthermore, anyone out there who wouldn’t want Mark Cuban as a partner or boss or even an advocate is an idiot. The guy cares about his work and, because of it, the world has rewarded him with success.
Personalities are a reflection of the diversity on this planet. They make life fun, entertaining, worth watching.
Mark, stay true to yourself. You’re the best owner in the league.
Comment by Dan Seidman -
the refs need to be fired and replaced… end of story. that was the most sorry display of calling I have ever witnessed.
Comment by formerroadie -
I thought I had seen it all with the “no backcourt call” with Wade and the “foul” (with quotes) with 1.8 seconds left in overtime on Dirk in game 5. Then I see Wade elbow Dirk with 26 seconds left in game 6 and Dirk be called for the foul. Then I see Jet’s jersey being pulled on before he shoots as the game ends. I’m sure the refs are doing the best that they can, but is this the best the NBA has? Go do what you’re best at Mark.
P.S. Ben Wallace is a free agent this year.
Comment by The Show -
Well, good try Mavs. You gotta give credit to the Heat, they played well and really gutted this championship out. Both teams were good, Dallas lost because it lacked poise under pressure, which usually comes from experience. People, get this through your heads: The refs had nothing to do with Dallas losing.
Everyone out there who blames the refs doesn’t understand sports. Period. I’ve played sports for many years and have had a lot of success on the national level. There will ALWAYS be controversial calls, no matter what. It doesn’t matter what sport it is. As soon as you point out one bad call against the Mavericks, you can also watch a tape of the game and find other bad calls against Miami. Honestly, it all balances out in the long run. Ultimately, the better team wins, and champions never use the refs as an excuse to why they lose a game. Never.
That Simmons guy….ah, he’s alright. I disagree with him on a lot of points. True, his arguments are well thought it out, but I disagree entirely with his idea that the NBA is going in the wrong direction, and that the 90’s era is old, outdated, and just flat out wrong. The 90’s had many unbelievable moments in the playoffs and finals, I don’t understand where his logic stems from. He says that watching 90’s teams with stars was boring. Personally, watching MJ play was awesome, and I have yet to see a series in the “newer, better NBA” that beats the best playoff series from the 90’s. I like the way the Mavs play, and I like the way Miami plays. I think that having different styles is great, and if one team wants to be built around a star then that’s just as legitimate as a team with 4 or 5 really good players, like the Pistons; if every team plays with the same style, I feel that they would be not as much fun to watch as watching teams with totally different styles play against each other.
Lastly, as much as the NBA depends on fans for revenues to keep the league going, they really couldn’t care less about what Bill Simmons, Mark Cuban, myself or any of you think. This is basketball, and we are fans of the game. The game is not a fan of us. It just irritates me that people like Simmons seem to feel that the NBA has a responsibility towards the fans to keep them happy or some other nonsense. Sure that would be nice, but this isn’t the WWF or some other stupid league where entertaining fans is the #1 goal. This is basketball. This is a sport. The NBA’s priority is to run a credible basketball league, and while nothing is perfect, the NBA has done a pretty decent job. There will always be problems, it’s not as easy as most fans, or our wonderful Bill Simmons thinks. I’d love to see Bill Simmons try to run the NBA, to take it “in the right direction”…since he knows so much and has so much experience running basketball leagues.
It should be about basketball, not about what the fans want to see.
Comment by Art -
Every team has a leader and the players act as their leader, and since the Mavs leader (MC) its a big time whiner, and classless, the rest of the team follows , I like the Mavs player and maybe one day they will win an NBA championship, but not unless (MC) keeps his mouth shut and let the basketball players play.
Cheese with your Whine?
PS: Mavs fans stop drinking the Kool Aid from (MC)
Comment by Peter -
Thanks for memories Mark, not even sure why I watched the finals, the playoffs up until that point were amazing though I must admit!
Now that I know what I know about the NBA and what they plan to do with this new Wade Era I can no longer be a fan of the NBA, and that’s unfortunate because I really do like you, the players, and the coaches. Anyway good luck next season although I don’t believe you have a snowballs chance in hell now that they’ve found the next Jordan, but good luck regardless.
Call me a quitter as a fan if you like, but I just can’t be a fan of this travesty of a Finals. Know that it wasn’t you or your team that lost this fan, it was the NBA.
Comment by The fan formerly know as Mavtek -
Hey Mr. Mark Cuban,
If you do happen to read this out of the 1000s this comment section will soon become..i just wanted to ask (this is my second post)..if it was possible..to give Dirk N. some tape of Duncan and Hakeem..and ask him to practice on his POST UP GAME..instead of settling for the outside shot(he is already a great shooter..and free throw shooter..but must add the ..post up game..as his first line then go to his shot..since he is a big man)….he needs to develop his post moves..and pivot moves..with his back to the basket(like the post up greats have done)..without that…he is just a shooter…at the elbows.and at the top of the key..and..he wont get any calls..or go to the line as much. Good things happen when your near the basket…Either way it was a great series…u deserve ALOT of credit for putting together a GREAT TEAM..and CONGRADS ON BEING THE WESTERN CONF..CHAMPS…GREAT owner..great team..just fell alittle short this year…..
Comment by Malumouse -
BTW Kenny,
You complained about the call at the end of game 5, now that you’ve seen pictures w/
A. Dirk shoving Wade from behind.
B. Harris grabbing his arm.
will you admit that it was a foul, and he deserved the free throws?
Comment by James Young -
The officiating in the 2006 Finals has made me seriously consider not watching an NBA game next year.
This is the grand stage for NBA Basketball for the world to see and what do we get but 3 guys in grey taking center stage with their whistles.
If anything the Finals should be the one series where the players decide the outcome. Let these guys play, let them make their shots. Let them bang inside, let them play desperate. Use the whistle for blatant hard contact and otherwise blatant rule violations.
David Stern has turned the NBA into too much of a commodity for me. It might as well be a scripted reality show for all I care.
by the way, I hope nobody over 13 seriously looks up to that guy Dwayne Wade. Pitiful.
Comment by Philip Giddings -
Mark, congrats to your team. I’d still support Dallas to the very end. I NEVER IN MY ENTIRE LIFE FOLLOWED ANY BASKETBALL TEAMS UNTIL I SAW THE MAVERICKS PLAYED. I CAN SEE HOW YOU GUYS GIVE SO MUCH ON THE FLOOR. BUT THERE IS ALWAYS A BEGINNING AGAIN AND WE DID SO GREAT FOR OUR FIRST TIME!! LETS GO MAVS. THE TEAM WE HAVE IS PERFECT WE NEED TO TRY HARDER GUYS….
Thank you for a very nice season and journey.
And don’t let the Heat bandwagonners (who only started rooting for the Heat when they were winning) let you down! MAVS FAN #1 we are with you guys until the end. MARQUIS DANIELS CONGRATS HAVING YOUR BABY NOT THE TROPHY BUT A BABY!!! YOU PLAYED REALLY HARD LAST NIGHT.
Oh, and I’ll say congrats to Stu and Stern for winning this series. Yay! :/
Comment by SUGHEY -
Kenny #702,
I’ll say it again, the better team is the team that wins. Miami won. Miami is the better team. All the crying and whining in the world will not change that, so just save some face and accept it.
You make little to no sense, and your drug reference just goes to show where you’re coming from. Just because you have a younger and more talented squad doesn’t make you the best team. We had the heart and the mental toughness to lose 2 in a row and come back and win 4. You couldn’t get over your loss in game 3 (btw we suffered a devestating loss in game 1 of this series, and then got crushed next game, and we still came back) and that lack of mental fortitude cost you a championship.
Comment by James Young -
Mark, congrats to your team. I’d still support Dallas to the very end. I NEVER IN MY ENTIRE LIFE FOLLOWED ANY BASKETBALL TEAMS UNTIL I SAW THE MAVERICKS PLAYED. I CAN SEE HOW YOU GUYS GIVE SO MUCH ON THE FLOOR. BUT THERE IS ALWAYS A BEGINNING AGAIN AND WE DID SO GREAT FOR OUR FIRST TIME!! LETS GO MAVS. THE TEAM WE HAVE IS PERFECT WE NEED TO TRY HARDER GUYS….
Thank you for a very nice season and journey.
And don’t let the Heat bandwagonners (who only started rooting for the Heat when they were winning) let you down! MAVS FAN #1 we are with you guys until the end. MARQUIS DANIELS CONGRATS HAVING YOUR BABY NOT THE TROPHY BUT A BABY!!! YOU PLAYED REALLY HARD LAST NIGHT.
Oh, and I’ll say congrats to Stu and Stern for winning this series. Yay! :/
Comment by SUGHEY -
Great series. Bill Simmons is wrong, but to each his own. To pretend the the “MJ Era” is insignificant is absurd. To compare this to professional wrestling is way off base also. The only things that resembled professional wrestling were the king-sized temper tantrums thrown by adult men! FANTASTIC! What a way to be role models. My personal favorites were the throwing of the ball into the stands, the tossing of the exercise bike and the kicking of the door or wall. MATURE!!!
Comment by Julie - Illinois -
I’m not necessarily opposed to a Cubanesque “Ready. Fire. Aim.” approach to public commentary. But when criticizing someone, it’s usually best to get your facts straight. And as the press today revealed, the backcourt call was correct.
Simmons is right that the NBA officiating has never been great. But at least in the opinion of this unbiased observer (neither a big Heat or Mavs fan) I thought:
a. Refereeing was generally balanced.
b. Wade gets the kind of calls a superstar will often receive when he goes aggressively and often successfully, to the basket.
c. Looked to me like Howard and Nowitzki both fouled him on the drive, but both were soft fouls.
d. A lot of the foul disparity in Game 5 is explained by the Shaq-hugs administrered by the Dallas cast of thousands at center.
e. Stack should have been suspended. The only other foul comparable in the play-offs was Raja Bell on Kobe. Sorry, the rest of the stuff wasn’t even close.
e. Mavs have a lot of talent. Avery is a great coach. Cuban is a committed owner. With a little more discipline and experience, maybe next year.
Comment by Bill Farley -
Hey James #702
No, the better team did not win. The lucky team with the help of the NBA won. You said it yourself. “You are here stupidly for the most part.” Need I say more James? You Heat fans need Mark Cuban and this blog like a druggie needs crack. I know nothings going to change, but that’s just the facts. GO MAVS!!!1
Comment by kenny -
AMEN!! Mark Cuban rules!
Comment by Jenn McGarity -
I love Marc Cuban. He has his flaws but his passion is what we need rather than milk-toasted business men that compromise for their only passion: money. (Selig, Stern, Tagliabue, etc…) We need more fun in our sports.
Comment by Olivier Moratin -
To the fools that say Cuban cost the Mavs the series, please wake up. He’s taken a team with 50+ losses to the Finals in a handful of years. He’s built a franchise that had the #1 home record and most sell-out crowds this year. His team is young, talented, and only getting better. Even if Terry leaves you have Harris who is just getting better every game, while Howard and Daniels could start in the 2 and 3 spots respectivly.
Cuban is a passionate fan who is bound to be upset when he losses. Unfortunatly (or fortunatly depending on how you look at it) he is a high-profile person so anything he does is looked at w/ a microscope.
I saw him come on the court and applaud at the end of the game (I don’t know if it was for his team’s effort or for Miami) and I was really pleased to see that, showed a lot of class I thought. Unfortunatly I hear stories of how he was revving up the crowd when they were booing, and that’s beyond class-less.
Comment by James Young -
Great column by Simmons, at least there’s one mainstream guy who talk about the biggest problem in the NBA, because the players can’t and the rest of the mainstream media “can’t”.
This is not the homecourt swaying the officials which is actually a great part of the game, and I don’t think it’s about Stern’s feelings about Cuban, it’s worse, much WORSE: the dreaded superstar-making machinery is back at work, the Kobe/Jordan Rules are reanimated! _That’s_ what’s so depressing… We had a couple years free from that kind of favoritism, which surely only Madison Avenue boneheads (like Stern?) could possibly love.
Dywane Wade may be a great and not just a very good player, but now maybe we’ll never know. And I hate to root against the guy, he seems like a fine young man, but every series he’s a part of becomes unwatchable for me. What a come down from the excellent Western Conference playoffs!
Comment by fairleft -
Hey Mark, Thanks for a wonderfull season. I know that it is very difficult to accept the last four losses but the Mav’s played great this year and we have every reason the believe they will be better next season. Tell Avery and boys to keep their chin up and get em next year.
Comment by Larry Buchanan -
Mark, congrats to your team. I’d still support Dallas to the very end. I NEVER IN MY ENTIRE LIFE FOLLOWED ANY BASKETBALL TEAMS UNTIL I SAW THE MAVERICKS PLAYED. I CAN SEE HOW YOU GUYS GIVE SO MUCH ON THE FLOOR. BUT THERE IS ALWAYS A BEGINNING AGAIN AND WE DID SO GREAT FOR OUR FIRST TIME!! LETS GO MAVS. THE TEAM WE HAVE IS PERFECT WE NEED TO TRY HARDER GUYS….
Thank you for a very nice season and journey.
And don’t let the Heat bandwagonners (who only started rooting for the Heat when they were winning) let you down! MAVS FAN #1 we are with you guys until the end. MARQUIS DANIELS CONGRATS HAVING YOUR BABY NOT THE TROPHY BUT A BABY!!! YOU PLAYED REALLY HARD LAST NIGHT.
Oh, and I’ll say congrats to Stu and Stern for winning this series. Yay! :/
Comment by SUGHEY -
I am so sick of the whining about the refs, Dallas had the series in the bag and quit giving the ball to Nowitzki and slowed the game down. No matter how good coach Avery Johnson is he showed his inexperience in the finals, Dallas could be back if they get a decent big man,(Ben Wallace)or just remember all good teams had to pay their dues to win a title. To bad all owners dont care as much as Cuban. GO CAVS!!
Comment by Gary -
I just have one comment for you Dallas fans out there and your owner. Let your game speak for you. Period. Enough ranting and raving from your owner to the very uninformed among you! That doesn’t get you anywhere as you must have noticed if you haven’t already.
So in addition to the various changes you will make over the summer, add one more important task: Less talk more action! Learn how to play at crunch time – that is one true hallmark of a superstar – which most of ur players clearly lack. It’s so funny how a single guy took down your supposed team machine.. not just 1 time, but 2, 3, 4 times… the 4th when your season was clearly on the line.. Yet ….
Dywane Wade is a super star that has blossomed right before our very eyes…, humble, driven, hard working, focused, composed (even at crunch time), ambitious – a perfect and good role player for the game and that’s why the veterans on his team could easily default to him.
Comment by Wade Supporter. -
One more thing, Mark Cuban…(Ben Wallace)Bring the Beast to Dallas? Can’t wait for NBA Draft 2006
Comment by John -
From Dan Hardie : “A scan of the comments posted herein seem off topic.
This is not an NBA Finals message board. Although this is the blog of Mavs owner Mark Cuban, in it he covers a broad range of topics.
Let’s stay focused. It’s not about Dirk or Dwyane. It’s about Mark Cuban.”
______
And that’s why the Mavs lost…. because Cuban made it all about him, when it was supposed to be about the TEAM.
Comment by MadDog73 -
Yes, last nights game had a lot of fouls that should had been called by the Refs but c’mon guys it was a great series. I think the most memorable playoff series had to be Spurs VS Mavs, that was championship material their. Who knows Heat might not see this chance again next year, Pistons might just come back and be crown as champs. Spurs will seek for Round 3 against Mavericks next year. Can’t forget about the Suns, these guys are up in coming team whose also a hump in the road for Spurs, Mavs, Heat.
Lets all just chill, its over. Lets look forward next year, because the NBA (needs) to move forward with the future of many teams who are evolving and MJ Era is the past.
Good game, savor the moment Mavs & Miami because you never know what lyes ahead in the future.
GBless
Comment by John -
Seems that the Blog cuts off at 500. Maybe you should close it. Hate to think that my comments are only being read by the censors.
Comment by Ken C -
I didn’t like the column. Mavs play good team ball, but its ridiculous to say that if the Mavs had won then teams would forfeit their superstars and start going towards small ball. The fact is that the way the game is played is dictated mostly by who is in the NBA not just an ideal style of play, and i think it showed that having a diverse group is good for three quarters, but when it counts you need that one great player to put the world on their shoulders. I know Wade is not Jordan, but for a few moments I felt like a kid again watching a player do the impossible at the highest stakes.
Comment by kyle -
These dallas fans make me ashaimed to be from Texas with all their crying and complaining. Bunch of damn cry babies. Boo hoo hoo. Think about the positive side. I mean how many times did San Antonio have to go to the finals to get a ring. Ohh wait we won the first time we went. HAHA the Mavs are pathetic cant believe they played like shit after stealing the series against the spurs. Hey they cant screw us every year.Spurs in 07.
Quote of the day:
“Bend over take it like a MAV”
someone hand these dallas fans some lube I think it might ease the amount of comments they leave.
Congrats HEAT
Comment by HEEEEEEEGH -
Honestly, I’m one of those business holes you have to dig out of…I don’t think the league actively decides who wins but I do believe they set things up so they make the most money possible…and sometimes I suspect the execs have favorites…
beyond that I just wanted to say I consider you the best owner of any franchise of any sport anywhere and Dallas loves you (besides those few bad apples we’re trying to get rid of) so while you’re looking at Franchises to buy I think you should look at the Rangers and maybe have a discussion with Jerry Jones while you’re at it…
Comment by Random Dallas Fan -
Mark,
Let me start by saying I’m a Bulls fan and had no emotional stake in the outcome of the series, but thought I’d share some stats with you (In case you’re not already aware).
-Dwyane Wade somehow got to the line 97 times in 6 GAMES! (the finals record is 99, set by Elgin Baylor in a 7 GAME series in 1962)
-Most visits to the line in a Finals by Michael Jordan was ONLY 70 attempts in a 6 game series in 1998 (his 6th championship)! Jordan, of course, is widely regarded as having recieved the most favorable treatment by officials in the history of the league.
How can Wade, a 3rd year player, possibly command more reputation calls than MJ in his 13th season??? 27 more charity trips…unfathomable.
Even worse, game 6 should have never taken place, as the referees slanted games 3 and 5 to the Heat, therefore requiring the Mavs to play perfect games to win; it’s as simple as that.
My condolences to Mavs nation.
Comment by Craig Lydigsen -
Mark,
Let me start by saying I’m a Bulls fan and had no emotional stake in the outcome of the series, but thought I’d share some stats with you (In case you’re not already aware).
-Dwyane Wade somehow got to the line 97 times in 6 GAMES! (the finals record is 99, set by Elgin Baylor in a 7 GAME series in 1962)
-Most visits to the line in a Finals by Michael Jordan was ONLY 70 attempts in a 6 game series in 1998 (his 6th championship)! Jordan, of course, is widely regarded as having recieved the most favorable treatment by officials in the history of the league.
How can Wade, a 3rd year player, possibly command more reputation calls than MJ in his 13th season??? 27 more charity trips…unfathomable.
Even worse, game 6 should have never taken place, as the referees slanted games 3 and 5 to the Heat, therefore requiring the Mavs to play perfect games to win; it’s as simple as that.
My condolences to Mavs nation.
Comment by Craig Lydigsen -
What can you do. I saw some calls last night that BLEW my mind that favored Wade. Unbelievable. I was telling my wife last night that when the MAVS won the Western conference, Bill Russell was so ‘enthusiastic’ about the MAVS win that he was about to cry. YEAH RIGHT!!!! He could have cared less. Show some respect for a team that kicked butt the right way…..Bill. GO MAVS….We all know you were ripped off.
Comment by Todd -
What can you do. I saw some calls last night that BLEW my mind that favored Wade. Unbelievable. I was telling my wife last night that when the MAVS won the Western conference, Bill Russell was so ‘enthusiastic’ about the MAVS win that he was about to cry. YEAH RIGHT!!!! He could have cared less. Show some respect for a team that kicked butt the right way…..Bill. GO MAVS….We all know you were ripped off.
Comment by Todd -
Thanks MAVS for a Great Series!!! We hope to see you again on the next Finals!!!
Comment by tina -
the basketball gods would not allow the mavs to win. i feel for avery. he knows how to win big games while on the court. looking at the players and the style of play he seemed like he “had” to support. i know he didnt like how it went down, hes fromthe old nba where a foul was foul, a powerforward was a powerforward, and the o was started by tossing it to the trees and kicking it out for the threes. the point and power forward was the weakness for the heat. the mavs exploited the point, but why wouldnt dirk push the pause button on the whole offense. gather himself and attack the power forward…he took what they gave him, wade took what he wanted. everyones complaining about the officials, be real….do you think they were gonna bail dallas out? its amazing to me how many ppl see dirk a seven foot powerforward falling all over the floor, the entire game. i dont think its a foul problem, i think he has a problem with his balance. hes constantly falling, i cant understand it, if its a lose ball and wade is going for it, and dirk is going for it…somehow dirk will end up on his back (looking at the ref). like they say “never question the heart of a champion”….well going into the playoffs i believed that dirk had a questionable heart. the man just pressed the pass button too many times in the last few minutes…..SHOOT THAT!!! i dont care, i would rather see dirk shoot a bad shot than him pass it to the center position. stop complaining….be happy that the spurs were on their last leg when yall met them in the playoffs, and the suns didnt have a center. enjoy the ride.
Comment by brandon -
Let’s focus on the Mavs mistakes: Dirk’s late game free throw miss, the last timeout called after Wade’s first free throw, Terry’s missed 3 pointer, etc. Miami was the better team. It’s about time we give them credit. When it’s all said and done the Heat have the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Comment by The Truth -
It has been a great year for the MAVS. It has even been more of an emotional rollar coaster ride for all of us through out the playoffs. We will learn from our mistakes and next year will be better. We now know what it takes to get there and win. Mark thanks for a wounderful year and I look forward you seeing you and the MAVERICKS next season…… GO MAVS!!!!!!!!!
Comment by michael -
As a devout Mavs fan and proponent of people accepting responsibility, I attribute the Mavs having lost this series to their lack of aggression with regard to attacking the basket on a consistent basis. The disparity in foul shots attempted is not attributable to poor officiating alone. For example, in Game 6 Dallas was leading by double figures WHEN they were attacking but they let the Heat back in by continuing to settle for jumpers instead of attempting to push the lead even further.
In the clutch, Wade was clutch and everyone knew who was getting the ball. Dallas has yet to find their identity late in games. Dirk should be the man but often it takes too long to get him the ball or a physical defender outright prevents such from occurring.
Congrats Mavs on a solid season.
Congrats Heat on EARNING a championship by being aggressive.
IF Amare is healthy, watch out for the Suns next year because as unguardable as Wade was this series, no one can guard Amare, either.
Comment by defjamz -
the Mavs lost to the Heat because they were out-played, and all the rest is background noise, and childish whining.
you can lose a close game with bad referee, but you don’t lose a best-of-7 series.
and you can’t blame the referees for dropping double digit leads.
with regard to old-school new-school NBA, this is also nonsense. you can build such theories around every team. at the end of the day Miami was the better team in the series and thus they won.
Comment by Avner Ronen -
While the refs blew and shamed the league i think Dallas spent too much energy brooding over the game 5 debacle. Howard and Dirk share blame for that loss with the refs.
In game 6, that call on Dirk with 26 seconds left against Wade was atrocious. Wade had nowhere to go and pushed off with his elbow into Dirk’s gut. You won’t hear the comentators comment on it objectively becasue they hae a product to sell and don’t want it’s integrity called into question. Meja on sportsline mentioned it today.
I think the mavs did try to drive, but when you are getting 10 shots blocked it tends to discourage it and they were not getting the ticky-tack fouls that Wade got on the other end.
Comment by dave -
Cuban should be embarassed at the behavior of the Mav’s fans. Booing the Commissioner was a pathetic act of bad sportsmanship, and they were following Cuban’s lead.
The Heat won because they are the better team.
Comment by Jeff Miller -
While the refs blew and shamed the league i think Dallas spent too much energy brooding over the game 5 debacle. Howard and Dirk share blame for that loss with the refs.
In game 6, that call on Dirk with 26 seconds left against Wade was atrocious. Wade had nowhere to go and pushed off with his elbow into Dirk’s gut. You won’t hear the comentators comment on it objectively becasue they hae a product to sell and don’t want it’s integrity called into question. Meja on sportsline mentioned it today.
I think the mavs did try to drive, but when you are getting 10 shots blocked it tends to discourage it and they were not getting the ticky-tack fouls that Wade got on the other end.
Comment by dave -
One thing I have learned in over 30 years of competative sports is that if you play down to the level of your opponent you are on his turf and you normally loose.
Detroit did and they lost and the Mavs did and they lost. This whole series has been one big Brain Fart. Dallas rose to the occasion and beat San Antonio who was probably the better team, The Suns alot like Miami but Dallas played their game and won. Dallas was Dallas until the 3th Quarter of Game 3. That is when they started playing down to Miami’s level. If they had stayed with the plan they would have won game 3. It would have been close but they would have won. The rest would have never happened. With a 3 game lead chances are that Miami would not have come alive. Truth is there were only two teams in the NBA that could have beaten Dallas. Detroit never got the chance, the other was Dallas and they did beat the Mavs.
To Miami – it is all about winning and you won so enjoy your victory and take comfort that if the roles were reversed Dallas would have stolen the series from you without hesitation.
Comment by Ken C -
Hey Mark,
Close but no cigar. Sucks you guys wont be back for a while (the Suns are going to own the west with Stoudimaire coming back). It was good while it lasted. Its too bad Dirk isnt as good at hand ball as his papi is (choking on the pass to Erika).
Comment by White Hott -
THIS IS THE BEST FEELIN EVER!!!!!!!!!!
15 STRONG!!!!
GO HEAT!!!
I NEVER HAD A DOUBT IN MY MIND!!!
and sorry mavs fans who dont get to feel what we are feeling right now. trust me its great lol. And i geuss you’ll never feel it unless you become a heat fan. GOOOOOOOOO HEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAATTTTTT!!!
Comment by GO HEAT -
Video for Game 5 whiners, just something to clear your mind:
http://broadband.nba.com/cc/playa.php?content=video&url=http…
In the end.. The Better Team Won it ALL
Calling Ronnie Nunn & Skip Bayless to your defense…is that the best you can do?
Comment by dave -
Go Heat!! I am so glad the Heat won so we don’t have to hear whiny Avery Johnson, excuse-making Cuban, and arrogant Dirk ANYMORE! There are no excuses – the Heat won 4-2. No more complaining about bad calls, a different style of play, blah, blah, blah. WADE RULES! The Mavs success was (yes, I mean the past tense) short lived!
Congrats, Wade, Shaq, Riley, and to all the Heat Nation!
Comment by Art Hurzander -
Darned if this doesn’t remind me of the Cowboys teams of the mid-to-late ’60s. Almost every season the Cowboys would make the playoffs and find a way to lose.
Dec 28, 1969…I was one of 76000 foolishly enthused (and freezing) fans crammed into the Cotton Bowl on a cold (35F) rainy and windy (30-40 MPH) day when Our Heroes were taking on the hated Cleveland Browns in a playoff game.
Cleveland won the toss and chose to receive the opening kickoff. Dallas’ Doomsday Defense was all over Brown’s QB Bill Nelson and left them with 4th and long. Cleveland punted, Rayfield Wright touched the ball, Cleveland recovered and Dallas went on to lose 38-12. This was fairly typical of our playoff experiences during the period before the Cowboys finally won their first Super Bowl.
Maybe the Mavs were just learning to pay their dues with this one.
Comment by Ted Hardin -
How bout you take your loss with some class. Your team missed shots when you needed to make shots, and you choked!! Where were your stars when it mattered??
Comment by Jorge -
What a thrill to see the Heat finally shut up the classless, shameless, undignified Cuban…I hate the NBA, too Hip hop “Cool for me…it was a pleasure hearing the Mavs imploded and collapsed…now, I would suggest Cuban go to Pittsburgh, spend a few days with Dan Rooney and learn some ways to be a dignified, classy owner…maybe Mr. Rooney would even allow Mr. Wah Wah Whiner to hold a championship trophy…
Comment by Steven Davis -
Mr. Cuban,
You have no class.
Comment by linda -
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Comment by Robert -
What a thrill to see the Heat finally shut up the classless, shameless, undignified Cuban…I hate the NBA, too Hip hop “Cool for me…it was a pleasure hearing the Mavs imploded and collapsed…now, I would suggest Cuban go to Pittsburgh, spend a few days with Dan Rooney and learn some ways to be a dignified, classy owner…maybe Mr. Rooney would even allow Mr. Wah Wah Whiner to hold a championship trophy…
Comment by Steven Davis -
In case you forgot, Mr. Cuban, you are the owner of an NBA team. If Simmons has such great insights into the game that just must be acknowledged then hire him as your GM! I’m sure the Dallas fans would just LOVE that one.
Otherwise, remember the wise words of Sean Connery in the movie The Rock, “Your best? LOSERS always WHINE about doing their best! Winners go home and f**k the prom queen!”
Comment by Jason -
What a thrill to see the Heat finally shut up the classless, shameless, undignified Cuban…I hate the NBA, too Hip hop “Cool for me…it was a pleasure hearing the Mavs imploded and collapsed…now, I would suggest Cuban go to Pittsburgh, spend a few days with Dan Rooney and learn some ways to be a dignified, classy owner…maybe Mr. Rooney would even allow Mr. Wah Wah Whiner to hold a championship trophy…
Comment by Steven Davis -
I am a huge Mavs fan…
However I know other people on here will rip me for this but here goes…
They pulled what I like to call a “mavs blunder”. They are up by two games and lose the next four. They are up by 14 points and stop playing. The spent the entire time in Miami running around looking completely lost. They played real hard in the 1st qtr of game six and stopped playing at the end of the 2nd. When is this team going to learn that there are 4 qtrs in a game and it’s not over until the clock runs out at the end of the 4th. Howard admitted to not playing hard in game 3. That kind of play was all over the faces of our team. Someone told them it was all over at the end of game two.
26 years, 26 years of this. Granted this was our first trip to the finals. A win is a win but we barely got there and then pulled a typical 26 year “mavs blunder” and threw it away. Two games, two games is all we had to win to win it all, and to get swept 4 in a row…Aghhhh!!!
The other disheartening thing is how blatantly obvious it was that the national media wanted the Heat to win so badly. I watched and 80% or more was how the Heat could still pull it off and how great it was when they won and all of the ads with Heat players living the dream of the finals. All of the articles on Fox sports and ESPN, Heat this and Heat that. Then there was like one or two moments when they would say something about the Mavs. Maybe it’s because are star is not an all-star starter and he is inconsistent at times or because a lot of the time our center Damp is to soft and the rest of the supporting cast is either on or off and if their off they are waaaay off, and because the Heat have two all-star starters with Wade and Shaq, I don’t know, but it was ridiculous. Maybe they don’t make as much in advertising if the Mavs win for some reason.
Cuban you have done great things for the Mavs but the way you insulted San Antonio’s river walk (we are all Texans here, and we don’t have much to see in TX so come on man, unfortunately that’s one of the only things we have to visit) and swear all over national TV and have a constant feud with Stern and the refs is really getting old. I also understand why you do it, but dude, they have been calling bad calls since basketball began, and pissing them off is only going to make it worse for us. I can think of a lot better things you could have done with the $1.6 M in total fines you have just given’ the NBA.
I’m sure someone will rip me for this to but after 26 years of this I’m done for now. I’m taking next season off, no games, no playoffs, no shirts, no calendars, nothing. I will renew my Mavs license plate however because I have to. I’ll come back in the 07′ – 08′ season to give my nerves some time to relax. I may go through withdraw. If you’re up three games in the finals then I’ll watch the game you should win it all. I wish I was alone in this but a whole office full of people around me feel the same way. Unless you are able to trade or acquire a starting all-star in the off season then we may think about changing our minds.
Let the slamming begin…see you in two years.
Comment by Tired mavs fan... -
The guy that wrote that article is a Mavs Homer, and is just showing his angst.
Dirk is a panzy, and that German balling is not going to cut it.
Dirk could not play ball in South Oak Cliff in any gym with that soft game of his.
Comment by SouthOakCliff -
It’s nice to see so many people talking about the Pistons even though they weren’t even in the finals. I’m already looking forward to next year when they have another chip on their shoulders and are that much more eager to bring the trophy back to the Motor City. Dallas v. Detroit would have been a great series.
Comment by Spit Jive -
Hey Janet…bring that fake chest to the riverwalk while you’re at it.
Comment by Mark Gordon -
the mavs biggest achievement this year was squeaking by the spurs in an overtime victory in the 7th game. of course next year the spurs will put them back in their rightful place…sitting in the spectator seats watching the semis. they had no business being in the finals…this was their shot and they blew it. the window of opportunity is closed for the mavs.
Comment by greg -
It’s nice to see so many people talking about the Pistons even though they weren’t even in the finals. I’m already looking forward to next year when they have another chip on their shoulders and are that much more eager to bring the trophy back to the Motor City. Dallas v. Detroit would have been a great series.
Comment by Spit Jive -
its sad when everyone must result to finger pointing & conspiracy theories to describe why the mavs lost. had the mavericks swept the heat would there even be a discussion about officiating? Some of us need to take a look at the behavior of the CHAMPIONSHIP team. when the heat was down 2-0, was the owner Mickey Arison out there complaining about the referees & officiating? did the heat sit & whine about bad calls? no….they stepped up their game up. stop whining & start behaving like the team that fought to get the championship even though the mavs lost, they played like a strong team should have, they just didnt finish like one.
Comment by luis -
The article is silly. Let me get this straight—because the Heat win two games more than the Mavs the future of the NBA will change?
Haaaa! NBA GMs will suddenly say–“Hmmm…I have Vince Carter (etc) and Miami winning has convinced me that we’re set to make a championship run”??? Give me a break.
The reason the Heat won wasn’t because they had Wade. It was because they had Wade AND Shaq. Cry all you want about officiating but the Mavs simply had no answer. Nowitzki is very very good, but he’s not dominant all the time. Do you think for one minute that if the Mavs had Wade and Shaq they wouldn’t do the exact same thing that Miami did?
The Mavs have several very good players. The Heat has two great ones.
Shouldn’t have let Nash get away, dude!!!!
Comment by Ron -
ERIC…..did you take your meds? The game I watched had David Stern handing the trophy to Miami. I seriously doubt there are 13 billion people that would back you up. The only ones I know of are in the local Dallas Sanitarium.
The world is not flat buddy….even if you say it is.
Comment by SC -
Hey Janet,
Bring those fake boobs along with you, OK? Honey…you and Cuban are both whiners and fools. The Spurs owner has more class. The Spurs team has more class…hell…the Coyote looks better than you Janet. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Comment by Mark Gordon -
There are plenty of sports played the world over where the referring is never controverisal, its never supposed to be about the referring, when it even seems to come down to a referring controversy, it takes away from the legitimacy of result!
4 months from now, everyone will forget about the abject referring. It will all slide because the publics memory is so short term. More close games that will come down to shoddy referees who pay no consequences when they make a wrong call.
That’s how it has been and that is how it will remain, its the organization!
Why bother!
Comment by Dr Dreyfuss King -
Bill Simmons is great, and he does anice job of summing it all up
Comment by poppazao -
ERIC…..did you take your meds? The game I watched had David Stern handing the trophy to Miami. I seriously doubt there are 13 billion people that would back you up. The only ones I know of are in the local Dallas Sanitarium.
The world is not flat buddy….even if you say it is.
Comment by SC -
Ya know, as a Miami resident and Heat fan, I have pretty tremendous respect for the Mavericks as a talented team and for Mark as a business person and team owner.
That said, I was greatly dissapointed by the whining and griping as the series went on. You do your excellent team a great disservice. My respect fizzled away fairly quickly and I don’t disagree with the theory that it was largely responsible for the Mavs lack of performance in the clutch.
The Mavs are a phenomenal team and Dallas should be proud that they accomplished so much this season. Terry is a BEAST and Dirk is a very exciting player to watch, even from section 117 in the AAA in white.
Time to show some class, your players deserve it.
Comment by Brian McLeod -
Boo Hoo. First the heat are unworthy. Then One game is fixed because they lose. Then another and another and another.
Now it’s not the Mavs choking that’s at fault, it’s the NBA’s style of play. It’s too rough. The basketball is not entertaining anymore since your team didn’t win.
It didn’t even go 7 games. You can get screwed and lose one or two games in a 7 game series and still recover if you’re the better team right? The Heat hasn’t won in your house since way back when?
Wade got a phantom foul in game 5 at home, while scoring what.. 40 POINTS? And that lost you the series right? Sure.
You don’t have the exact same numbers of fouls so the series was unfair, even though the Mavs play hack a shaq. So I guess the 21 extra fouls over 6 games lost you the series. Yeah.
What are you guys gonna cry about next?
Comment by Ratinum -
D-I-S-C-I-P-L-I-N-E and R-E-S-P-E-C-T is what cost the Mav’s the championship. The Mav’s have a coach who has been mentored by great coaches who have won the NBA title and he brought that to the team when he took over last year. He respected his players talents and used it to get the best out of them. The discipline he commanded was the key to the success of the regular seaon victories, but Avery will always have to fight an uphill battle when you have an owner who wants to PROMOTE himself to the media causing distraction that is determanetal to the team. One thing is to have passion, but to instigate bad blood among other teams is lack of sportsmanship. His actions in the finals reflected the persona of the onwer and not the respect and descipline of the COACH OF THE YEAR. His trash talking in San Antonio swayed may Spurs fans to support the Heat in the finals(although many expressed they felt bad for Avery). The owner of the Spurs has never needed to get the media attn to make his team succesful. He just hired the right people and let them do the job they were hired for. The league will also make it hard for Avery and the team when the season starts again, because of how the team responded to judgement calls. My suggestion and advice for Mark Cuban is to sit back, enjoy the ride and KEEP HIS DESIRE FOR MEDIA ATTN IN CHECK!!! Avery can do w/o added distractions!!!
Comment by Lawrence Y. -
The Dallas fans are full of passion, and great for the NBA… However it was disgusting to hear them Boo when FLASH was receiving the Finals M.V.P. trophy… Classless.
HEAT ARE WORLD CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dallas had a great season and will be back next year.
FLASH WILL BE BACK TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Dennis Miller -
I knew it. I said it at the beginning of the season. Dallas will NEVER win a championship. I was right. They never will. NEVER. I said it before, the Lakers will win another title before Dallas does, because they NEVER WILL.
Comment by Laker's Rule -
If you don’t agree with Simmons’ column, you really shouldn’t have anything to say here because you’re absolutely base-headed. These finals were terrible and I truly feel for Dallas because they were a better, more charismatic team than Miami. The bottom line is – with Shaq on your team you’ll get to the playoffs. And with the refs on your team you’ll win them. Regardless, the only thing that really came out of this season was the pissing off of the Detroit Pistons. Good luck next year, Dwayne. And everyone else.
Comment by Luke Jackson -
Bill Simmons is an idiot, he has never written anything worth reading… So to say that he knows what he is talking about and agrees with you just proves that you don’t know anything as well…
God Bless the Miami Heat beating the team that tried to buy the championship…
Comment by posty -
Grow up people – I’m not even from Dallas and I’m embarrassed FOR you. Yes, you have a great team – but usually the TWO teams that make it to the finals are pretty good. Miami beat Detroit, and THEY were expected to win it – you beat San Antonio, and THEY were expected to win it. So what??? The fact that Cuban is an ass and AJ is becoming one doesn’t factor into your loss – it just makes it sweeter. I live in San Antonio – we lost it – life goes on – by the way AJ, were you nicer when you were here, or was that a big act to fit in?? I guess you ARE a product of the company you keep. It would be so classy to see you act like Pop or Riley and we could still be proud of you. Yeah, Yeah, Coach of the Year – Cry me a river. Do you think you are so special you can turn it around in one year?? The Mavs were good before you got there and they will be good after you leave. You are FULL OF YOURSELF, and I can’t help but wonder if you always were.
Comment by TERYL251 -
Hey post 408, without Stern there’s a good chance you don’t have Dirk on your team or anywhere in the NBA.
Comment by randy -
Here we go again ! I can’t feel sorry for you Mark . . . you live in a world that is reserved for those willing to make their personal “wants” and “needs” the reality of their existance . It is true , you have assembled a good young team . . . great head coach , and you’ve blown enough smoke up the asses of the average DFW Metroplex citizen to increase your season ticket sells for years to come!! However, you won’t win an NBA championship until you get a dominant Center . . .it’s just the fact of the game called basketball !! At least more dominant than the Center the oppositon is playing ! You are the product of the “corporate cult mentality” yet you swear you are a non-conformist . . . bullshit!! You’re just a computer geek that knows how to antagonize the “process” and put the “spotlight” on yourself ! You and your players “blew it” . . .game 3 . . .period ! Accept it and move on !! At best, you are 2nd best. . .in the Western Conference behind San Antonio . . . good fortune came your way this year in beating them ! It will be awhile , if ever, that you get to taste the NBA Finals again . . .maybe next time , some time will have passed , you will have matured enough to know that putting the spotlight on yourself in the midst of your team’s facing elimination in the NBA Finals. . .isn’t such a great move !! Thank you and The Mav’s for ushering in a new legend in the history of the NBA . . . Dwyane Wade!!!
Comment by Daryl Hanson -
Well, just like any die hard Mavs fan, I’m devestaded and heartbroken!!!Although,I’ll be on vacation this coming week,I would absolutly love it if there was a parade going on.The Mavs deserve to see they are still loved and supported here in Dallas.Please let them know they have done a great job!!!! The Mavs are still CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Can’t wait till next season.Go Mavs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!We love you too Avery “Coach of the Year” well deserved!!!!!!
Comment by belle -
Bill Simmons is an idiot, he has never written anything worth reading… So to say that he knows what he is talking about and agrees with you just proves that you don’t know anything as well…
God Bless the Miami Heat beating the team that tried to buy the championship…
Comment by posty -
Just for the record, the MAVS are still the best TEAM in basketball, well, next to the Miami Heat officiating crew. And everybody I talk to says how the series was called evenly…well..let’s look at 3 things.
1) Wade pushed off how many times and got away with it?
2) Did any of you Miami fans (the ones I was sitting with DID) see the foul committed on the last 3 point attempt by Dallas (the grab of the jersey)?
3) Final foul total for the series:
Miami- 146
Dallas- 167
Now…let’s talk about how “FAIR” these games were called.
Comment by Eric -
Jeez. I just realized that you’re an idiot.
The article is particularly retarded. Hero? I’m a heckler, I understand heckling. But kicking dirt and slinging mud is for toddlers.
You dress like a toddler. Maybe you’re a toddler.
Blame it on whatever you want, I saw you on Letterman… YOU blew it.
And here’s the indictment: You, Mark Cuban, are the reason the Mavericks lost the championship. You sucked all the air out the room. You are a tremendous flop.
Live by the sword, die by the sword.
Comment by Dan Hardie -
The Mavs fans are saying “Its late in the game just let them play” yet in game 3 u guys only had a chance because Dirk ot to the free throw line (and he choked)
You guys had your chance, but Jason Terry just isnt as clutch as D-Wade. Oh yeah and who can forget Dirk throwing it away to Erick Dampier and letting the heat steal it. Like Alex said Have a nice off-season!
Comment by James -
I feel like I just witnessed a pro wrestling event in the NBA finals.
The Miami Heat managed to win a 7 game series in 6 games
with 1 honest win.
I’ve seen this before in the Stern era: Michael in the 90s. Shaq
and Kobe from 2000-2003. Now Shaq and Wade. The star players
& their teams get a different and advantageous treatment from the refs.
The reffing in the last 5 minutes of game 3 was unbelievable.
Heat could push, hack, hold, drive recklessly to the basket.
Didn’t matter. When this is how the game is being called, its
not hard to erase a double digit deficit.
The reffing in game 5 was atrocious. Stern played a direct role
here in suspending Stackhouse for a foul that did not warrant
a suspension. Wade’s 25 free throws were a joke.
The absolutely worst call of the series, however, was in game 6.
Down 1, with about 30 seconds left, Dallas needed a stop. Dwayne
Wade proceeds to stage dive into Dirk Nowitzki and draw a
blocking call. Call it what you like: a conspiracy, a rigged event,
complete incompetence. You have fundamentally changed the game
when you allow a player to fly recklessly out of control into an
opposing player and draw a blocking call. NBA fans are no longer
watching the game of basketball as they knew it. They are watching
something else.
Stern has allowed this shit to happen for a solid ten years. Now he’s
taking it a step further with all the bullshit suspensions. These type
of series ruin the game. David Stern needs to go.
Comment by David Weinberg -
Bottomline: You took a joke of a team and made them contenders.
You came from modesty and are now a billioniare.
People hate Winners.
F Em Mark…bunch of haters…..go count your money. The Mavs are worth more now than when you bought them…..
I thank you for bringing some long needed Victory to Dallas.
Comment by Charles -
HAAHAAAA SUCK IT MAVS FANS
THE REFS WERE FAIR THE WHOLE SERIES, DIRK GOT HIS SHARE OF BS CALLS FROM THE OFFICIALS
THE FOUL AT THE END OF GAME 5 WAS LEGIT, NO BACKCOURT VIOLATION, NO OFFENSIVE FOUL, AND HE GOT HIT ABOUT 5 TIMES ON THE DRIVE
THAT WAS A STUPID CALL ON DIRK NEAR THE END, THOUGH, SHOULD HAVE BEEN A NO CALL, IF DIRK HAD FLOPPED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN OFFENSIVE FOUL
BUT STILL
SHUT UP
MIAMI WAS THE BETTER TEAM, THEY DESERVED TO WIN
KEEP MAKING EXCUSES LIKE BABIES, NOBODY CARES
Comment by eddy -
You know it is tiryng how fans are quick to blame officials for a team losing. Firts of, the Mavs have a great team but it seems that they and their owner are too busy crying foul after every lose that they forgot what was at stake. A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP!. Champions play through adversity and take that as a way to shut everyone up. MVP’s take charge of situations and create plays by driving, playing defense and helping teammates become better like MJ, Dr. J, Duncan, Magic, WADE, etc. Did you ever see any Mav do that in this series? Not even your beloved Novitsky.
So please Cuban and Dallas fans,look at your team first and ask yourselves did we really played as well and as hard as we should have. Did we played like we played Phoenix, Spurs?. The answer is no. Too much crying and not enough balls to suck it up and play your hearts off. I am a Nets fan, but i am a basketball fan and I love Cuban’s love for the game, but he may be the one that will never bring a championship to Dallas.
Comment by Angel -
Here is something I notice about the MAVS this year. What they did to start winning the game they quit doing when they start losing, driving the basketball. Maybe if we stuck again to what was working and quit trying to make 3 pointers all game long just maybe we could have won 2 of the last 4 games. If the refs are calling a close game don’t change what you are doing. Let all 5 starters get fouled out then see if some of the Heat fans and supporters still say that the calling was fair. Just a thought and some of my own observations.
Comment by Grace Brock -
Die Hard Mavs Fan Here —
Congratulations to the Heat. They deserve it. They figured it out. The Mavs melted down under the pressure. But, they will be back!
Whew! What a great season. Congrats to the Mavs and Avery!
Comment by Teo -
Mark, This is a first time reader here and I read your blog “cursing” and saw that you said the reporters were wasting your time. How is that possible? You chose to be interviewed didn’t you? I didn’t see where the Heat owner was required to be interviewed. Maybe this is an NBA requirement. I don’t think so. I lived in Chicago during it’s 6 championships and never saw Reinsdorf was wasting his time with interviews. If your time is so valuable and interviews are a waste of your time then maybe you need help with time and personal management.
Comment by Kevin -
You know what simmons doesn’t discuss in his article…I that back when MJ was playing the NBA was at it peak of it’s popularity, and finally with the likes of Dwyane Wade and Lebron James, the NBA has taken steps back to that golden era. If you Mr. Cuban, or any other Mav fans really think that a team of good players is better for the NBA than superstars you are clearly mistaken. Look at the Pistons – 5 really good players and people are so bored with them after 1 championship. The NBA is a league of superstars – always has always will be. Superstars transcends sports. This is so in every other league. The NFL, NHL, and MLB. People like stars (Hollywood anyone?). That is reality. Wake up and realize that, get another star around Dirk, and maybe you’ll win one next year. Maybe that way you will stop bitching about everything and just enjoy watching your team play and win. Mr. Cuban, this is good advice that I suggest you take.
Comment by Jonathan -
Game 3, game 5, game 6… Mavs take lead, refs call BS fouls, Heat come back with the clock essentially STOPPED! In evenly called games, Mavs in 5! “Shoulda, woulda, coulda”…. It’s true, we had our chances, which we missed. But there’s nothing we could do about those calls, the league has their new MJ, they want to protect him. Dont get me wrong, D Wade is good, ok great, but to get 25 FT’s in game 5, come on now!! Devin Harris gets hammered every time he drives in, hardly ever gets a call. Payton pulls Jason Terry’s jersey at the end of game, no call.
Mavs, thanx for the great run! Heat fans, congrats! NBA/David Stern, be consistent with the foul calls.
MFFL!
Comment by what was that -
I’m not a fan of either team, and I loved watching Wade and Dirk go back and forth making clutch shots. Dirk’s shot over Shaq in game 5 was one of the best I’ve ever seen. But shitty calls are a part of the game at every level; why would it be any different in the pros? You have play through it. And if ANYONE on the Mavs could have made just ONE clutch free throw, not blow a 13 point lead in the 4th quarter of game 3 and TWO double digit leads in game 6, the Mavs would be champs. Please stop with the whining and be gracious losers. I’ll be shocked if the Mavs DON’T win a title.
Comment by csr -
Mr. Cuban, I was glad to see you link to Bill Simmons’ article, as I enjoyed reading it and I consider him to be one of the most entertaining writers of our day.
Comment by Lou P. -
Any truth to the rumor that no champagne was popped in the Miami locker room? Instead, they lit up Cuban cigars!!
The Mavs lost game 6 in part because of all the whining and complaining over the past week. They went into this game with this us against the world attitude, both players and fans. Everybody came out totally hyped up in the first quarter, but guess what! Once Miami survived Dallas’ best punch, the Mavs had nothing left in the tank for the second half. There is no such thing as controlled anger when you’re talking about an entire team and city. Rick Pitino, who was dumb enough to leave Kentucky for supposedly greener pastures, described it best when he was at UK. He always talked about how the other team would come out with the highest possible emotional level. The key to victory was to weather the storm early. Once the emotion wears off, it all comes down to execution. We saw that in the second half. The Mavericks had nothing left. Let’s be honest–James Posey hit more big shots in the 4th quarter last night than Dirk Nowitzki did.
About the Bill Simmons article–Bill Simmons is a fucking moron. Anybody who would put down the “old school” NBA doesn’t recognize quality basketball. If you want to see really good basketball, watch ESPN Classic. Today’s NBA is watered down by all the 18-20 year old players who will never make it in the league. 20 years ago, an 18 foot jump shot was automatic–even for role players. Most players today don’t have the fundamentals, yet we wonder why the USA gets its ass kicked in interational competition. Our elite players are too concerned about the risk of injury or fatigue. Do you really think that Dirk would turn down the opportunity to play for Germany in the Olympics? Heck, no!!!
And to say that one man beats an entire team is crazy. Even the Bulls in the ’90s. How many rings did Jordan win before Scottie Pippen became a top ten player in the league? Nobody does it by themselves.
Have a nice offseason!
Comment by eudog -
“the Mavericks truly should have been given that title”
since when are titles given? you need to be complaining about how your sorry ass team started shooting more bricks than shaq at the free throw line. you need to start complaining about how the soft ass mavs players simply stop going to the hoop (maybe they’d get fouls and be in the penalty-sound familiar)and started settling for jumpers. The mavericks loss the game because the choked. Nobody wanted to step up and take control of the game for the team. Regardless of what you say about the officials, they don’t play. The players have to execute their x’s and o’s. If you shoot 37% against the heat aint no way in hell you’re going to win (ask the pistons). So, sstop complaining, accept the blame. Or better yet, go out and map next years championship pared route.What do you think they’ll do to your no defense, no superstar, no mvp, no clutch two bit no name players. yall will be worst than the golden state warriors. enjoy your first and last championship run. Spurs take the west next year and you guys will go back to being the no name, unloved, step siblings in texas, even worst than houston. the only team unworthy in the finals were the spineless, cowardly, crybaby mavs. so i’ll leave you now to wallow in your sorrow and pity, which exemplifies the spirit of the dallas faithful. Goodbay crybabies, be seeing you next year.
Comment by now titles are given -
I can see why Cuban likes Simmons so much…he’s a windbag too…did anyone actually read that entire tome?? I’m a Spurs fan and actually tried to pull for Dallas…afterall the team is likable, the coach is likable…but the owner? I think the crying and whining of the owner has trickled down to the team and that’s why you lost.
Bottom line is this Cuban…instead of trying to change the NBA so you can win…how about trying to find a way to win with the NBA as it is! Now, that’s a novel thought. The spurs have suffered MANY MANY times more hurtful losses than you have and still have 3 rings! Why?…cuz they are the most loved and popular team (no), cuz they have a loved-by-media superstar, eh NO…cuz they have an owner that emails refs after every loss and crys and complains about each loss as a conspiracy…definitely not…or cuz the NBA has chose them to be kings…nope. If anything the NBA HATED the spurs winning, but win they did, because champions always find a way to win and overcome whatever stands in their way…simple as that! You are not there yet…that’s why you lost. GETTING to the finals is magnitudes easier than WINNING the finals! Here’s hoping you have had your only chance! GO SPURS and congrats to the HEAT!
Comment by Bill -
Go Hoosiers!
Comment by Drew -
Nice try, Sean, but my fiancee was asleep behind me all night. Good effort on your part.
Listen, like I said, any Mavs/Pistons/Lakers fan is going to have an anti-Wade bias. They will not see how amazing he is, plain and simple. They will cite numbers, percentages, and refereeing to prove their point. It’s natural when your team is whooped by a single player the same way the Mavs were. It’s ok, though, I don’t expect you to see my point.
Oh, and nevermind that almost every sportscaster/sportswriter feels the same way. They must know nothing, eh?
It’s the same reason you guys keep complaining about the officiating: you refuse to believe what you see. Miami was the better team. Wade is the best player. Have a nice off-season! 🙂
Comment by Alex -
Na na na na
Na na na na
hey hey hey
GOODBYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
w00000000p! GO HEAT!
Comment by Jonas -
Great season mavs. Maybe next year the refs wont act so stupid.
Comment by Ana -
The Mavs had a great run, I really thought they would win the championship. It just goes to show you how much contol the officials really have. Be honest, how many times in critical situations were fouls called defending wade when we didnt even fucking touch him,literally? The officiating of this series was a discrace, Mark dont let up on these punk ass officials who determine many outcomes with shit calls. All in all a great season Mavs, keep your head up.
Comment by Jeff -
All I have to say is to Mr. Cuban:
Learn to be a motivator and not an instigator and then MAYBE your team will win.
And as far as your cursing goes, remember that you have a daughter to raise and I really find it hard to believe that you would be proud to have a beautiful little girl with a trucker’s vocabulary.
Comment by Mary in Miami -
I don’t think anyone “owes” it to a sport to evolve. What they do owe their fans is to do everything nessesary to win. The Miami Heat won. Was it the most exciting brand of basketball? don’t even need to answer that, but uh… scoreboard.
Watch the NFL and tell me what will get you to the Superbowl fastest… let’s see a superstar offensive guy ala Mike Mexico? Sorry. Defense. Exciting? Hardly.
The only thing that will revolutionaize a sport is winning. Which, oh by the way, let’s do it next year.
Comment by Dan Snyder -
I am not one to blame officials, but then again that is why I am a fan of the NFL not the NBA. Anyone who watched game 5 and says the Refs didn’t cause the outcome is delirious. David Stern is the worst of them all. Too proud to be able to admit his officials are idiots. Hey David, here’s an idea you can take from the great NFL. Admit your refs are blowing crucial games. Go ahead and spend a little money on review officials and instant replay, because until you do you will continue to have games given away due to officials. And in turn your fan base will continue to shrink.
Comment by AJ Mcg -
Simmons is old. GO HEAT!
Comment by Jimmy -
Neither a Mavs nor Heat fan. Actually, I think I’m not even an NBA fan anymore. Put it on OLN, take it out of our consciousness. Baseball is enough to get me back to football season each year. I used to love NBA playoff season.
The final foul where Wade karate chops Nowitzki was eblematic of how much of a farce the game and the way its called has become. On the other end, Marquis and Howard are getting clotheslined and no call.
I know people love the Zo/GP/Player No. 8 stories, but I’d rather just see a well-played, well-officiated game, something that resembles basketball. Besides, it’s not like I’m going to forget Zo stealing from the Raptors and Nets just because the guy’s got a kidney issue. Pls, Sean Elliot deserves more respek!
Keep on rocking in the free world, Cubes, you know you’re right and a lot of other folks out there would concur.
Comment by Anti -
While the Mav’s were planning their parade, Miami was planning how to come back from two down.
While the Mav’s were watching tape to see how many calls didnt go their way, Miami was watching tape to see how they could improve.
While Cuban was appearing on Letterman, Miami was appearing at a team funeral.
While the Mav’s were listening to their owner, the Heat were listening to thier coach.
It all comes down to focus, maturity and tenacity. The better team deserved to win this Championship, and for once, they did!
Comment by Raejean -
SSSSSSHHHHHHHH!!……listen…..you know what that sound is?….Thats the beautiful sound of dallas mavs fans with their foot in their mouth….Congratulations World Champion Heat, you deserve it.
Comment by SpursFanForLife -
Mavs were robbed. Everything seems fixed. Shaq and Wade are media darlings. Stern wanted a Heat win for Riley and Co. Now it’s time for summer. Read a book that the gov’t pulled off Amazon called “America Deceived” by E.A. Blayre III. Support the Mavs and indy media.
Last link (before Google Books caves):
http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-38523-0
Comment by William Reynolds II -
Congratulations Miami Heat fans and team!
Too bad Mr. Cuban and the “Nag” fans are feeling their “oats” this morning (Ha, Ha)
Thanks Heat for embarrassing the Nags all over the court and showing them what weak and whimpy whiners THEY REALLY ARE!
Comment by Spursfanatic -
Another funny Mavs ‘fan’ comment:
Watch out Heat, we’ll be back and out for blood. DWade can only carry you so far.
—–
Uhhhh, ya. Carried to the promised land. LOL!
Also, when a team wins on your court you stand up and applaud. When Detroit did it to us in the ECF last year we applaud and left.
Booing is classless. Even Mark didn’t go that route. I’m sure he won’t call out you fans for doing it but it showed a new level of whineyness that has become the Dallas Mavericks.
Comment by Derek Shipes -
mark,
i love the mavs, and i wish you would own the chicago cubs. i love avery johnson, he was my favorite player in the NBA. i think he is an awesome coach. i think you guys did get several bad calls, but i didnt like all the attention placed on it. the mavs are a classy organization, but all the attention on the refs made it look like the team was not taking responsibility. i agree with your gripes, but i wish there wasnt so much of that. this is not a slam, but a plea from a fan to focus on the actual game, not that.
Comment by niel -
Bill Simmons would be my new hero too if I owned a team without a superstar. Yeah, Dirk is great; for a seven footer afraid to play below the rim. Hey, I guess I would be mad too if I had the Phil Mickelson of the NBA as the “superstar” of my team.
Face it Cuban, your team fell short! They CHOKED! You went on Letterman, talked some crap and couldn’t cash in on that crap! Hopefully you’ll learn from this….SHUT UP, write the checks, and stay out!
TRUE NBA fans don’t need you! TRUE NBA fans don’t need the cry-baby Boston HOMER Bill Simmons…….Look, respectively, you are a good business man, and he is a good journalist. In this case, you are both two idiots. His own team is a true one-trick pony. If it were Paul Pierce leading the Celtics like Wade just did, that article would have read hail to the chief or something stupid like that….
You lost! The Celtics Suck! Both of you should face that fact that it is the Heat’s time to shine…better luck next year, and hopefully Phil….I mean Dirk won’t choke again!
Comment by Richard -
From 232 Above:
Since I think you are the only person with the clout of doing this, I was wondering what you thought about reverting back to a 2-2-1-1-1 foramt for the Finals? The 2-3-2 format is plain ridiculous. Giving the team with the worse record a chance to clinch the playoffs first if everyone wins at home is juts foolish. That rule needs to be changed. It needs to be called out by someone.
——-
Silly Mavs fan….if you hold home court you win not lose. Only 2 teams in the past who went up 2-0 have ever lost. Sorry, I’m wrong….3 teams. This was the Mavs to lose. Winning 3 games at home in a row against any team is next to impossible. I hate the 2-3-2 but not for the silly reason you state.
And for you Mavs fans, Wade may not be the next MJ but he’s a lot closer now than anyone on the Mavs……
Comment by Derek Shipes -
It’s true, Miami due have some individual brilliance in a player that take control of the game, cut to the basket, draw the foul. How about instead of complaining about the fouls, teach the team better defensive skills to avoid them being given. More elusive blocking like Mourning, More charge drawing like James Posey. In the end, the best team won, no matter how supposedly detrimental to the game that may be. Sure as hell nobody will complain about the profile these Superstars bring to the game, the bums they put on seats. That superstar could have been Dirk, but he got caught up in the game YOU, Cuban, created : crying about officiating instead of keeping the mind where it had to be. It had to be in the zone, it had to be in the game, in the face of the defender on the way to the basket. It wasn’t, and the Mavericks paid dearly.
I look forward to seeing how you react to this loss, if you can take the loss in your stride and accept the fact this Dallas team was outplayed down the stretch, or whether you will choose to lighten your pockets with more official/press bashing.
Better luck next season anyhow.
Comment by Nigel -
Hey Mark, I’m a Celtics fan but I was pulling for the Mavs. I’ve always been rooting for the “underdog” since the Patriots won their first superbowl. By the way, I’m not taking anything away from your team saying “underdogs” they just were, because of god damn ESPN and such.
Sorry you guys lost, just don’t get too down on yourself. Just know players are going to want to go to Dallas, to win a championship. All you need is one or two more pieces and your team will be back next year.
Hell, you don’t even need to make a lot of moves, you’ll be back deep in the playoffs next year.
You could always try trading for Jermaine O’Neal, lol. JO at C, Dirk at PF. I bet you’re drooling at the thought of that. Well anyways, a reply would be great, but I understand if you don’t reply.
Good luck this offseason and next year, hopefully we can have a Mavs-Celtics championship!
Comment by Kevin -
That article is totally wrong. The Heat may not have the same talent when it comes to offense as the Mavs do, but they played great team deffense. Their style is to slow down the game and play half court ball, at times it may not look pretty but they got the job done.
They shot many more free throws because they constantly attacked the basket. Watch the games, the Mavs are mostly shooting jumpers, Jason Terry didn’t drive to the basket once yesterday other than on fast breaks. Even coach Johnson admitted that the Mavs fell in love with the jump shot.
Comment by Pedro -
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I bet your crying in your pillow now Cuban. Thats what you get for opening your mouth on letterman.
HEAT BABY !! #1 WORLD CHAMPS
Dallas SUCKS! What happened Dirk? What are you gonna do, kick some basketballs ?
Wheres your parade ?????
If you Dallas fans still want to go to a parade, come down to Miami and enjoy OURS!
4-IN-A-ROW !!!! SUCKERS !!
Comment by MIAMIHEATCHAMPIONS! -
What time is the parade, IN MIAMI DOH!! Mav’s got to stuck on complaining and not driving to the basket. YOu rarily get to the free throw lines throwing up 3’s all game long. Too many shooters for Dallas tonight, and as always Nowitski is asleep at the defensive end of the court!
Kelly B
Comment by Kelly Bigham -
What time is the parade, IN MIAMI DOH!! Mav’s got to stuck on complaining and not driving to the basket. YOu rarily get to the free throw lines throwing up 3’s all game long. Too many shooters for Dallas tonight, and as always Nowitski is asleep at the defensive end of the court!
Kelly B
Comment by Kelly Bigham -
hey duh quit hating on Wade. Miami won. I know your venting but chill out with all of that.
Comment by Ron -
Last night sucked. As the news anchor just said this morning “American Airlines Center was the scene of many Dallas Mavericks fans having their hearts broken last night.” This was the case for me. Justin said it well, we’ll get ’em next year!
And despite everyone elses criticisms, I like you Mark, you’ve got umph.
Comment by B -
Cry, cry, cry…
Mav fans just face the facts, the NBA officiating is bad, we all agree. But it’s bad for everyone. Dirk flopped his way to the foul line throughout the playoffs.
The same officials that helped you through the Spurs series weren’t so helpful this series.
As long as you have that fat weenie of a crybaby owner on your side you will never win a championship… cold hard truth!
The NBA will never let that loudmouth carry home that trophy… hate it!
As they say… maybe next year… but then again maybe not!
Comment by Lane -
GREAT push. thanks cuban for making the league interesting. didn’t exactly go our way, but that’s how it happens sometimes. keep fighting the good fight.
Comment by Pearce -
There are many things left unsaid and unsung. As many people got what they did and did not want out of the series, and no one can argue that regardless of what swayed what it was a good series played well by both teams.
There were questions both ways; arguments both ways; legitimacy complaints both ways. Outspoken or not (purely a personality difference), both teams barreled through all the adversities and played some good basketball.
Discrepencies and amnimosity aside; I believe that both teams can and did learn from each other because both have their key strengths and weaknesses. I believe the NBA can and did learn something from this series and continue to grow as an officiating (sorry, had to throw it in) and quality organization.
Most of all I hope EVERYONE, Heat and Mavs (fans and officials like) take something from this: the experience and the opportunity to play good basketball.
I am a Mavs fan; have been for quite some time. I will love them no matter what happens or what anyone says. I love our big three (or four, or five, or etc. etc.) To tell it like it is there were some things I disagree with (the opinion is widley shared) with this series but Cuban said it best in the locker room last night in regards of being proud of what all has come of this, and be proud of all the players.
Dirk will get better; Terry will get better; Howard will get better —
Wade will get better; Shaq will get better; Payton might get his dignity back (:P)…
All the likes of all the players earned the right to be in the NBA Finals, and NO ONE should forget that no matter whos fan you are. You can be beligerant if you want, calling Dallas no named players and spineless fans and owners, or stunting the disrespectful (in my mind) comparison of Dwayne Wade to Michael Jordan, but everyone in the Finals earned their spot regardless of the outcome. Everyone on these teams is good and some great!
So, to the Heat fans and the players: Congratulations and good luck in next season.
To the Mavs fans and players:
There is no tomorrow, and then again there is. Backs against the walls the best you can ask from this team is to not leave anything for reget and to leave nothing on the court; let it all come out. I believe that this was the case in game 5 and game 6. Stuff happened and stuff will happen. We as fans have been backing these guys up because we love and admire them — and you players have been fantastic, no one can say otherwise. Always remember that no matter what happens, you players are someones hero. Your everyones hero because of what you are, and what you do.
Keep up the good work Dirk, Jet, Josh, Diop, Damp, Devin, Marquis, Griffin, Mbenga, Jerry, Keith, Armstrong, and Powell. You too Mr. Cuban. And to the General himself, Avery Johnson — I applaud and salute you Mr. Coach of the year. We’ll get ’em next year!
–Justin
Comment by Justin -
Mavs Fans/Mark Cuban = Jews/Hitler… Might as well burn urselves in ovens mavs fans, cause Cuban is on the verge of making your team the crying babies of NBA… and i hate the heat but damn, people are right… you guys are cry babies.
Comment by PwnSauce -
To Mark and all the Maverick players: Thanks for the great season.
As a fan I couldn’t have asked for much more. I won’t even gratuituosly ask for the obvious two additional wins, fuck it. All in all I had more fun watching the Mavericks than I ever imagined a Mavericks fan could’a asked for just a few years back. We are a great team, more importantly, the Mavericks’ players are men worthy of respect on and off the court. I’m truly mean that. To have a team wherein the players all seem to be downright decent folk, as we say ’round here, makes being a fan even more fun.
Do I think we got robbed? Yes. The NBA suffered by allowing the refs to control the outcome. Could we have won regardless of the refs? Yes.
Next year cometh soon. Let’s get ready to rock and roll… we shall overcome!
Comment by todd hamilton -
I am a die hard Spurs fan. One of the few that was cheering for the Mavs. Only because of Avery Johnson of course and to keep the Trophy in Texas(Can’t Stand Cuban tho, Sorry). So, I watched the series and was very disappointed. Not from the Quality of play, but lack there of. Whatever happen to letting two teams fight it out to the end. There were too many games in this series and the rest of the playoffs where free throws determined the game. Where is the fun in that? Believe me there’s nothing better then watching your team down by two then hit a game winning three pointer with a few seconds left on the clock (Big Shot BOB). Last years finals really showed the heart of two teams and games that were played by execution rather then free throws at the last minute. It showed the team that executed their game plan to a tee become Champions. This year it seemed anyone that got a slap on the wrist was sent to the line for both sides. These were two great teams wanting to go at eachother, then cut short by a whistle.
Let them play , for that way we can actually see a team execute to the finish and then we can see who the real Champions are!
Comment by P Mac -
Damn… Cuban must of given Simmons some sick blow jobs for Simmons to BS like that… Sorry mav fans, yall got owned in the face. Good game kids. Sorry, but yall lost. pWnEd!
Comment by Bill Cuban -
No one is forcing you to read this PD. My suggestion, you need to take a break. Hey now that you mentioned mentioned it, so do I. Hey maybe I’ll see you at the gym. I guess is I probably wont though because you can’t help yourself you have to keep reading. Later…
Comment by Scott -
There’s nothing worse than B.S. analysis by guys who never played the game. Basketball is like the stock market…complex and unpredictable. There are so many variables and so many decisions being made through out the whole course of the action, those who don’t truly know the game don’t tend to notice it all. Instead, they glean a few highlights and think they see the whole. Every second of every NBA game, there are hundreds if not thousands of decisions being made by everyone involved. The offensive play to run, the spot on the floor to try to set a pick, the angle to take to cut across the lane, to go under or over the pick, the type of pass to make, when to rotate, when to double, what fouls to call, who to sub, etc, etc. That dynamic uncertainty…that flow…is what makes the game exciting. There will always be windbags who try to show how smart they are by taking a couple of myopic perceptions and ridiculously turning them into gross generalizations in rambling discertations of uninformed opinion they present as fact. There’s truly nothing worse than blow-hards who never played seriously and don’t get it but won’t shut up. SO, to all the morons waxing rhapsodic about the NBA getting worse, stars being bad for the league, the ref’s fixing games, etc., etc., … do us all a favor. Shut up for once and go play some pick-up ball at your local gym and learn how much you really know about the game (and I don’t mean Sunday’s at noon at your Church…try weekdays at 5 at your local college gym). Try not knowing-it-all for once. It’s a lot more fun.
Comment by PD -
Reference Bryan Hauer’s comments;
“Ok, well I have to say that’s one of the dumbest articles I’ve ever read.”
I think you need to read the article again Bryan. Mr. Simmons isn’t saying the league could’nt use another Jordan. What he’s saying is the league should’nt be trying to create another Jordan. Dwayne Wade scored 75 of his 208 points in the finals from the free throw line(‘Free throws there FAN-tastic’). 3 of Miami’s wins were decided in the fourth quarter by some guy who’s name I should’nt know but do because he has a history of deciding games with his whistle. Dallas’ run through the western conference playoffs was exciting to watch because each and every game was decided by the guys with shorts not pants on. Yes D. Wade is a great player but he’s no Jordan and no one should get an MVP trophy based on there free throw shooting. Jordan got his by hitting clutch shots. My memory of Wade’s performance will be of #3 at the charity stripe. My memory of #23 is of him shooting a dagger over Criag Ehlo.
Who is the NBA’s next great one, I don’t know but I know its not D. Wade. At least not based on this performance. He is still young though, so if he can develope his jump shot and not depend so much on his free throws, who knows…………….
Comment by Scott -
Reference Bryan Hauer’s comments;
“Ok, well I have to say that’s one of the dumbest articles I’ve ever read.”
I think you need to read the article again Bryan. Mr. Simmons isn’t saying the league could’nt use another Jordan. What he’s saying is the league should’nt be trying to create another Jordan. Dwayne Wade scored 75 of his 208 points in the finals from the free throw line(‘Free throws there FAN-tastic’). 3 of Miami’s wins were decided in the fourth quarter by some guy who’s name I should’nt know but do because he has a history of deciding games with his whistle. Dallas’ run through the western conference playoffs was exciting to watch because each and every game was decided by the guys with shorts not pants on. Yes D. Wade is a great player but he’s no Jordan and no one should get an MVP trophy based on there free throw shooting. Jordan got his by hitting clutch shots. My memory of Wade’s performance will be of #3 at the charity stripe. My memory of #23 is of him shooting a dagger over Criag Ehlo.
Who is the NBA’s next great one, I don’t know but I know its not D. Wade. At least not based on this performance. He is still young though, so if he can develope his jump shot and not depend so much on his free throws, who knows…………….
Comment by Scott -
What do you think they’ll do to your no defense, no superstar, no mvp, no clutch two bit no name players. yall will be worst than the golden state warriors. enjoy your first and last championship run. Spurs take the west next year and you guys will go back to being the no name, unloved, step siblings in texas, even worst than houston. the only team unworthy in the finals were the spineless, cowardly, crybaby mavs. so i’ll leave you now to wallow in your sorrow and pity, which exemplifies the spirit of the dallas faithful. Goodbay crybabies, be seeing you next year.
Comment by now titles are given -
Everyone in Dallas including myself is a fairweathered “diehard” poser. Ironically, only the gay diehard losers with absolutely no life absorb every inch of the daily sportspage, watch EVERY game of evry sports team, and eat, breathe and shit sports when their teams suck. Face it, the Mavs blew it! We could NEVER see another “winner” again from the Mavs, Cowboys, Rangers, Stars (who gives a fuck about hockey around here :)FOR YEARS upon YEARS!?! Who knows how long?
etc.
How many die hard White Sox fans were there in the random 1980’s who gave a fuck at all? None. How many now?
How many Steelers fans gave a shit when Woodley or whatever his name was – led them to stinkville? How many now?
Winners create fans. Fairweathered or not.
We supported a bunch of talented, interesting, charasmatic losers.
It sucks… I know!
Thanks alot Dirk! Your a nice fellow and all but your no Larry Bird.. if anything you resemble perhaps Big Bird ?
But even Big Bird is a winner.
hmmm…
I like Dirk but man, what a let down. He’s just an average player after all. WoW! That’s so disappointing!
I’m actually shocked.
He fooled us. We fed into the hype!
HE’S OUR HERO – was spoonfed to us.
We have no heros now.
Cuban can’t even trade his ugly ass now as he retained zero value as he was worthless when it REALLY counted.
Oh and Cuban, man.. wayyy too much praise for never winning a ring.
Untill you do THAT… your no Steinbrenner… no Trump… just a woulda, coulda, shoulda, blabber mouth w/ a giant ego and wallet. Your luck in the dot com thingy is great and all… and it’s cool you have created a forum for me to rag on you, and it’s really awesome you can afford to get fined millions of dollars without it affecting your net worth, but your simply a egomaniacal loose cannon and a billionaire bozo untill your “next years team” finally produces a few rings… the truth hurts.. I’m so sorry..but it’s the fucking truth!
Believe me, I’m fucking crying “figuratively” even as I type.. Sorry co-Mavs fans… but the odds are that the Mavs will have a shittier team next year. And so on and so forth.
Look at the facts jack.
I salute you DWADE with my middle finger and I hope the refs win it for you again next year.
Your just like Michael Jordan!!
Whoooopeeeee!
why don’t you just stick your tongue out when you shoot the ball so STERN and the ABC sportscasters and the newspaper writers can beat off to your “Jordan-esque” glory?
blah blah blah
sorry – I’m just really pissed! that’s my rant and I’m sticking to it..
Love you Mark…later
Comment by duh -
Hey Cuban!
FUCK, SHIT, ASS, VAGINA, PUSSY,DILDO
CUNT..
YOU NAME IT ASSHOLE!
Your no example of decency..
egomaniac jerk w/ extra bucks!
Tom Landry and Tex Schramm are rolling over in their graves-
you have so little class that your making me wanna curse too!
FUCK YOU!
THIS fair weathered fan is fucking off…
honestly, if they ever happen to make it to the playoffs again.. I’ll jump right back on the bandwagon – but this time with just a little more caution.
Even as a fairweathered fan, who the fuck wants to get emotionally attached again to a bunch of chokers who unfortunately resort to “crying like babies” Vs. “stepping up” like men. This was their chance and they let it slip away.
Cuban, you will probably sell the team the year after next and then what?
No more passion. GREAT!
What are ya gonna do? Beat off with some Pittsburg baseball franchise
or whatever. Even YOUR a fairweathered fan.
Let’s do the NBA a fucking favor and all commit Harry Carey… W-E- S-U-C-K!
Comment by blobmaverick -
You guys are little kids, constantly gloating after a big win. It’s unnecessary. Y’all won. We get it.
Dynasty – yeah, right. Shaq and Zo are old as hell, and face it. Without them being effective, your team changes dramatically. Shaq was almost reduced to a roleplayer this series and he’s only getting older. Wade has a bright future ahead of him, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him go somewhere else when Shaq leaves.
Comment by chris -
forget it chris, can’t get rid of us, just like the mavs couldn’t get rid of the heat. If possible you are even more impotent than the mavericks at booting heat fans out. yall suck and i won’t let you forget it. Miami Heat 2006 NBA champions. like the way it rolls off the tongue. be ready for the dynasty!
Comment by now titles are given -
“if the mavs players put in even half theffort in a game that you people put in complaining, then they would have swept thru the whole playoffs.”
So you’re saying if the Mavs had put forth a little effort, they would have SWEPT the Heat, along with every other team? Sounds like you think the Mavs are a better team.
Heat Fans… Go out, have a drink, I fail to see why any one of you is still at home on your computer. Let us Mav fans drink and complain our sorrows away.
Comment by chris -
Well Just got back from the Celebration and let me say Mark Cuban is the best owner I think in Basketball you have to like a guy who makes his money and started from nothing. But to plan a parrade come on but that is not the fans fault the only thing I see wrong with the fans are crying about foul calls, ohh and on the last play since a reader said something about it if the refs called a foul on Payton for the tug he gave to Terry it would of been a 2 shot foul because he was not in the act of shooting. So prepare for next year and teach guys how to shoot FT and how not to call your last TO in the clutch
Comment by mike -
Waiting for the parade to celebrate. its fun seeing the crybaby, whining mavs fans resort to form and bash the heat (2006 NBA Champions), the league, and refs. if the mavs players put in even half theffort in a game that you people put in complaining, then they would have swept thru the whole playoffs.
Comment by now titles are given -
Boy, you Heat fans love to overreact and point out the negative things about Dallas… even though you won? MAkes zero sense. Never said Dirk was MJ, never said Jet was MJ, never said either was clutch. But if you want to compare Wade to MJ, he’s gotta be clutch. And he ain’t clutch like MJ. Not yet at least.
And why are the Heat fans being complete douchebags right now? When UT won the national championship I didn’t give two shits what USC fans said… we WON. So how about the Heat fans get out of here and let us wallow in our own sorrow? You’re not going to convince any Mavs fans that there is no conspiracy. It’s a waste of time. You should be out celebrating, anyway.
Comment by chris -
Now this is why you never plan anything before you do it. Dwayne Wade found this while searching the internet before Game 3 and it was the spark this team needed. I really hope Dallas has it’s parade infact they should but to me I never heard of a 2nd best team having a parade. So for the city of Dallas I hope you have your parade and rejoice in your 2nd best finish. I just hope I can make it to our Parade in Miami or maybe I will just watch Dallas and the 2nd best team parade
Comment by Chris -
Mark,
I dont care what the others say…I just witnessed the Mavs lose…i cried…my heart is broken just like yours and the players..I love this team with all my heart…as avery said…we win with the shot and lose with the shot….I for one lose with this team and win..and tonight..it feels like we are in 30th place..Thanks for this amazing ride mark…its gonna happen sooner! Lets talk offseason! Could you address maybe some free agents this summer? Maybe AI? Wallace? Def get some vets on the team who have been there before and have the passion. I think your set once u get that…and get the JET back on the runway!
GO MAVS!!!!! LOVE YA MARK!
Comment by Chris Curtis -
It is interesting that Mr. Cuban had to use the words of a class player Tim Duncan to help redeem his character this evening. The Spurs did not whine when they lost the series they simply said sometimes calls do not go your way. Until Mr. Cuban and the Mavs learn what class is they will always be viewed as a classless whinny organization. Avery should know what class is since he was part of the Spurs organization and hopefully he can instill this in his players regardless of Mr. Cuban. Just shows that money can not buy class. Go Spurs!!!!!
Spurs 3 Championships
Mavs 0 Championships
Comment by Class -
Heat proved it. Showed class. Showed will. They deserved it. I am just fed up with all this whinning. Grow up….face it, Mavs, choked, were distracted, didn’t defend well and were outplayed.
BTW, this explaination from NBA should shut you guys up once for all. All 3 calls at end of game 5 right on money. You can’t argue that.
Director of Officials Ronnie Nunn looks at some of the close calls from the end of Game 5.
http://broadband.nba.com/cc/playa.php?content=video&url=http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/nba/nbacom/nbatv/nunn_insiders_060620.asx
Comment by shahpaulin -
Mark,
Congratulations on a great season. I wish the Pacer’s ownership showed the enthusiasm you do. When you’re tired of the hot weather, come back to Indiana and relieve Mel and Herb of their problem child(ren) here.
Comment by J. -
Wow,
Ok so a guy who 2 weeks ago was bashing Cuban like non other has now come 180 and worships him? and Mark is here giving him props right back… I kinda disrespect anyone who can’t even stand by their convictions for a month, so take that Simmons…
Next there were plenty of calls that went against Miami in game 6, Posey’s “block” on Daniels in the third quarter, he was clearly out of the area and set… the “charge” Howard drew also in the third I believe at the top of the key against Payton, I don’t think I’ve ever seen less contact throw a guy back 5 feet, Haslems “travel” that wasn’t, he took 1 step.
For all the complaining about Wade’s dives (and yes, he gets his calls, and probably shouldn’t get quite a few of them) seriously, I’ve never seen a team as “trained” in diving as the Mavs, Harris can’t stand up if someone is within 2 feet of him and moving, I saw at least 3 “charges” in the series that he drew where he was jumping backwards before he was even touched. Dirk is seriously the funniest diver I’ve ever seen flailing about at the slightest touch, Daniels, Howard, Terry… they’re all plenty happy to hit the deck as soon as they are touched… Its just funny to watch them jumping backwards before the contact even gets there. I believe Stack is the Mavs only player who actually stands up and takes a charge.
As for the differential in the number of fouls/trips to the line, your stated strategy is to intentionally foul Shaq every time he touches the ball. How can you expect to get the same number of fouls as the opponent when you are giving 10-15 fouls a game on purpose to the other team? When you start doing that, obviously the opponent is going to get into the penalty sooner, and then every loose ball foul = 2 shots. Not to mention no one on the Mavs had the sack to drive the lane after game 3.
Comment by Tom -
Dirk who?
Comment by Heat Fan -
Coming from a DIE HARD Mavs fan, I can honestly say that the Heat wanted the championship more than Dallas did.
Plain and simple.
They played like they wanted it. They didn’t rest on their jump shot or hang back waiting for an open shot, they went into the trenches and fought hard for it.
Dallas didn’t deserv the ring after the 6 minute mark of Game 3.
Don’t blame the calls, the ref’s, Avery, Mark… blame the players.
I love this team as much as my teams back home, but they just plain played bad and didn’t keep running when they got in front.
Go Mavs 2007!
Comment by AussiePaul -
I am a die hard Mavs fan…Since the 80’s with Davis, Aguirre and the crew. Now there is no doubt that the officiating was very beneficial for Dwayne Wade…no question you don’t make that call at the end of Game 5, no question it is practically impossible to guard Wade with the officials waiting to blow the whistle. HOWEVER, this is not why we lost this series. Up by 13 with 6 minutes to Go in the 4th quarter and you lose the game. Howard misses two free throws in Game 5 which negates anything Wade does from there on out. Dirk is missing his jump shot and refuses to go the hole. Game 7 you are in the penalty with 7 minutes to go, Shaq has 5 fouls (and was not a factor at all in this series) and we continue to shoot jump shots….I think it will go down as one of the biggest sporting mysteries in the histor of DFW sports. The key here is the mavericks blew the best chance they had at winning a title (because phoenix is going to be a bitch to get by the next few years) because our Superstar did not takeover when he needed to like Miami’s did….When dirk really learns to consistently take the ball to the hole when his jump shot if off, and get his points at the line during crunch time…..we can win a title, and that was the difference in this series……I will again admit the offciating on Wade is horrendous, but the mavericks could have and should have one despite it.
Comment by AB -
I am not a fan of either team. I am a 76ers fan and have been a fan of the NBA. Watching the finals…I am so disappointed in the product. What he has happened to the NBA?
David Stern should concern himself with fixing the game not those who question regardless of their over the top methods.
Phantom calls, tainted championship. The game is supposed to be about teamwork, flow, and drive.
Instead I question the integrity of the game like Olympic boxing or Steelers and Seahawks Super Bowl.
My father refuses to watch NBA basketball for he says the game lacks any flow due to foul call based on a hang nail.
I think I will stick with college basketball. The game is team basketball with less star treatment. The game is about the game and not the hip hop baller the NBA craves. That is as long as ESPN efforts to ruin it doesn’t take effect.
Comment by ndellobuono -
I am not a fan of either team. I am a 76ers fan and have been a fan of the NBA. Watching the finals…I am so disappointed in the product. What he has happened to the NBA?
David Stern should concern himself with fixing the game not those who question regardless of their over the top methods.
Phantom calls, tainted championship. The game is supposed to be about teamwork, flow, and drive.
Instead I question the integrity of the game like Olympic boxing or Steelers and Seahawks Super Bowl.
My father refuses to watch NBA basketball for he says the game lacks any flow due to foul call based on a hang nail.
I think I will stick with college basketball. The game is team basketball with less star treatment. The game is about the game and not the hip hop baller the NBA craves. That is as long as ESPN efforts to ruin it doesn’t take effect.
Comment by ndellobuono -
“THANKS TO EVERYONE ELSE LIKE JET WHO HAD BALLS OF STEEL EVERY SECOND OF EVERY FUCKING GAME!”
Uh, Mr. Balls of Steel missed 16 of his last 17 shots.
Maybe the basketball was made of steel, which is why it kept going CLANK…
Comment by Venger -
Ok yall wanna say that the refs won the series for Miami!!!Well I wanna know what the fuck happened tonite?It was supposed to be over when it got back to Dallas yall even planned parades(: that wouldve been cute IF yall wouldve won or atleast wait after tonite!!!Yall just came up short LOL LOL LOL!!! The better team did win even Avery said that!! GO HEAT GO HEAT GO HEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Jia Cooper -
I’m disgusted by the NBA but hopeful because of the way Cuban manages a team.
Comment by Internet Marketing Services -
I never have to say a word again. Bryan Hauer says it all.
It is so nice to know there are people who pay attention.
thank you bryan
j
P.S. The league was never more popular than during Jordan’s era. You should be praying for a return to those days. I didn’t watch the series because I thought Dallas would probably win. Upon learning that the Heat embarrassed you I only have this left to say:
Justice is its own reward.
Comment by James King -
toby=two letter from To OL….TOOL.
dumbass.
Comment by Lakerfan in Dallas -
Congratulations to Avery Johnson; you are a great coach and I do see rings in your future (not with the Mavs though). And congrats Jason Terry; straigh-up gutsy, prolific performance throughout the series. Howard, keep your head up; that time-out call was really on your coach and not you…he’ll never make that mistake again. In fact, congrats to all the Mavs players; you fought hard and had all the tangibles to win, but you lacked one HUGE intangible, maybe it was even stolen from you, and it cost you this series-survivor mentality. To overcome this in the future, you will have to overcome your owner Mark Cuban, who instilled the opposite mentality in you, that of the victim. Unfortunately for you, but fortunate for all of us who wanted to see Miami hoist that trophy on your court, not to spite you, but the whiny,classless punk of an owner of your team, you got robbed not by refs, but by Mark Cuban and the psyche job he unleashed on you. I won’t say on your fans-they are from Dallas; its understood they are classless. In Miami, excluding GP at times, they had a team whose humility and togetherness produced an enduring quality that can overcome adversity and did. But in Dallas, your owner instilled such a sense of expected victimhood, of presumed unfairness against them, that when it came time to step up and overcome, survive, whether you the players could help it or not, you already were considering how you were being screwed instead of focusing on the task at hand and doing what it takes to persevere and demand a championship. If you had an owner with character and positive fortitude, you’d probably have won the series. But you have a whining, low-class egoist who convinced, CONVINCED, you that instead of picking yourself up and overcoming obstacles, you should drop F-bombs in front of little kids and make excuses. Everyone had to know you were going to lose game six. The shallow, sad character of your owner must have rubbed off on you, no matter how hard you tried to fight it. It had to be worth at least four points in the game. Its good to see the bad guy lose-sorry for you you had to be connected to him; he turned out to be your least valuable player-he cost you the series. Can’t say I didn’t enjoy it though; heck, I am reveling in it! But I do feel for you. It’s got to be hard to overcome such low-brow fans and such a punk of an owner. Thank you Miami. Who knew I could root for Shaq? And finally, thank you Mark Cuban-its good to see the power of money balked by the power of character and integrity. Its delicious.
Comment by mdhubiquitous -
It’s so funny how a lot of y’all (yes y’all is a word, I looked it up in the dictionary) can’t
S-P-E-L-L, spell.
USE A DICTIONARY, PROOFREAD, OR ASK FOR HELP!
Comment by A-N-O-N-Y-M-O-U-S, anonymous. Check it, it's spelled correctly. -
geez, what a sorry finals. i’m a big hoops (though not a dallas) fan, but it will be a long time before i go to or even watch another nba game. why bother when the bias of the league’s front office is so transparent? what a joke. not that the nba is steroid-free, but give me baseball’s steroid scandal over this bullshit.
Comment by m616 -
I appreciate your understanding of the situation. My most lasting impression of this whole series will not be that we lost, or that we should have won (both in that we could have played better and in that the refs affected some of the games). None of that shakes my interest in the Mavs or in basketball. Rather, I will always remember this series as the NBA’s complete and disgraceful loss of legitimacy.
I’m still a Mavs fan, and always will be- but disgusted by the NBA, and pessimistic about the potential for change. Thanks for trying to make the situation better- please keep at it.
But you’re right to fear the loss of customers, because the product is defective.
Comment by ben -
JP..almost..Dirk kicking a bunch of equipment like a mad teenage cheerleader that didnt make the cheering squad..come on..that is certainly not exhibiting CLASS by the players..
Comment by Lakerfan in Dallas -
Simmons really hits the nail on the head with what you’ve been saying all year Mark. The best officials should be doing the biggest games…that would give the NBA the same credibility you get with the NFL and NHL officiating. Trust me, I’m a huge hockey fan and when you see McCreary out there, just as when you saw Van Hellemond in the 80s and 90s, you know the NHL is putting their best out there. And I know that whatever happens in the game, no one can say later that poor officiating changed the game. Officials can and do impact game outcomes, yes, it happens sometimes, but the better they are, the less likely it is to happen.
When the league doesn’t put the best officiating crews out there for its finals, it tells you they have other priorities. Obviously, one crew could work an entire series, but then there would be no reward for mediocrity.
I had no rooting interest in the series–I respect you and the Mavs and I like Shaq and Wade, so I was going to be happy either way. However, I’m not convinced the best team won the series. That happens a lot in sports, the 2nd-best team beating the best because of crunch-time execution and luck–but it’s not very comforting when it’s your team that lost.
Rebuild, improve, get back there next year. Good luck.
Comment by Mike -
JP..YOU SIR HAVE IT ALL FIGURED OUT..YES.
MARK SHOW CLASS…did he …NO.
Comment by Lakerfan in Dallas -
Toby, don’t let the door hit you. “Bad” calls come and go, and even out in the long run. You’re an idiot.
Comment by Brian -
wade the next mj? something tells me jordan doesnt miss those 2 free throws at the end.
Comment by Grobes -
you guys need to quit it with the officials..it is LAME.
Go blame dirk for disappearing …..
I am glad the mavs havent won..and as a HUGE LAKERS FAN..it kills me to see Shaq “sitting on the bench all the time…cant hit a free throw if my life depended on it” oneal ..winning it again..
BUT…i am also happy that the bandwagon and whinney mavs fans can go hide again and get a big cookie for MAKING it to the finals…there were sooo many people here in dallas just coming out who couldnt tell you the starting five of the mavs..dumb bandwagon…anyway…i KNEW the mavs would choke..just didnt think it would take THIS fkkin long to rear its ugly head…
mavs=chokers for life.
Comment by Lakerfan in Dallas -
Mark –
I hurt for you, my friend. I appreciate what you have done for this city and this franchise. You’ve brought this team farther along than I could have ever imagined.
But man, is it too much to ask you as an owner of a professional team, representing a great city like Dallas, to show a little more class. Waving your arms up and down and encouraging everyone to boo during games. Cursing on your blog and national TV. Continually receiving astronomical fines for your behavior. I want my kids and my family to love this team as much as I do. It’s just hard to love them so much, yet continually be turned off by an owner with so little grace and dignity.
Our coach and our players seem to have it – I just wish our owner would follow suit.
Comment by JP -
Your comments: Votes Votes Votes…
Democracy works on earth and just as much in the NBA. Why? Polls are more than words, they anticipate the future..
All i have to say is that there are no conspiracies, just instances where improvable ends meet.
Defense DOESN’T win GAMES!!!
The Heat were lucky in games 3 and 5 of not the officials, but lousy players missing field goals!!
As lucky as heat with winning the Championship, any other team can aswell.
Thank You Bill too..
~Quickchang~ Rocket’s fan 4 life
Comment by It's all about the fans in the finals -
I can understand your devastation, but the outcome of the games was decided by the players. It has been proven time and time again that the referees have made the right calls, and the Mavs fans need to get over it and stop complaining. It’s as simple as the Heat wanting it more. The Mavericks choked-wilted-ranouttagas or whatever you wanna call it while the Heat made the clutch plays that ended up winning the games. If the Mavs make a few more open shots or free throws or whatever, the referees won’t even be in the picture.
Comment by Alex -
Sorry! Messed up the link for the poll on why the Mavs lost tonight. Here it is…
http://www.BryanHauer.com
Comment by Bryan Hauer - Official Blog -
Mister Cuban and the Mavs get 0 points on class. In the future, Mister Cuban, please tone down the whining. You won’t conquer many hearts and minds this way.
Because of your antics, Mister Cuban, there were millions upon millions of people wishing for Dallas to go down in flames. Millions upon millions of curses on Dallas. Perhaps this, and not the officiating, is what turned the series around for Miami.. or perhaps it was that Dallas was out-played, out-manuevered, and most importantly …. out-scored ? :))
Cheers!
Comment by DocToe -
MARK, There was nothing that Dallas should beat themselves up about. They played like a champion team tonight, but there can only be one winner, but always two champ contenders. Dallas has nothing but a very bright future with a “young team” that is dynamite. You are my hero, you stand up for what you believe in and you state it the way “it is”. I, too, am a realist. Cussing has it’s bonifde place in life and if I say the “f” word then I can guarantee you I mean it. How stupid can stupid be?? You keep jumping back when Right is the defense. I hate a coward. I , too, am dealing with some very bright, power hungry public institution at the moment, Arkansas Game and Fish. Too dumb to know “Right” is the only defense. Hail to my heroes, Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks…. I will be there with my heroes next year for another victory……
Comment by Melanie -
By the way I too thought the clapping was a class act, though I was disappointed in the mass booing by the remaining Dallas fans..but you were truly classy in handling the defeat……