2 Missed Calls Cost Mavericks a 23 Point Lead and a Loss
 

This guy never learns.

Mark Cuban: Key Game 4 calls were wrong

When you're a perennial loser in the playoffs, one tends to always find an excuse to justify one's losing. It's the playoffs and Dallas is losing...therefore we all know we'll hear from Mark Cuban soon enough.

I can see how Cuban didn't like the foul at the 6:40 mark in the fourth, but to blame that call as the reason you lost the game is silly. The charge called on Dirk was absolutely the correct call IMO. The secondary defender was outside the restricted area and was there before Dirk started his upward motion. In fact I didn't think it was that close. Tony Brothers was all over that call.

Quite frankly, I'm surprised he didn't b**** about the officials overturning the out of bounds call after replay with 49.2 left in the game.

From the story: "Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said two late blown calls by the officiating crew played a major role in his team blowing a 23-point lead in a Game 4 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers."

So, what accounted for them blowing the other 19 points of their lead? Maybe it was them?

2 disclsimers: I didn't see the game and I am (or can be, sometimes, whenever the mood hits) a Mav's fan. Well, a 3rd disclaimer: Cuban's an idiot.

I don't know if these calls were missed or were the best calls in the history of hoops. But with that said, don't assume the NBA is getting all the calls right -- intentionally or otherwise. I've documented the drastic changes in calls made by some officials (foul counts, free throw attempts, etc.) in the playoffs. I don't have any specific evidence such a change was engineered by the league office, former official Tim Donaghy has alleged (and the FBI and others who have looked into it believes him) that the league has for one reason or another put officials they know call certain fouls, tend (statistically) to favor home/road teams, etc. Donaghy went to jail for fixing games, but the Feds never charged him for lying -- something actually unusual in a federal prosecution (hint: don't EVER talk to an FBI agent without your lawyer).

The fact is that the NBA is NOT officiated like other levels of basketball. However, as we all know, it is extremely difficult for anyone with a rooting interest to have an objective view on this. That's compounded by the fact that the NBA rules are different than what virtually all of us here know and work.

>>When you're a perennial loser in the playoffs<<

In this last decade alone, the Mavs have competed in one NBA finals series, one other conference final series, and 4 more conference semis series, that's hardly a "perennial loser" in the playoffs. They've lost in the first round 3 of the last 5 years, but only one other time since 2000 and have never been swept in any series in that time. The same could not be said of the Spurs or Celtics, btw.

Perhaps not perennial losers...perennial underacheivers. Every year it's the same thing for them...strong regular season, sputter in the playoffs...along with the sputtering comes Mark Cuban's bi***ing. This among one of the silliest complaints. And you can't compare the Mavericks with the Celtics and Spurs. All the Spurs have to say is four championships to zero...even if they've been swept during this period of Mavs success. All the Celtics have to say is two championship appearances while actually winning one. Both team can also say they didn't choke away an NBA Finals series.

As far as the article goes, he had a legit complaint about the first foul mentioned and I bet the official looked back at the tape and regret calling the foul. But you know what Cuban, don't come at me with a call at the six minute mark or whatever costing you a TWENTY-THREE point lead. The charge call at the 2:16 mark was absolutely correct. Cuban's claim of a defender stepping in under Dirk was pure nonsense.

Agreed.

And I like how a Mavs fan tries to throw NBA officiating as a whole under the bus by insinuating that the league office manipulates game outcomes. Of course that plays right into this forum where officials like to justify the undermining of their brethren under the guise of blaming the league office.

Yes, the NBA is different because the rules are indeed somewhat different and the athletes are the biggest and best in the world so the play is much different. There are things people may not like about the rules and/or the league in general. That's fine. You don't have to be a fan of the league. But I am so tired of officials throwing around the innuendo that other officials are cheating. It's a very poor practice IMHO.

Anyways, Cuban is an d-bag and I don't know why people still pay attention to his antics. Also IMHO.

Cuban's facial expression shows how he feels about the officiating.
 

If that's Cuban's facial expression after reading a Mark Padgett post, then this will be one of the few times I agree with him.

Even a stopped clock finds a nut now and then.

If that was the reason for his facial expression, he'd be indicating that my post tasted good. Er, I mean, it was in good taste. :p