Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban blasts NBA refs on Twitter

SAN ANTONIO – After what he tweeted about the NBA officials Friday night, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban may be getting an early wakeup call from officials from the league’s headquarters sometimes Saturday.

Cuban has grown tired of seeing Mavs guard Monta Ellis drive to the basket, apparently get fouled, but no foul was called. After the Mavs lost to the San Antonio Spurs 94-76 Friday night at the AT&T Center, Cuban lashed out at the NBA via his Twitter account.

Part of the tweet was used to criticize the officiating. And part of it was used to encourage fans to join in on the criticism.

Cuban’s tweet read: “It's criminal how Monta doesn't get calls Pushed. Hit in face. Hit on arm. Im tired of turning in calls. Fans need to post video to wake NBA up.”

Cuban is legendary for being fined almost $2 million by the NBA since he purchased the Mavs on Jan. 4, 2000. But he has yet to be fined by Adam Silver, who took over as the commissioner of the NBA on Feb. 14, 2014.

The last time Cuban was fined by the NBA was when he drew a $100,000 fine for criticizing the official and directly inappropriate language towards them following a 120-100 road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Jan. 10, 2014.

Besides the controversial tweet he tweeted out on Friday, Cuban also told the media at the AT&T Center of his displeasure with the officiating.

“We literally have a playlist of all the calls of Monta getting smacked and there’s no call,’’ Cuban said. “It’s crazy, and it’s always the same – oh, its incidental, it’s not this or it’s not that.

“I don’t even expect the league to change anything. I’m hoping fans -- every time something like happens -- fans to post the video so that everybody sees it.’’

Asked if he anticipates being tagged with his first fine of the season from the NBA for

making those scathing comments critical of the officiating, Cuban said; “I don’t care one way or the other.’’

This story was originally published March 28, 2015 at 10:03 AM with the headline "Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban blasts NBA refs on Twitter."