2006 Finals outcome still gnaws at Mavericks owner

No matter how hard he tries, Mark Cuban just can’t seem to flush the 2006 NBA Finals out of his system.

It eats at him. Not every day, but enough times that the Dallas Mavericks owner still believes something was woefully wrong with the way his team lost the ’06 Finals to the Miami Heat in six games.

“After the Finals, everywhere we had other players asking if it was fixed,” Cuban said prior to Wednesday’s game against the Heat. “But I don’t hold 10-year grudges.”

The Mavs led the Heat 2-0 in the best-of-seven series, and were ahead in Game 3 by 13 points with less than seven minutes remaining in the game. Then, the tide turned, and — to Cuban’s dismay — the Mavs never won another game.

Although the Mavs avenged the Heat by defeating them in six games in the 2011 Finals, Cuban said “the one that got away” is uppermost in his mind.

Cuban was so disgusted with the way the 2006 Finals went down that the NBA fined him a whopping $250,000 “for several acts of misconduct” following Game 5 of that series.

“I think about [referees] Jack Nies, Bennett Salvatore,” Cuban said. “I think about 937 free throws per game [for the Heat].

“I think [Nies] retired after that. I don’t know if they retired him or if he retired, but I’m sure he’s still handing out candy somewhere.”

Nies was one of the officials in Game 3 of that series, and Salvatore worked Game 5.

During Game 3, Heat guard Dwyane Wade shot 18 free throws to 26 for the Mavs. During Game 5, Wade attempted the same number of free throws — 25 — as the Mavs did. And in Game 6, Wade went to the free throw line 21 times to 23 for the Mavs.

Still, Cuban complimented Wade for his performance — with a twist.

“He went from being able to attack the basket and draw fouls to being a complete basketball player,” Cuban said. “Phantom [free throw attempts] are just as good as legitimate ones.

“I thought we’d still win, but it is what it is. No use crying over 10-year old spilled milk.”

Cuban’s kicks

Cuban has become a major investor in the Professional Futsal League (PFL).

The PFL is FIFA’s only officially approved version of 5-on-5 indoor soccer.

“I didn’t buy a team, I just invested in the league,” Cuban said. “It’s a great way for kids to get in shape and learn soccer.

“It’ll be a sport that will be affordable for families that complements the Mavs’ season. What I really like about it is the international aspect of it.”

Futsal is played in 198 of the 207 FIFA member associations around the world with an estimated 30 million participants.

Williams, Harris out

Guards Deron Williams (right hip contusion) and Devin Harris (sprained left great toe) sat out Wednesday’s game against Miami.

It was the sixth straight game Harris has missed, and the first for Williams after he was injured Monday against Atlanta.

“Devin’s situation is he’s doubtful for at least the next couple of games,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “Deron’s doing better today than he was yesterday, but he got hit hard.

“We’ll see how he’s doing each day and then we’ll update you guys probably on Friday.”

This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 10:30 PM with the headline "2006 Finals outcome still gnaws at Mavericks owner."