NBA fines and Finals

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was fined $250,000 by the NBA Tuesday for what the league described as "several acts of misconduct" after Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Cuban walked out onto the court to get in the face of official Joe DeRosa about some of the calls. Then, according to the Miami Herald, he screamed at NBA commissioner David Stern and other league officials, who were seated at the scorer's table, "[Bleep] you! [Bleep] you! Your league is rigged!"

Maybe that was a baseless outburst of temper. Or maybe it was another example of Michael Kinsley's Law, "A gaffe is when you accidentally tell the truth."

It does raise some questions.

Like, for instance, what was the commissioner doing sitting at the scorer's table?

It didn't help the league's credibility when the Miami Heat players told reporters after Tuesday night's victory that Coach Pat Riley had predicted on June 8 that the Heat would win the championship on June 20. Fox Sports reported that Riley was so confident, he only packed one suit for the trip to Dallas.

America Wants to Know congratulates the Miami Heat and especially Shaquille O'Neal and Pat Riley. Out here in Laker-land, we're lonely without them, although we do have a lot more free time in June.

But we take note that in professional basketball, the way the officials call the game in the first quarter determines how the players will have to play throughout the game. Early fouls on key players force them to play less aggressively. In most magic tricks, the switch happens well before you think to look for it.

And if we were sports gamblers, we'd put our money on wrestling before we bet a dime on the NBA.


Copyright 2006

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