No one wants to hear Mark Cuban complain and whine. It’s a tired act and somewhat grating. The only problem is, he has every right to criticize in this case. The Dallas Mavericks have let games three and five slip out of their hands. Nowitzki and Howard missing free throws has nothing to do with the refs, and plenty of blame falls directly on Dallas’ inability to slam the door shut on games they are in position to win. Still, it’s safe to say the Mavs are getting jobbed in this series.
I am not a Mavs fan by any means, but the way this series has gone against them needs to be addressed. It’s becoming more and more reminiscent of last year’s Super Bowl, when the officiating had way too much to do with the game’s outcome. Obviously, with the Mavs implementation of the Hack-a-Shaq, the free throw numbers will be skewed toward Miami. But this is getting ridiculous. 41 more free throws the last three games is pretty significant. The phantom call on Nowitzki with 1.9 seconds left was bordering on terrible, especially when it literally decided the winning team. When in doubt, let the players decide the game. That’s why I’m not up in arms over the backcourt violation non-call on Wade. Taking the rulebook literally stopped the minute the world learned of the “tuck rule” in the Pats/Raiders game. Sometimes common sense needs to overrule nonsense.
Speaking of which, the Stackhouse suspension was an absolute travesty. We are in a new era, where offense is valued above all else, I get it. But come on, back in the day a suspension wouldn’t have even been brought up. Speaking of history, Michael Jordan didn’t even get the treatment Lord Wade is currently receiving. Dude is an amazing player no doubt, but I’d like to see him earn it a bit more. On a similar note, I wonder what malady he will be stricken with for game six. Whether it’s a sinus infection, a tummy ache, or a knee injury so serious he is unable to walk 2 hours before gametime but then pours in 36 points, it’s always something with this guy.
Nevertheless, it’s been a great series so far, with Lord Wade becoming a legend right before our very eyes. He is pretty awesome, and the Wade/LeBron debate gets closer and closer every day now. Shaq is entering unchartered waters with his free throw shooting prowess (29.5 percent). The Avery Johnson and Pat Riley coaching battle is pretty intriguing as well. I say Nowitzki comes up big games six and seven, and the Mavs make it a series that sees the home team win every game. The thought of the David Stern/Mark Cuban embrace keeps getting better and better.
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