The Dallas Mavericks were fined $100,000 hours before their crucial Game 3 against the Golden State Warriors at American Airlines Center for “continuing to violate league rules regarding team bench decorum,” according to the league.
“On multiple occasions, several players and a member of the coaching staff stood for an extended period in the Mavericks’ team bench area, stood away from the team bench, and were on or encroaching upon the playing court during game action in Dallas’ 126-117 loss to the Golden State Warriors,” a release from the NBA read.
Missing from that admonishment was Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who stood extremely close to the court during game action:
But Cuban not only dismissed the fine, he used it as an opportunity to whine about officials’ oft-criticized treatment of Dubs big man Draymond Green.
“Our bench is out of control!” Cuban sarcastically tweeted with an attached video of Green screaming at officials in the third quarter of Friday’s Warriors win.
Cuban has spent years being one of the most annoying owners in sports, whether it be for constantly criticizing referees (for which he’s been fined more than $1.5M), starting “booing campaigns” targeting former players returning to play Dallas, or telling Kenyon Martin’s mother that her son was a thug. But his Sunday criticism honestly wasn’t that off base: Green’s tirade probably should’ve resulted in his second technical and an ejection.
It didn’t ultimately matter, as Green had a very forgettable Game 2. But in each of his first three series fans have frequently and rightly pointed out the inconsistent officiating on the Warriors’ extremely vocal defensive floor leader.
Will it have any effect on how Green is officiated Sunday night? We’ll find out when Golden State travels to Dallas to face the Mavericks at 6 p.m. PT in American Airlines Center.
