Clippers head coach Doc Rivers got booted from Tuesday night’s game against the Nets after receiving two quick techs from referee Ken Mauer during the first overtime period. Now, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is calling for Mauer to be disciplined, not because he ejected Rivers, but because he missed a blatant travel earlier in the game.
Here’s the play that has Cuban upset:
That’s clearly a travel, and Mauer was standing right there, but sometimes refs just have a brainlock and miss a call, right? That excuse isn’t cutting it for Cuban (via ESPN):
“Suspend him, demote him, make him ref a game in the D-League,” Cuban said during his pregame workout Wednesday night.
[...]
“This wasn’t just a missed call. This was something else,” Cuban said. “I don’t know what it was. Sometimes it’s the problem; sometimes it’s the symptom of a problem. I think this is more reflective of a symptom of a problem.”
It’s not exactly common for a team owner to criticize an official (and open himself up to being fined by doing so) over a call that didn’t even involve his team, but stirring up shit about the league’s officiating problems is essentially a reflex for Cuban at this point. He’ll gladly pay his fine and keep talking.
[ESPN]