DUNCANownsKOBE2
01-15-2009, 01:04 PM
Karl to Cuban: Leave my players alone
Coach angry after Mavericks owner confronted Smith
By Aaron J. Lopez, Rocky Mountain News (Contact), Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published January 14, 2009 at 10:59 a.m.
Nuggets coach George Karl loves Mark Cuban as an owner.
Doesn't think too much of him as an interactive fan.
"In general, I think Mark is good for the game," Karl said Wednesday. "He's always, I think, trying to make the league better. He's had the courage to take on the league office and the referees. I think all that's good, but don't mess with my players."
Upset at Nuggets guard J.R. Smith for throwing an elbow at Mavericks swingman Antoine Wright late in the second quarter Tuesday night, Cuban confronted Smith as the teams left the court at halftime.
In an e-mail sent to the Rocky Mountain News early Wednesday morning, Cuban talked about the circumstances surrounding the exchange.
"I do take exception with players throwing elbows that could have severely injured one of our players," Cuban wrote. "I was very cordial in letting Mr. Smith know that I will be turning it into the league, and I expected him to be suspended for it."
An NBA spokesman said league officials are reviewing Smith's flying elbow as well as Cuban's actions during and after the game.
Smith, who left the team's practice court without talking with reporters Wednesday, tried to extend an olive branch to Cuban after the game by sending him a pair of autographed shoes.
"I sent them back, saying he should sell them, if you could get anything for them, to help pay for the fine he was going to face," Cuban wrote.
Karl didn't expect the 23-year-old shooting guard to face disciplinary action.
"I think this is a lot of . . . Cuban just going off on something that happens almost every game," Karl said. "There was no contact. It wasn't even close. It was more of a . . . 'He hit me, I'm showing him. I'm not stepping down.' But nothing happened."
Cuban, no stranger to fines, suspensions or controversy since he bought the Mavericks in 2000, scoffed at that logic.
"I have a lot of respect for George, but it's a shame that he thinks it's just part of the game to throw elbows anywhere near another player's head. It's not," Cuban wrote after reading Karl's comments.
"There are sportsmanship rules that specifically prevent it. I don't think it's very good for the game if guys are throwing elbows above the shoulders at each other and justifying it by saying they missed.
"For comparison, there are rules against elbows to the head in MMA (mixed martial arts); it's considered too dangerous. The last thing we need is a player throwing an elbow thinking he wouldn't make contact, and severely injuring another player."
In his earlier e-mail, Cuban said he did not believe he was out of line talking to Smith.
"I have conversations with a lot of players," he said. "Often. It's no big deal. . . . It happens pretty much every game. All very cordial."
Karl wasn't buying it.
"Stay away from my players, stay off the court, don't get involved," Karl said. "Don't tell me you've done it before. If you've done it before, it was wrong before and it's wrong now.
"If you want to interact, interact with the league office and interact with your own players, but don't mess with my players. There's no room for it. If this was a normal fan, he would have been banned from the building and maybe not ever let back in the game. When the game starts, he is a fan. After the game, he's an owner, but during the game, he's a fan."
Cuban clearly was an unhappy fan after the Nuggets' 99-97 victory at the Pepsi Center.
The deciding points came on two free throws by Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups, who was fouled by Jason Terry with 2.2 seconds remaining.
Mavericks players and coaches argued Billups kicked out his leg, drawing contact with Terry.
After the game, Cuban was seen yelling and pointing as he walked off the court, but he said the referees were not the target of his anger.
"That last call on Chauncey could have gone either way," Cuban wrote. "I was talking to someone else (with the Nuggets) who was quite clear in their pleasure of their team winning the game and mocking the fact they got away with the calls."
By beating the Mavericks for the third time this season, the Nuggets (26-13) also walked away with the head-to-head tiebreaker against Dallas (22-16).
Regardless of playoff seeding, neither team is likely to back down when the season series concludes March 27 in Dallas.
Maybe they can play that game in an MMA octagon.
Mark Cuban can't get mad at other team's players who throw elbows when the Mavericks are the team with Josh Howard and Jason Terry.
Coach angry after Mavericks owner confronted Smith
By Aaron J. Lopez, Rocky Mountain News (Contact), Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published January 14, 2009 at 10:59 a.m.
Nuggets coach George Karl loves Mark Cuban as an owner.
Doesn't think too much of him as an interactive fan.
"In general, I think Mark is good for the game," Karl said Wednesday. "He's always, I think, trying to make the league better. He's had the courage to take on the league office and the referees. I think all that's good, but don't mess with my players."
Upset at Nuggets guard J.R. Smith for throwing an elbow at Mavericks swingman Antoine Wright late in the second quarter Tuesday night, Cuban confronted Smith as the teams left the court at halftime.
In an e-mail sent to the Rocky Mountain News early Wednesday morning, Cuban talked about the circumstances surrounding the exchange.
"I do take exception with players throwing elbows that could have severely injured one of our players," Cuban wrote. "I was very cordial in letting Mr. Smith know that I will be turning it into the league, and I expected him to be suspended for it."
An NBA spokesman said league officials are reviewing Smith's flying elbow as well as Cuban's actions during and after the game.
Smith, who left the team's practice court without talking with reporters Wednesday, tried to extend an olive branch to Cuban after the game by sending him a pair of autographed shoes.
"I sent them back, saying he should sell them, if you could get anything for them, to help pay for the fine he was going to face," Cuban wrote.
Karl didn't expect the 23-year-old shooting guard to face disciplinary action.
"I think this is a lot of . . . Cuban just going off on something that happens almost every game," Karl said. "There was no contact. It wasn't even close. It was more of a . . . 'He hit me, I'm showing him. I'm not stepping down.' But nothing happened."
Cuban, no stranger to fines, suspensions or controversy since he bought the Mavericks in 2000, scoffed at that logic.
"I have a lot of respect for George, but it's a shame that he thinks it's just part of the game to throw elbows anywhere near another player's head. It's not," Cuban wrote after reading Karl's comments.
"There are sportsmanship rules that specifically prevent it. I don't think it's very good for the game if guys are throwing elbows above the shoulders at each other and justifying it by saying they missed.
"For comparison, there are rules against elbows to the head in MMA (mixed martial arts); it's considered too dangerous. The last thing we need is a player throwing an elbow thinking he wouldn't make contact, and severely injuring another player."
In his earlier e-mail, Cuban said he did not believe he was out of line talking to Smith.
"I have conversations with a lot of players," he said. "Often. It's no big deal. . . . It happens pretty much every game. All very cordial."
Karl wasn't buying it.
"Stay away from my players, stay off the court, don't get involved," Karl said. "Don't tell me you've done it before. If you've done it before, it was wrong before and it's wrong now.
"If you want to interact, interact with the league office and interact with your own players, but don't mess with my players. There's no room for it. If this was a normal fan, he would have been banned from the building and maybe not ever let back in the game. When the game starts, he is a fan. After the game, he's an owner, but during the game, he's a fan."
Cuban clearly was an unhappy fan after the Nuggets' 99-97 victory at the Pepsi Center.
The deciding points came on two free throws by Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups, who was fouled by Jason Terry with 2.2 seconds remaining.
Mavericks players and coaches argued Billups kicked out his leg, drawing contact with Terry.
After the game, Cuban was seen yelling and pointing as he walked off the court, but he said the referees were not the target of his anger.
"That last call on Chauncey could have gone either way," Cuban wrote. "I was talking to someone else (with the Nuggets) who was quite clear in their pleasure of their team winning the game and mocking the fact they got away with the calls."
By beating the Mavericks for the third time this season, the Nuggets (26-13) also walked away with the head-to-head tiebreaker against Dallas (22-16).
Regardless of playoff seeding, neither team is likely to back down when the season series concludes March 27 in Dallas.
Maybe they can play that game in an MMA octagon.
Mark Cuban can't get mad at other team's players who throw elbows when the Mavericks are the team with Josh Howard and Jason Terry.