Basketball: Mavericks' owner fined US$250,000 for tirade

DALLAS - Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was today fined US$250,000 ($401,900) for his tirade following his team's overtime loss to the Miami Heat in Game Five of the NBA Finals on Sunday.

Enraged over the officiating during the Mavericks' 101-100 loss to the Heat, Cuban charged official Joe DeRosa to berate him before doing the same to Commissioner David Stern.

The NBA said in a statement 47-year-old Cuban was fined for his "several acts of misconduct" after Sunday's loss that gave the Heat a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Cuban was wearing a No. 42 jersey in support of Jerry Stackhouse, a key Dallas reserve who was suspended for Game Five for his hard foul against Shaquille O'Neal in Game Four.

A longtime critic of the league's officials, Cuban has been fined well over US$1 million since he bought the team nearly seven years ago from Ross Perot, Jr. for US$285 million.

Dallas jumped out to a 2-0 lead before dropping the next three games to Miami when the series shifted to South Florida.

Mavericks players and coaches have been noticeably irritable during their three-game slide.

Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki was fined US$5,000 for kicking the ball into the stands after Sunday's loss and coach Avery Johnson has, at times, been testy with reporters.

Miami can wrap up its first championship when the teams square off at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Game Seven, if necessary, will be Thursday also in Dallas.

- REUTERS