Mark Cuban Acts Like A Sore Loser, Files Protest Over Friday’s Rockets-Mavericks Game

Last Friday’s Rockets-Mavericks game was a thrilling affair that featured a bizarre injury, an improbable rally by a Mavericks team missing their best player, a clutch three-point shot to tie the game by Tim Thomas of all people and a wonderful overtime period by the Rockets after taking a huge punch in the gut. The Rockets ultimately won by eight, so it’s not like one play really changes the margin too much.

↵But don’t tell that to Mark Cuban. The Mavericks’ owner will not accept defeat under any circumstances, like a little child that still hasn’t grasped that there are other people in this world who have interests that may conflict with your own. So because he can, Cuban has filed a protest to the league over a technical foul called made on Erick Dampier late in the game.

↵↵The Dallas Mavericks’ appeal of their overtime loss Friday to the Houston Rockets argues that center Erick Dampier was inappropriately assessed a second technical foul.

↵The referees -- Ken Mauer, Brian Forte and John Goble -- called the technical on Dampier during an eight-minute review of a flagrant foul assessed to Houston’s Aaron Brooks. The play occurred with 1:01 remaining in overtime and the Rockets leading by six points.

↵↵Cuban is asking the league to let the two teams replay the last 1:01, except with Dampier still in the game. Riiiiiight. Because Erick Dampier singlehandily can bring Dallas back from a six-point deficit (really an eight-point deficit assuming Brooks again hits the two free throws from the flagrant foul) with a minute remaining. It was a weird call, but weird calls happen and most mature parties just move on.

↵Here’s hoping the NBA does everyone a favor and denies the protest. Everyone involved has better things to do.