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Mavericks Notes
Cuban disputes non-call

By Mercedes Mayer
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DALLAS - Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was unhappy with what he called obvious goaltending by San Antonio's Tim Duncan that was ignored in the waning seconds of Friday's game. So Cuban did what comes natural to him.

"I called the league, and they said it was a goaltending," he said Saturday. "But it doesn't help us."

Cuban said he would love for referees to be able to review plays such as the one by Duncan, which had an effect on the game's outcome, a 98-95 Spurs victory. The NBA permits the use of instant replay only when a shot is made as time expires in a quarter.

"My goal is to always get it right," Cuban said. "The ref's supposed to have the ultimate discretion in everything.

"If they aren't sure, stop play and look. I know the refs want to get it right, so it's not like they want to get it wrong."

Mavs coach Don Nelson is on the opposite side of the argument.

"I like [instant replay] at the end of the quarter; I think that's nice," Nelson said. "You have time. Otherwise, you'd be stopping the [game] all the time.

"It's hard to legislate against judgment."

Cuban said he always brings up cases such as the Duncan no-call during the NBA Board of Governors meeting, without success.

Cuban also said the league told him Saturday that a first-half charging foul against Dirk Nowitzki was a bad call.

Howard feeling better

Josh Howard, who is recuperating from an upper-respiratory and sinus infection, returned to the Mavs' locker room for the first time in several days.

Howard, who lost eight pounds and missed three games, might play Tuesday against Washington.

"He is shooting around, and he'll shoot [today]," coach Don Nelson said. "Maybe we'll get him the next game."

Howard said he mostly stayed in bed the past few days, but he shot a little Saturday and could tell he had lost something.

"I just get winded quicker than what I used to do," Howard said. "I'm going to take it one day at a time to see how my wind gets, that's about all I can do right now."

Daniels makes progress

Marquis Daniels, who was placed on the injured list Friday and will miss at least the next three games, said his sore left ankle is slowly progressing.

"You've got to crawl before you walk," Daniels said.

The second-year guard ran two miles on the treadmill before the Mavs' game with New Jersey, the most exercise he's had on the ankle in quite awhile.

Daniels said after the workout that he will see how the ankle responds today, but said he was not feeling any pain.

Stackhouse solid

Coach Don Nelson said he thought guard Jerry Stackhouse played well in his first start of the season Friday at San Antonio. Stackhouse scored 17 points and logged the most minutes (46) he's played this season.

"I think he got a little tired playing 45 minutes or something, but there wasn't anything we could do about it," Nelson said.

Stackhouse also started against the Nets, scoring 20 points in 44 minutes.