McGrady (wink) can't believe Finals loss

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McGrady (wink) can't believe Finals loss

12:10 AM CST on Sunday, November 5, 2006
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News

HOUSTON – Tracy McGrady said it before and he still believes the Mavericks deserved the NBA championship.

He just can't say it as strongly now as he did during the summer.

McGrady said Saturday he's still not sure how the Mavericks didn't beat Miami in the Finals. The Heat won four straight games after falling behind 2-0.

"Last year, for what they accomplished, all those years of coming close and the season they had, I just felt like in the playoffs last year, they did a phenomenal job," the Rockets guard said.

"To come out and win the first two games and then to lose the next four, something wasn't right about that.

"I felt like Dallas was a much deeper team and a better team. But obviously, Miami had other plans. I can't say it on record, but ..."

During the summer, McGrady said on a radio interview that there may have been some iffy officiating calls against the Mavericks. The NBA office addressed the comments with McGrady but took no action.

Taking a (great) seat: First, it was declaring that he will trust in all things David Stern. Then Mark Cuban promised he would stay at his seat and not hover in the team's huddle during timeouts, as the new owner code of conduct requires.

But he didn't say anything about not buying a seat right next to his team's bench on the road.

For the Mavericks' first road game of the season, Cuban purchased the two seats adjacent to the bench. The cost: $1,500 apiece.

What better way to stay close to his team without catching the NBA's ire for nosing in on the huddle.

"I'm going to buy them for every road game," Cuban said. "That's being a good NBA owner, right?"

It's certainly supporting the league by buying the priciest tickets in the house. Cuban said he's also going through some withdrawal with his new commitment to not badger referees.

"I'm like a fat kid wanting chocolate sometimes," he said. "I get the urge and it's natural sometimes to do the travel call. But I'll be taking classes, and those cravings and urges will all go away."

No surprise to Howard: The NBA upgraded Josh Howard's flagrant foul on San Antonio's Bruce Bowen from a penalty one to a penalty two and fined the Mavericks' swingman $5,000.

"Nothing surprises me in the NBA," Howard said.

Avery Johnson said he was disappointed about the play, on which Howard hit the deck after jostling with Bowen, got up and shoved Bowen with both hands.

"It's a judgment call," Johnson said. "I don't condone anybody doing anything flagrant. But I thought the fine was excessive. Josh is a very intense player, and I don't think he'll do anything flagrant. It's more protecting your own turfand just holding your ground."

Briefly: Anthony Johnson had three 3-pointers in the first half, tying his career high for 3s in a game. ... Bonzi Wells made his debut for the Rockets after missing their opener in Utah because he had not practiced with the team. ... Cuban said before the game that, in keeping with his new respect for Stern and league rules, he will not turn any controversial plays in to the league office to try to incriminate opposing teams or players. But there's a catch. "If Avery feels like he needs to turn something in, he will," Cuban said. "But I won't, because I trust in David.