With the Lakers in town over the weekend, the issue of Mark Cuban and NBA officiating was brought to Lakers coach Phil Jackson. His response was similar to what you might hear from many Mavericks fans.
↵↵↵"That Miami Finals really was a tough one to swallow," Jackson said before the Lakers won 96-91 on Saturday night in Dallas. "I think Wade averaged about 25 foul shots a game. You couldn't even touch him. That was really tough to swallow and I think he understood there's kind of a pecking order in this league and you keep your mouth shut at times.''
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As correct as Jackson is about "pecking order" and the role of owners, it is really difficult to take this league seriously when the most astute and impartial observers - even one who is still under the league's thumb as an employee - feels certain that sideline behavior, not on-court performance, determined an NBA champion. David Stern can laugh off Tim Donaghy, but it's difficult to ignore someone like Jackson.
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