Harharhar, what a sore loser...
[SIZE=+2]Cuban vs. Nelson: Full-court mess
[/SIZE] [SIZE=+1]Nelson's attorney says playoff loss had more to do with Nash's absence
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]12:28 AM CDT on Saturday, June 30, 2007
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
[/SIZE] Just when you think there is no more bad blood to be spilled between Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and former Mavs coach Don Nelson, another hemorrhage opens.
The latest skirmish in this feud was set off by Mr. Cuban, who last week informed Mr. Nelson that he was filing a counterclaim in arbitration alleging that Mr. Nelson, now coach of the Golden State Warriors, used inside information to beat the Mavericks in the first round of the NBA playoffs and three times without a loss in the regular season.
However, as best as Mr. Nelson and his attorney can figure, the now-gaping wound can be traced back to the loss of Steve Nash as point guard, a position that Mr. Nelson and his Warriors exploited in a first-round upset of the Mavericks.
Mr. Cuban is not insinuating that a source inside the Mavericks fed Mr. Nelson inappropriate information. Rather, he's saying that Mr. Nelson gathered information during his decade with the Mavericks and used it against them in his first season with the Warriors. Part of his claim, apparently, is that he wants Mr. Nelson barred from coaching against the Mavs. That seems unlikely
Inside information is a no-no on Wall Street. Generally speaking, however, it's part of day-to-day life in the NBA. Coaches move. Players change teams. They don't automatically forget all the things a former teammate used to do in practice or games.
So the bottom line with Mr. Cuban's latest legal action appears to be this: He's trying to cut his losses from the arbitration Mr. Nelson filed against him in which Mr. Nelson claims he is owed about $6.5 million in deferred money from when Ross Perot Jr. was owner.
Between Mr. Perot's ownership and Mr. Nelson's departure, however, came the loss of Mr. Nash. That, more than anything Mr. Nelson might have known about the Mavericks, played a role in Golden State's epic upset of the Mavericks, said John O'Connor, the attorney for Mr. Nelson.
"We're puzzled, too," Mr. O'Connor said Friday when asked how the chasm grew as wide as it has between his client and Mr. Cuban. "But our best guess is that it stems from the Steve Nash fiasco."
Thumbs up? Not when it comes to the Mark Cuban-Don Nelson relationship.
Even though Mr. Nash departed in 2004, it is still affecting the Mavs. Golden State has big problems dealing with elite point guards and strong, post-up big men. That's why the Warriors went quietly against Utah in the second round of the playoffs. The Jazz had top-shelf point guard Deron Williams and all-star big man Carlos Boozer.
The Mavericks have not had a premier ball-handler since Mr. Nash left. That, plus the absence of an interior force, hurt them against the Warriors more than anything. Mr. Nelson's camp claims Mr. Nelson didn't stop Dirk Nowitzki or outcoach Avery Johnson. He merely exploited a team without a quality point guard.
Mr. Cuban, who had hip-replacement surgery Friday morning, said later in the day that the goal behind filing the counter complaint is simple.
"Live up to the terms of the contract," he said. "Rule of thumb for any deal: The more someone uses the media, the less confidence they have in their case.
"I have nothing to say about the case."
Mr. O'Connor said the two sides are waiting for the NBA schedule to come out before determining a date for arbitration, which is likely to be in the fall.
Mr. Nelson said the ever-darkening feud has escalated beyond an irritant.
"This whole thing is embarrassing," he said.
Mr. Nelson said he figures Mr. Cuban's move is a reaction to his arbitration claim against Mr. Cuban. Given that Mr. Cuban is worth billions, the bottom line of this battle from his perspective probably isn't money, but principle. Both parties feel wronged.
Mr. Nelson resigned his coaching position with the Mavericks in March 2004. He was paid for one more season at his coaching salary, then began work in a consultant's role at a greatly reduced salary, believed to be between $200,000 and $400,000 annually.
Mr. Nelson contends he was never paid a penny for the consulting, for all practical purposes making him a free agent.
Mr. Cuban's claim is that taking the Golden State coaching position last summer violated a noncompete clause in Mr. Nelson's contract.
There is little doubt Mr. Nelson knows the Mavericks better than any coach in the league save Avery Johnson. But strategic secrets are hard to come by in the NBA, given the extensive scouting web every team has. The Warriors beat the Mavericks four games to two in the first round of the playoffs in May, the first time a No. 8 seed has beaten a No. 1 seed in a best-of-seven series.
But the Golden State hex over the Mavericks started in 2005-06, when Mike Montgomery was coaching the Warriors and they won three out of four games over the Mavs despite owning a far inferior record.
[SIZE=+2]Cuban vs. Nelson: Full-court mess
[/SIZE] [SIZE=+1]Nelson's attorney says playoff loss had more to do with Nash's absence
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]12:28 AM CDT on Saturday, June 30, 2007
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
[/SIZE] Just when you think there is no more bad blood to be spilled between Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and former Mavs coach Don Nelson, another hemorrhage opens.
The latest skirmish in this feud was set off by Mr. Cuban, who last week informed Mr. Nelson that he was filing a counterclaim in arbitration alleging that Mr. Nelson, now coach of the Golden State Warriors, used inside information to beat the Mavericks in the first round of the NBA playoffs and three times without a loss in the regular season.
However, as best as Mr. Nelson and his attorney can figure, the now-gaping wound can be traced back to the loss of Steve Nash as point guard, a position that Mr. Nelson and his Warriors exploited in a first-round upset of the Mavericks.
Mr. Cuban is not insinuating that a source inside the Mavericks fed Mr. Nelson inappropriate information. Rather, he's saying that Mr. Nelson gathered information during his decade with the Mavericks and used it against them in his first season with the Warriors. Part of his claim, apparently, is that he wants Mr. Nelson barred from coaching against the Mavs. That seems unlikely
Inside information is a no-no on Wall Street. Generally speaking, however, it's part of day-to-day life in the NBA. Coaches move. Players change teams. They don't automatically forget all the things a former teammate used to do in practice or games.
So the bottom line with Mr. Cuban's latest legal action appears to be this: He's trying to cut his losses from the arbitration Mr. Nelson filed against him in which Mr. Nelson claims he is owed about $6.5 million in deferred money from when Ross Perot Jr. was owner.
Between Mr. Perot's ownership and Mr. Nelson's departure, however, came the loss of Mr. Nash. That, more than anything Mr. Nelson might have known about the Mavericks, played a role in Golden State's epic upset of the Mavericks, said John O'Connor, the attorney for Mr. Nelson.
"We're puzzled, too," Mr. O'Connor said Friday when asked how the chasm grew as wide as it has between his client and Mr. Cuban. "But our best guess is that it stems from the Steve Nash fiasco."
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DMN file Thumbs up? Not when it comes to the Mark Cuban-Don Nelson relationship.
Even though Mr. Nash departed in 2004, it is still affecting the Mavs. Golden State has big problems dealing with elite point guards and strong, post-up big men. That's why the Warriors went quietly against Utah in the second round of the playoffs. The Jazz had top-shelf point guard Deron Williams and all-star big man Carlos Boozer.
The Mavericks have not had a premier ball-handler since Mr. Nash left. That, plus the absence of an interior force, hurt them against the Warriors more than anything. Mr. Nelson's camp claims Mr. Nelson didn't stop Dirk Nowitzki or outcoach Avery Johnson. He merely exploited a team without a quality point guard.
Mr. Cuban, who had hip-replacement surgery Friday morning, said later in the day that the goal behind filing the counter complaint is simple.
"Live up to the terms of the contract," he said. "Rule of thumb for any deal: The more someone uses the media, the less confidence they have in their case.
"I have nothing to say about the case."
Mr. O'Connor said the two sides are waiting for the NBA schedule to come out before determining a date for arbitration, which is likely to be in the fall.
Mr. Nelson said the ever-darkening feud has escalated beyond an irritant.
"This whole thing is embarrassing," he said.
Mr. Nelson said he figures Mr. Cuban's move is a reaction to his arbitration claim against Mr. Cuban. Given that Mr. Cuban is worth billions, the bottom line of this battle from his perspective probably isn't money, but principle. Both parties feel wronged.
Mr. Nelson resigned his coaching position with the Mavericks in March 2004. He was paid for one more season at his coaching salary, then began work in a consultant's role at a greatly reduced salary, believed to be between $200,000 and $400,000 annually.
Mr. Nelson contends he was never paid a penny for the consulting, for all practical purposes making him a free agent.
Mr. Cuban's claim is that taking the Golden State coaching position last summer violated a noncompete clause in Mr. Nelson's contract.
There is little doubt Mr. Nelson knows the Mavericks better than any coach in the league save Avery Johnson. But strategic secrets are hard to come by in the NBA, given the extensive scouting web every team has. The Warriors beat the Mavericks four games to two in the first round of the playoffs in May, the first time a No. 8 seed has beaten a No. 1 seed in a best-of-seven series.
But the Golden State hex over the Mavericks started in 2005-06, when Mike Montgomery was coaching the Warriors and they won three out of four games over the Mavs despite owning a far inferior record.
