Mark Cuban isn't letting go of his 2006 NBA Finals grievances. The Dallas Mavericks minority owner continues to insist the championship was taken from his team, pointing fingers at the officiating rather than Miami's performance.
In a recent appearance on the Run Your Race YouTube channel, Cuban made his stance crystal clear when discussing the controversial series.
“We should have won. Someone brought it up to me yesterday. And they're like, ‘Yeah, you think Dwyane Wade beat you?' I'm like, ‘No, Bennett Salvatore beat us.' For those who don't know, he's a ref. And I stand by that,” Cuban said, via hoopshype.
Cuban's anger centers on Game 5, the pivotal overtime clash that shifted the series. With 1.9 seconds remaining and Dallas leading 100-99, Salvatore called a foul on Dirk Nowitzki from nearly half-court, sending Wade to the line.
Wade converted both free throws to give Miami a 101-100 victory. The call remains one of the most debated in Finals history, with replays showing minimal contact on the play.
The game exemplified the broader issue Cuban still fumes about. Wade attempted 25 free throws in Game 5 alone, matching the entire Mavericks team. Across the six-game series, Wade went to the line 97 times while Dallas held a 2-0 lead before collapsing.
Cuban's outbursts during the series cost him $250,000 in NBA fines. But Wade has consistently defended the championship, telling Cuban to stop claiming the Finals were rigged and pointing to Miami's superior adjustments after falling behind early.
The Mavericks got their revenge five years later. Dallas defeated Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh in the 2011 Finals, with Nowitzki delivering a legendary performance to capture the franchise's first championship and silence critics.
Yet even with that redemption, Cuban clearly hasn't moved past 2006. His latest comments prove the wounds remain fresh nearly two decades later, keeping one of basketball's most controversial debates alive among fans.
