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Wednesday, May 30 Cuban blows kiss at Jazz coach Sloan Associated Press DALLAS – Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has added blowing kisses to the list of his unusual antics. But Cuban, who also verbally lashed out at Utah Jazz employees over management of the game clock and slammed his hands onto a table, apparently won't have to pay for his playoff pique – this time. League officials reportedly have decided to overlook his Tuesday antics, which also included criticizing game officials in a televised interview. Cuban, who has been fined $505,000 this season for everything from running on the court to sitting beside it, blew a kiss to Utah coach Jerry Sloan in the closing minutes of Tuesday night's playoff game, won by the Jazz. "Some guy was yelling and I found out that it was Cuban," Sloan said Wednesday. "Some guy yells at me, I'm probably going to yell back. Had I known it was him, I probably wouldn't have yelled. He's a powerful guy." The billionaire fan-turned-owner was visibly and vocally upset throughout the Mavericks' 109-98 loss, which put Dallas down 0-2 in the best-of-five series. At halftime, Cuban went on TBS to question a referee's call. He also sat on press row and screamed at sideline personnel about how the game clock was being operated. Then, during a time out with 2:54 left, he pounded the press table and shouted. Sloan, who was about 35 feet away, replied, "What's your problem?" Cuban said Wednesday that his comments were not directed at the Jazz coach. "I never said a word to him. Not a single word," Cuban said. "I was trying to get a clarification on why there was a jump ball after an inadvertent whistle with time left on the shot clock. "The rules say that if there is time left on the clock, it's considered a suspension of play and play resumes at that point. I got the explanation from the ref, who was kind enough to take the time. Afterward, I looked over and Jerry was cursing at me. I was kind of surprised, but I didn't say a word back, just blew him a kiss. "There was no point to get into anything, I just think he got a little mad when I smiled at him and blew him the kiss. He certainly knew who I was." Sloan laughed at Cuban's kiss, then turned his back. "I wasn't offended by it," Sloan said after the game. "It was long distance. As long as it's long distance, it's not a problem." Someone on the bench apparently considered it a problem because Cuban said he saw "some guy" in that area make a derogatory gesture at him. "I smiled and blew him a kiss as well," Cuban said. Stu Jackson, NBA vice president of operations, reviewed Cuban's actions at the Delta Center. But an NBA spokesman told The Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Wednesday night that Jackson found nothing that warranted a suspension or a fine. The Mavericks' owner has been fined seven times this season and suspended from two games. Suspending him from Game 3 would be especially painful to the long-suffering Mavericks fan, since it will be the team's first home playoff game in 11 years. Earlier this month, Cuban's most recent fine and suspension came for grabbing his throat, which the league termed a derogatory gesture, and public criticism of referees during a loss in Phoenix. That cost $100,000. Cuban's fines have ranged from as little as $5,000 to as much as $250,000. He's matched the amount of each fine with donations to charity. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories

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