Cuban Is Fined $200,000

Dallas Maverick owner Mark Cuban was fined $200,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for criticizing the referees.

Half of the punishment was for going on the court Sunday to complain during the Mavericks’ 87-85 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of their second-round series. The rest was for some critical comments made in a blog entry he posted Sunday under the title, “How to improve NBA Playoff Officiating.”

“Change in any business never comes cheaply,” Cuban wrote in an e-mail response to the Associated Press.

NBA spokesman Tim Frank confirmed the fines.

Cuban was fined eight times for more than $1 million and suspended from three games in his first two years as owner.

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After helping New Orleans double its win total from the previous season, point guard Chris Paul won the rookie-of-the-year award by receiving all but one of the 125 first-place votes from a panel of media members.

Paul, who led all rookies in points (16.1), assists (7.8) and steals (2.2), earned 623 points. He also became the second NBA rookie to lead the league in steals, joining Brevin Knight.

Toronto forward Charlie Villanueva was second with 248 points. Utah guard Deron Williams got the other first-place vote and finished fifth.