Nearly two decades have passed, but Mark Cuban still hasn’t forgiven the NBA for the way the 2006 NBA Finals played out. On the DLLS Mavs podcast, the former Dallas Mavericks owner revisited the painful series against the Miami Heat, saying bluntly:
“I’ll take that to my grave that it was stolen from us.”
Cuban’s frustration stems from what many Mavericks fans and neutral observers remember as one of the most controversial Finals in league history.
Dallas appeared to be on its way to its first championship, holding a commanding 2–0 series lead before a string of questionable whistles and free-throw disparities swung momentum Miami’s way.
Dallas opened the series strong with a 90–80 victory. Jason Terry poured in 32 points, and Dirk Nowitzki added 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Mavericks controlled tempo and looked like the deeper, more balanced team. Miami shot just 36 percent from the field, with Shaquille O’Neal limited to 17 points.
The Mavericks defended home court again, winning 99–85 to take what looked like an insurmountable lead. Nowitzki had 26 points and 16 rebounds, while Terry continued his hot shooting with 16 points. Miami had no answer for Dallas’ ball movement and perimeter scoring.
Shaq went just 2-for-5 from the free-throw line, highlighting the Heat’s struggles at the stripe. Cuban and Mavs fans believed they were two steps away from the franchise’s first title.
Everything changed in Game 3. The Mavericks led by 13 points in the fourth quarter, seemingly ready to take a 3–0 stranglehold. Instead, Dwyane Wade exploded for 42 points, including 18 free throws on 26 attempts, as Miami stormed back to win 98–96. Many in Dallas pointed to the officiating, noting that Miami shot 34 free throws to Dallas’ 25.
But the real frustration came late, when Wade drew repeated whistles on drives that Cuban still insists were “phantom calls.”
Miami carried the momentum into Game 4, cruising to a 98–74 victory. Wade again set the tone with 36 points on 11-of-28 shooting, bolstered by 18 free throws. Dallas couldn’t buy a bucket, shooting just 31 percent. Cuban was fined $200,000 after storming into the officials’ locker room postgame.
Game 5 remains the most infamous. Wade scored 43 points and went 21-of-25 from the free-throw line. Miami shot 49 free throws to Dallas’ 25, a disparity Cuban has railed about for years.
With the game tied in the final seconds of overtime, Wade drew a foul on a drive against Devin Harris and Dirk Nowitzki. Wade buried both free throws, sealing a 101–100 Heat win and giving Miami a 3–2 series lead.
Back in Dallas, the Mavericks fought to force a Game 7 but couldn’t overcome the momentum. Wade again dropped 36 points with 16 made free throws, while Nowitzki struggled with 29 points on 10-of-22 shooting.
Miami won 95–92, clinching the series 4–2 and giving Wade his first Finals MVP. Over the final four games, Wade averaged 39.3 points per game and attempted a staggering 97 free throws.
Cuban has always been outspoken, but his bitterness over 2006 has never faded. The numbers back him up: over Games 3 through 6, Miami attempted 152 free throws to Dallas’ 103. Wade alone went to the line more times than the entire Mavericks team in multiple games.
For Cuban, the pain is not just about losing a championship, but about how it slipped away. Dallas had been in full control, up 2–0 and leading late in Game 3. Instead, a parade of whistles and a transcendent Wade performance flipped the Finals upside down.
The Mavericks would eventually earn redemption in 2011, defeating Miami in the Finals in one of the sweetest revenge stories in NBA history. But even with that ring, Cuban admits 2006 still leaves a scar.
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