Almost two decades later, the 2006 NBA Finals are still sparking debates — and this time, Dwyane Wade isn’t holding back.
Former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban recently doubled down on his long-standing belief that officiating tilted heavily toward the Miami Heat during that six-game series. Speaking on the DLLS Mavs podcast, Cuban agreed with longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein’s take that the Finals were “stolen” from Dallas, even calling out referees Bennett Salvatore and Jack Nies by name.
“I’ll take that to my grave that the [2006 NBA Finals] were stolen from us,” Cuban said.
Wade Defends His Legacy
Hearing those comments, Wade wasn’t about to let his Finals MVP performance get dismissed as a product of whistles. On his podcast, the three-time champ clapped back at Cuban’s claims.
“Mark, stop saying that. Mark, we beat y’all,” Wade said. “Did we get some foul calls? Everybody gets foul calls… But it wasn’t rigged. We still had to play the game.”
Wade famously lived at the free-throw line in that series — 25 attempts in Game 5, 21 more in Game 6 — fueling criticism from Mavs fans who felt the officiating was one-sided. But Wade insists his relentless attacking style was the reason.
“Did I get a few whistles? Yes. But was I the only one attacking the basket every play? Probably so. I’m gonna get some calls, too. You’re not about to tarnish the work that I put in as a young guy.”
Cuban Still Isn’t Convinced
For his part, Cuban hasn’t outright called the Finals “rigged,” but he hasn’t softened much either. Even in 2024, he maintained that “all the 50-50 calls” went Miami’s way.
And while the 2006 debate will likely rage forever, history gave Dallas its revenge. Five years later, Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs beat Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh in the 2011 Finals — securing the franchise’s first (and only) championship.
