Mavs' owner Cuban fined by NBA

NEW YORK (AP) -- Mark Cuban is in trouble with the NBA again.
The league fined the Dallas Mavericks owner $25,000 Friday for "improper interactions with Denver Nuggets players" at halftime and his conduct immediately following the Mavericks' 99-97 loss on Tuesday.
The penalty was the 14th the league has announced against Cuban, who has been penalized about $1.5 million over the years and suspended from three games.
Cuban went onto the court at halftime to complain to J.R. Smith about an elbow he saw the Nuggets player throw at the Mavs' Antoine Wright. Denver coach George Karl criticized Cuban following the game, then again the next day at practice, for coming onto the court and yelling at one of his players.
The league informed teams before the 2006-07 season that club personnel other than coaches was prevented from going into huddles or the floor -- a ruling Cuban felt was aimed at him.
There was no action against Smith.
Cuban was then angered at the end after a disputed foul called on Jason Terry led to the go-ahead free throws by Chauncey Billups with 2.2 seconds left. The Mavericks felt that Billups created the contact.
A frequent critic of the officiating, Cuban was fined twice during the 2006 playoffs, including after Game 5 of the NBA finals, for his conduct.