Cuban fined $10,000 for inappropriate remarks

New York — Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was fined $10,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for inappropriate public comments after a loss to the Spurs on March 5.

In the game, Mavericks forward Michael Finley was ejected for elbowing Bruce Bowen. But television replays showed both throwing elbows, and Bowen said after the game they bumped each other.

The Spurs won, 113-100, and Cuban said in published reports that he asked one of his players to retaliate against Bowen.

“I told one of our guys when you get up close, slap the ball right into his face, and I’ll pay the fine,” Cuban said. “That’s just not right. Different refs have different characteristics in how they call games, and that was par for the course.”

O’Neal, Garnett invited to play for U.S. team

Shaquille O’Neal and Kevin Garnett have been invited to play for the U.S. Olympic basketball team.

The selections were made Tuesday during a meeting of the USA Basketball senior national team selection committee, two sources close to the committee told the Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity.

McGrady to miss remainder of trip

Oakland, Calif. — Tracy McGrady will miss the final two games of the Orlando Magic’s road trip to attend the funeral of his great-grandmother.

McGrady, the NBA’s leading scorer, told reporters he was leaving the team after Orlando’s 110-85 loss to Golden State.