Dallas coach Avery Johnson was clearly annoyed with the suspension handed down to sixth man Jerry Stackhouse, and he had support from his owner.

''This is what I call ridiculous,'' Dallas coach Avery Johnson said on his weekly radio show. ``The league is so inconsistent. I've been holding my tongue all year about the foolishness, just the foolishness that goes on there. They're so inconsistent.

``I'm just embarrassed to have to deal with some of the things that I have to deal with because we are in a position [where] we have no authority, and we're always reminded of that. It's just a bunch of baloney, for lack of a better word. It's just sickening.

''Our fans should be upset. Our players will be,'' Johnson added.

Johnson also pointed out O'Neal was not penalized for his Game 1 foul on Stackhouse, which opened a gash above Stackhouse's nose.

Dallas owner Mark Cuban echoed Johnson's sentiments and added that Heat players are guilty of several instances of dirty play.

''It makes no sense at all,'' Cuban said via e-mail to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 'There have been more `accidental' elbows to Mavs players' heads this series than is statistically possible. . . . Shaq creates more dangerous contact camping in the lane for five seconds trying to set an NBA record for charges taken by a center. . . .''