No love for ref; too much info from Masha

Odds, ends and commentary about NBA news this week . . .

Apparently not just Utah Jazz fans hate seeing Dick Bavetta in a referee's uniform prior to a game. Bavetta, as many Jazz fans will never forget, was the guy who waived off a Howard Eisley 3-point shot in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals — won by the Chicago Bulls by just two. Eisley's shot, replays clearly show, beat the shot clock, but Bavetta disagreed. He's been a top enemy of Jazz fans ever since — although, truth be told, Bavetta has seemingly bent over backwards to give the Jazz the benefit of the doubt ever since then.

But Dallas' Jerry Stackhouse doesn't like the 31-year veteran referee, either.

"Somebody saw Bavetta get off the bus . . . and I thought, 'Oh, (expletive).' I knew what was coming," Stackhouse told The (Fort Worth) Star-Telegram. "It's tough to come on the road in this environment and have to play against the refs, too. (Expletive) Dick Bavetta. I'm tired of his (expletive). It's like the game is about him. He just needs to call the game and call the fouls."

Those comments earned Stackhouse a $30,000 fine by the NBA . . .

Of course, it could have been worse for Stackhouse. He could have been suspended for two games — without pay — like the Spurs' Robert Horry. Horry was granted the two nights off for grabbing Bavetta and, perhaps, for attempting to bite Stackhouse late in San Antonio's win over the Mavs on Thursday night.

The league said it suspended Horry "for intentionally making physical contact with a game official" and for his action in the altercation. But the league did not specify in its release whether Horry bit Stackhouse, or if a bite or attempted bite was the cause of the suspension.

Horry denied biting Stackhouse. Then again, Stackhouse probably would have deserved it. Stackhouse, Jazz fans may remember, was the guy who once punched mild-mannered Jeff Hornacek in the face.

Replays of Thursday's incident showed Horry attempting to bite Stackhouse's arm, but Horry's teeth never making contact with Stackhouse's skin.

Stackhouse and Horry punching and biting? Maybe they misunderstood the old Gatorade "Be like Mike" commercials to mean Mike Tyson instead of Michael Jordan . . .