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IN A LOW-SLUNG building in Oklahoma Citys Bricktown neighborhood, just a day before the injury-riddled Mavericks began their playoff series against a Thunder team that would dismiss them in five games, a surreal scene unfolded at the Dollhouse Lounge, a burlesque-themed nightclub. (The clubs Facebook page: Win or lose, we still booze.) Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was hanging out with a group that included two of his injured players -- Chandler Parsons and David Lee -- as well as comedian Amy Schumer and her entourage. Schumer had headlined at Chesapeake Energy Arena that night, and knew Lee from his time in New York. She would later share a photo of the Mavs headliners, her friend and opening act Rachel Feinstein and herself, captioning it Pals on Instagram.All in the name of good fun, Cuban and Parsons kidded each other for much of the night, with nothing off limits. Not even the most delicate of all topics: Parsons next contract. You might have thought that Parsons, who planned to opt out of the final season of his contract, would have cause for concern after undergoing a second right knee surgery in two years. However, he was certain that hed command max offers if he tested a historically player-friendly market.A young man with much at stake, out with his boss, might tread carefully. But to expect that is to misunderstand entirely the nature of Parsons and the nature of Cuban, simultaneously among the NBAs closest owner/player pairings, and least restrained.As the booze flowed, Cuban made joking low-ball offers, Parsons chuckled at them, and they eventually moved on. When it was almost time to make the short trip back to the Skirvin Hotel, Cuban was settling up the tab and posing for pictures with some of the wait staff, while the taxi the clubs management had called for the owner idled in the alley out back.Spotting the cab as he left with friends, Parsons saw an opportunity to get the last laugh. He hopped in with his boys, slipped the driver a $100 bill and told him to take off.The timing worked to perfection. Just as the cab started rolling, Cuban walked out. Parsons rolled down the window and stuck out his head.Max or nothing, m-----f-----! Parsons hollered at Cuban, cracking up his crew.Just one last joke in a night full of them.This is the behind-the-scenes tale of the NBAs biggest bromance gone wrong.AS BIZARRE AS that scene might seem, it was business (and pleasure) as usual for the Cuban-Parsons bromance, as unique an owner-player relationship as any since Jerry Buss and Magic Johnson.Cuban has never shied away from developing friendships with players, dating back to putting up Dennis Rodman in his guest house weeks after Cuban bought the Mavs. Although Cuban has gone clubbing with dozens of players in the nearly two decades since, both Cuban and Parsons say their friendship was different. They were two peas in a pod, perhaps the leagues most personable player clicking with certainly the leagues most outgoing owner.Were boys. Were friends, Parsons tells ESPN. Yeah, he was the owner of the team, but I didnt look at him any differently [than other friends]. We did stuff. We enjoyed similar activities off the court. We were friends hanging out.Parsons had joined the Mavericks by signing his three-year, $46 million offer sheet within feet of bass-booming speakers at a club called Attic in his hometown of Orlando, Florida. That moment went viral after Parsons college buddy Dan Morgan (aka @DMoSwag) tweeted a selfie of himself with Cuban and Parsons cheesing after the ink was dry on the deal.That set the tone for the relationship to come: business and pleasure, with too many late nights to count. Cuban and Parsons would go out together occasionally during the NBA season, when it didnt conflict with the job that Cuban was paying Parsons a lot of money to do, and often during the offseason, when they hit clubs in Dallas, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.All the while, they talked shop: The business of running the Mavericks. It wasnt long before Parsons grew to enjoy the rarest of indulgences, normally reserved for long-term superstars: Parsons became a go-to resource on personnel matters, proposing one move after another, some of which became reality.At one point, Parsons pitched his boss on something bold: Say farewell to high-scoring free agent Monta Ellis, who clashed with Parsons and wore out his welcome with many in the Mavs organization; go all in on recruiting Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, whom Parsons believed could blossom to become the NBAs best big man and would be a perfect fit to play with him.Parsons had a lot of reasons to think they could get Jordan. He had known him for a decade, after meeting on the summer camp circuit as teenagers -- and he knew Jordan did not feel at home with the Clippers and was open to moving. It also didnt hurt that Jordan and Parsons both had the same agent, Dan Fegan, at that time.The Mavs would then need only a 3-and-D shooting guard -- they later signed Wesley Matthews -- and theyd be off and running with a core of Jordan, Parsons and Nowitzki.Cuban rubber-stamped the plan, as Parsons spearheaded one of the highest-profile recruiting efforts in recent NBA history, rarely leaving Jordans side in the weeks leading up to free agency, wining and dining the big man in his hometown of Houston and in L.A.Parsons joined Cuban on the owners private jet for a pair of flights to L.A., where Cuban filmed Shark Tank episodes in the week leading up to free agency. One night Cuban and several acquaintances from the show went to the Hollywood club Bootsy Bellows. NBA rules prohibit team officials like Cuban from hanging out with other teams prospective free agents while theyre under contract. But there are no such constraints on players. Parsons just happened to be entertaining Jordan and Matthews in the same place at the same time. Cuban coyly waved from across the club, while Parsons laid the groundwork for the Mavs free agency plans.When free agency arrived in earnest, Cuban was freed from NBA tampering rules. Parsons organized an all-you-can-eat sushi feast at Nobu Malibu in the opening hour of free agency. Cuban attended, as did Nowitzki, who flew in from New York for the occasion. It was an appetizer to the Mavs official pitch the next morning, one of many free agency meetings for Jordan.A few days later, Cuban and Parsons returned to L.A. on Cubans private jet. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision by Cuban, who wanted to make sure the Mavs got the last word after Jordan wrapped up his official meetings. The surprise visit to the centers house seemed to work: Cuban secured a verbal commitment from Jordan.Patron shots were poured and downed as Cuban, Parsons, Jordan and the big mans family celebrated that morning. Cuban and Parsons kept the party going the rest of the day and night. They headed to Manhattan Beach, where Cuban owns a home, and had a liquid lunch at Shellback Tavern, a favorite Cuban watering hole. Joined by a horde of friends and business acquaintances, they eventually stumbled across Manhattan Beach Boulevard to Strand House.Parsons, get out of the street! a tipsy Cuban hollered during a call-in appearance on Dallas radio station 1310 The Ticket, one of a few interviews that day that led to the league office fining Cuban for violating terms of the NBAs moratorium period.Of course, the recruiting was doomed. After convincing the Mavs hed join them, Jordan infamously went quiet. For a few days the Mavericks and Cuban couldnt reach Jordan at all. By the time he was allowed to sign his deal, Jordan announced he had changed his mind and would return to the Clippers.Jordans reversal was a setback for the franchise, but Parsons remained steadfast in his plan to play the rest of his career for his buddy/boss Cuban. And the two openly discussed the idea that Parsons would eventually take an official role in the Mavs front office.NBA OWNERS AND their players usually arent as close as Parsons and Cuban had grown. The reality is that players usually dont keep their jobs that long. A few years is a lifetime in this business -- and Nowitzki is really the only player who has had unconditional loyalty from Cuban. Last season, things were due to get awkward, as one of the Mavericks next huge decisions was the contract of Parsons himself.Things took a dreadful turn when Parsons tore the meniscus in his right knee -- the same one that had already endured microfracture surgery. And on the night Parsons learned he needed another surgery, Cuban took a distraught Parsons to dinner at Nick and Sams, a steakhouse and Parsons favorite restaurant in Dallas. Mavs coach Rick Carlisle and his daughter Abby, who adores Parsons, joined them for a while. After the meal, Parsons and Cuban drowned their sorrows at So and Sos, an uptown Dallas club that Parsons frequented.Groggy as he might have been the next morning, Parsons woke up feeling assured that he had a long, bright future in Dallas. As much as it hurt to see my season cut short, Parsons says, I knew it wasnt career-ending and I knew financially I was going to be taken care of by Mark.Parsons spent much of the spring rehabbing, and house-hunting in Dallas. He fell in love with a $7.95 million north Dallas palace, across the street from Cowboys quarterback Tony Romos under-construction mansion, and intended to buy the house as soon as the ink was dry on his new deal in July.Throughout the whole process going into free agency, I always thought Dallas was going to be the place, Parsons says. I thought we had a mutual understanding that I was going to be there for the whole time and I was going to retire a Mav. Obviously, the second surgery gave him a little doubt, and I believe some people got in his head about it.For weeks after the regular season ended, Cuban consistently told Parsons that theyd get a long-term deal done, according to Parsons. Asked about that by ESPN, Cuban simply shakes his head, evidently disputing the account.At one point in April, Cuban hired Parsons childhood best friend and personal manager, Pausha Haghighi, to assist him in matters related to the teams under-construction practice facility. Cuban consulted Parsons on details of the project for weeks after the season ended.They continued their constant discussions about potential personnel moves. They talked about whether high-flying big man Hassan Whiteside was worth chasing a year after the pair had been rejected by Jordan. Parsons pushed for Harrison Barnes, seeing them as an interchangeable pair of forwards, with Nowitzki moving primarily to center, an experiment the Mavs tinkered with for a few games before Parsons season ended prematurely.BEHIND THE SCENES, Cuban faced a tough choice. Thanks to new TV revenues, the NBAs salary cap was set to explode. Parsons would, in all likelihood, command max offers. Did it make sense for the Mavericks to commit that much? Despite his max-or-nothing dig that night in Bricktown -- and his agent Fegans assurance that hed get multiple max offers -- Parsons told ESPN he would have accepted a four-year deal for a lot less than the max of $98 million the Mavs could have given him. He says Cuban was well aware of this heading into free agency, but even a hometown discount for Parsons would have been a huge contract.At least two teams were willing to take the risk of giving Parsons a max deal despite the medical concerns, attracted to the 6-foot-10 forwards rare blend of size, shooting touch and playmaking skill. They were willing to bet that Parsons would return to the form of his final two months in a Mavs uniform, when he averaged 18.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 47.7 percent from 3-point range.According to Parsons, the Mavs owner told him after the season ended that he had productive talks with Fegan and the sides should be able to agree on the parameters of a four-year deal as soon as NBA rules permitted. Asked about this, Cuban again shakes his head.Cubans unofficial advisory council -- which includes president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson, Carlisle, head athletic trainer Casey Smith and Nowitzki -- shared a consensus concern about a long-term commitment to Parsons. As free agency approached, team sources say they were unanimous that itd be a poor business decision to commit a major share of the Mavs salary cap to Parsons for the next four years because of his knee problems.Two team sources also cited locker room concerns with Parsons, although those were labeled as forgivable, fixable things. The primary concern: The fact that Parsons was so close with Cuban and wielded so much power in personnel matters.The main reason why I went to Dallas was because I had an owner that was my boy and who believed in me, Parsons says. Thats an awesome combination to have. As my years went on there, I think there was a huge jealousy factor of how cool I was with him, how I had some power and input in decisions that they make. I think that hurt some peoples feelings. I think that made them jealous.Looking from the outside looking in, I could see how that could rub people the wrong way. My relationship with him -- like, we were so cool, we were so close, I had his ear on a lot of decisions -- I think that ended up biting me in the ass at the end.IN EARLY JUNE, Parsons was at Bungalow, a club in Santa Monica, with Jordan -- the player who had crushed Cuban by spurning the Mavs. Parsons put his arm around Jordan, snapped a photo, and posted it to Instagram with the hashtag #nohardfeelings. He admits he had no thought about how that would be received in Dallas. Yeah, it definitely pissed Cuban off, Parsons says. Its his money and his team. Obviously, he didnt find it too funny, but I wasnt trying to get a laugh out of him or throwing shade at Dallas. It was such a story and such an ordeal with us that I was just kind of publicly burying the hatchet.That was one stumble. Another soon followed, as things fell apart between Cuban and Parsons friend who worked for him, Haghighi. They mutually agreed to part ways days after the Instagram picture -- though the timing could have been coincidental.Cuban then shifted tactics and pushed hard for Parsons to opt in for the final season of his contract, which would have paid about $6 million shy of what hed make as a max free agent. Parsons says Cuban told him they could discuss a long-term commitment the following summer -- when the cap would be even higher and Parsons would be eligible for a five-year deal -- if Parsons proved he could stay healthy for a whole season.In the postmortem, Cuban contends a long-term deal for Parsons was never in the offseason plans due to medical concerns. Once we knew about the knee injury, our goal was to get him to opt in, Cuban told ESPN, referring to the $16 million player option for this season that Parsons declined.It was a pitch that Parsons considered pretty ludicrous, even borderline disrespectful. He never remotely considered it.Obviously that sounds nice, but why risk it? My concern is the same as them. Youre worried about paying my knee, Parsons says. You dont want to pay me long term. These other really, really good teams do. If its too much of a risk for them to pay me for four years, its way too much of a risk for me to turn down guaranteed $94 million right now. It would make no sense, and no fan, no human, no one in the right mind would not do what I did.Before long, Parsons calls and texts began to go unreturned. When Parsons did get a hold of his buddy/boss, he says Cuban often came across as vague and elusive, as did Nowitzki.Cuban says he simply wanted all communication to go through Fegan at that point due to the business nature of the discussions.A sure sign that Parsons was out of the inner circle came when the Mavs hired Larry Shyatt as an assistant coach. He had been one of Parsons coaches at Florida. Its not that Parsons wasnt pleased with the hire, he was just shocked to learn about it via the media.That was the weirdest part to me, Parsons says. How DeAndre was kind of starting to get shady and ignore Marks calls, thats kind of like what Mark started doing to me. So it was like, Damn, you know what? I get it. Were going through negotiations. I know free agency can be tough sometimes, but at the end of the day, youre my friend.I was being avoided. I was being pushed out. I was being ignored. So awkward.Free agency arrived at midnight, Eastern time, July 1. The Mavs braintrust wooed Whiteside in the opening hours, while Parsons met with the Trail Blazers in Los Angeles. Impressed as Parsons was by Portlands pitch, and intrigued by the potential of playing with one of the leagues elite backcourts, he says he fell in love with the Grizzlies during his meeting with Memphis the next afternoon and committed on the spot.Parsons had essentially come to terms on a divorce with Dallas days earlier, when the Mavs made it clear he was nothing more than a fallback option and that no long-term offer would be forthcoming.Says Parsons: It was just kind of shocking.ITS ALL STILL a highly sensitive subject with Cuban. He has said precious little about the reasoning for the teams decision on Parsons, a far cry from the two-part blog manifesto Cuban posted to explain his logic to fans the last time he let a good friend leave in free agency, when the Mavs declined to match Steve Nashs offer from the Phoenix Suns in 2004. He gave brief answers in an interview for this story, essentially just verifying and clarifying facts.Were still friends, is all Cuban would say when asked about Parsons during summer league in Las Vegas, where they once partied together each summer with a large Mavs contingent. He elaborated a bit more during a summer appearance on 105.3 The Fans Ben and Skin Show, saying there were things other than basketball that factored into the decision and wishing Parsons well except the four games the Grizzlies faced the Mavs. The first of those games is Friday night at the American Airlines Center.After Parsons decided to join Memphis, he said his phone blew up with congratulatory texts and phone calls from the Mavs. Cuban wished him well, telling Parsons he hoped to be proven wrong. Carlisle, Nowitzki and Smith all reached out with heartfelt messages, too.A healthy two years in Dallas would have obviously changed everything, but he landed in a great situation in Memphis, Carlisle tells ESPN. Many of us in the Mavs organization remain close with Chandler and wish him the best.As far as Parsons is concerned, the fact that Carlisle, Nowitzki and Smith influenced Cubans decision doesnt affect his view of them.It doesnt bother me, because I would have the same issues, Parsons says. If you ask me about a player, Im going to give you my honest opinion. I dont care if its one of my good friends or not. As a businessman, Im going to be honest and be truthful about what the situation is.The Mavs caution was well founded. For the second straight year, Parsons rehab from spring surgery on his right knee stretched into the season. Parsons missed Memphis first six games and is still on a minutes restriction and trying to work his way into a groove. Meanwhile, his replacement, Barnes, is thriving.Parsons remains part of an active group text with Nowitzki, Smith and several other Mavs staffers that exists in large part to playfully rip Parsons for everything from his injury history to his playboy lifestyle. Parsons more than holds his own, returning fire against the former co-workers he considers friends for life.PARSONS DIDNT TALK to Cuban for a few months after signing with the Grizzlies, exchanging only a few friendly texts. Parsons, for his sake, says he understands the parting was just business, admits that if he were them, he would have been hesitant about signing a player with two knee surgeries to a $95 million deal. And so, a couple of weeks before NBA training camps opened, they decided to meet for dinner and drinks just for old times sake, with Cuban extending an invitation to Parsons and a few of his friends to join him at Soho House, a posh, members-only spot on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.A few rounds into the night, Cuban made a toast to the player he decided he didnt want to pay. The exact words that came out of Cubans mouth are fuzzy now to those who were there, but the message remains as clear as the Titos vodka in the glasses.Raising his glass, Cuban told the group at the table that he wasnt sure when or in what role, but his boy Chandler Parsons would be back in Dallas.Cheap Lakers Jerseys . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12. Cheap Custom Lakers Jersey . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break. http://www.customlakersjersey.com/custom-derek-fisher-jersey-large-60f.html .Y. -- Marcell Dareus and the Buffalo Bills defence made life miserable for Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco. Lakers Jerseys China . Burris threw two TD passes, including a key 15-yard fourth-quarter strike to Bakari Grant that effectively countered a Toronto comeback bid and led Hamilton to a 33-19 victory. Custom Lakers T-shirts . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July.What has Jurgen Klopp not done in his last 40 league games? And why should Spurs fear a late Chelsea goal?Martin Tyler has the answers - plus, hit the video to see his latest tricky teaser from Old Trafford.How to send your questions to Martin: Use the comments box at the bottom of this pageTweet @SkyFootball using the hashtag #TylersTeasersMartins Starting Stats from Man Utd v ArsenalOlivier Giroud became the first Arsenal player to score against a Jose Mourinho side since Gilberto Silva scored a penalty in a 1-1 draw against Chelsea in May 2007.Juan Matas opener meant Arsenal trailed for the first time away from home in the Premier League this season. They were behind for 21 minutes, to add to 52 minutes at home.Giroud helped Arsenal extend their unbeaten run to 17 games in all competitions and 11 in the Premier League. Their last away defeat in the Premier League was at Old Trafford on February 28. Watch highlights of Man Utd 1-1 Arsenal Mata, who had scored four goals in five games against Arsenal for Chelsea, scored his first goal in five appearances for Manchester United against Arsenal.Phil Jones made his first Premier League start at home since January 2, while Giroud hasnt started a league game this season. He still has three goals in his last three appearances as a substitute.United have now lost just one of their last 11 Premier League meetings with Arsenal and they are unbeaten in their last 10 home meetings with them in the league.Mourinho is unbeaten in all 12 Premier League games he has managed against Arsenal (W5 D7). Arsene Wenger has won just one of 16 matches against Mourinho (L8 D7 W1). The one win was the Community Shield in 2015. Sky Sports Black Friday sale Upgrade to Sky Sports now and get 12 months half price! Run of resultsChelsea won last 5 matches by scores of 1-0, 2-0, 3-0, 4-0, 5-0. How many times did that happen in PL history? @ChelseaHeroTomaMARTIN SAYS: According to our friends at Opta, Chelsea are actually the first team to achieve this quirky feat in the Premier League era.The run started with a 3-0 win over Leicester at Stamford Bridge, with Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Victor Moses on the scoresheet. Watch highlights of Middlesbrough 0 - 1 Chelsea They then beat Manchester United 4-0, Southampton 2-0 and Everton 5-0, before Costas winner secured a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough on Nissan Super Sunday.They face Spurs next at Stamford Bridge. A goalless draw or a 6-0 win keeps this stat alive!Leaving it lateTottenham always seem to score last-minute goals against West Ham. Has any team scored more against another PL team? CraigMARTIN SAYS: According to Opta, Harry Kanes late penalty against West Ham was Tottenhams sixth goal scored in the 90th minute or later against West Ham in the Premier League - their most against any single Premier League team.Kane (February 2015), Eric Dier (August 2014), Gareth Bale (February 2013), Jamie OHara (December 2008) and Darren Bent (May 2008) have also scored in the last minute for Spurs against West Ham.For Hammers fans it may feel like an all-too-often occurrence against their London rivals, but Tottenham themselves have a tormentor with an even great appetite for late goals. Watch highlights of Tottenham 3-2 West Ham They have conceded 10 times in the final minute or later against Chelsea, the joint highest number of goals in Premier League history.Food for thought for Mauricio Pochettino as he prepares his side to face the Blues at Stamford Bridge this weekend.Youll notice I said joint highest, though. Chelsea share top spot with Arsenal, who have also scored 10 goals from the 90th minute onwards against Aston Villa.Most 90th-minute goals in the Premier League v same opponent:Arssenal v Aston Villa (10 times)Chelsea v Tottenham (10 times)Arsenal v Leicester (9 times)Chelsea v Wigan (9 times)Liverpool v Arsenal (9 times)Staying the sameWhich PL team has gone the longest period of time without naming an unchanged line-up? Andrew FMARTIN SAYS: Chelsea and West Brom were the only teams to name an unchanged side last weekend.dddddddddddd In fact, Antonio Conte has named the same starting XI for the last five matches.Most managers prefer to rotate, though, none more so than Jurgen Klopp.Liverpool have gone 40 matches without naming an unchanged line-up - more than double any other Premier League team.Klopp has only picked the same Liverpool line-up once, when the XI that started his first match in charge - a 0-0 draw at Tottenham - started again against Southampton a week later on October 25. Watch highlights of Southampton 0-0 Liverpool The Reds drew that game too before Klopp made one change for the trip to Stamford Bridge, bringing in Roberto Firmino for Divock Origi. A lot of those were due to injuries and the number of games they had last season. Klopp does have some continuity.Liverpool won the match 3-1 and since then the German has not looked back, making at least one alteration to his line-up every Premier League match-day, including against Southampton on Saturday.Five other teams have changed their line-up in every match this season. West Ham and Tottenham last named an unchanged line-up last April (15 league games ago). Sunderland last named an unchanged line-up in May (13 league games ago), as did Middlesbrough (12 league games) and Manchester City (12 league games).Wait for a braceHow long was the gap between Victor Anichebes Premier League braces and is it a record? MarshieMARTIN SAYS: Before his double for Sunderland against Hull, almost 10 years had passed since Victor Anchibes last Premier League brace.When Anchibe smashed home his second at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, he ended a 3,612 day wait since his last Premier League double.That came in December 2006 against Newcastle at Goodison Park as Anchibe scored twice in a 3-0 victory for Everton. Watch highlights of Sunderland 3-0 Hull But remarkably, Anchibes is not the longest gap between Premier League doubles.The record belongs to Damien Duff, who bagged two for Blackburn against West Ham in December 1997 and then, 4,823 days later, struck twice for Fulham in 2011…against Blackburn! Thats a 14-year wait!While were here, you might like to know the longest break between two Premier League hat-tricks is 2,243 days. Jermain Defoe hit five for Tottenham against Wigan in November 2009, then scored a treble versus Swansea in January this year.Low for LeicesterLeicester are down in 14th. Is this the lowest a Premier League champion has been the season after they won the title? Jordan HMARTIN SAYS: Leicester have actually been lower than this earlier in the season. After one game they were 17th in the table, which is the joint lowest a defending champion has ever been in the Premier League.Blackburn dropped as low as 17th in the 1995/96 season and Leeds were 17th at the end of a day in the 1992/93 season - although the Premier League had 22 teams back then and for the record they were champions of the old Football League, not the Premier League. Watch highlights of Watford 2-1 Leicester Chelsea dropped to 16th last season, while Manchester United were also 16th early in the 2007/08 season (this data is based on the END of a day of fixtures).Leicester are currently two points above the relegation zone. No champion side has ever been as low as 18th in the Premier League era and we have never seen one in the relegation zone.Upgrade to Sky Sports now and get 12 months half price. Hurry, offer ends December 4!Also See:Premier League videoFixturesTableLive on Sky ' ' '