Cuban offers fans faux doctor's note for early playoff start

DALLAS (AP) Mark Cuban wants Mavericks fans in the seats for the early start of their home opener in the playoffs.

The team distributed an email Tuesday with what resembled a doctor's note from the outspoken Dallas team owner, under the heading ''Mark Cuban, MC.''

With Game 3 against Houston in a first-round series set for 6 p.m. local time Friday, the note includes a blank line for a name, lists the date and indicates the person has been under Cuban's supervision for ''severe Mavs fever.''

Cuban's initials are on the signature line.

The bottom of the note includes a disclaimer that Cuban isn't a medical doctor but adds that the billionaire businessman is ''an expert negotiator and will vouch for your excused absence.''