<span class="vitstorybody"><font size="+2"><h2 class="vitstoryheadline"><span class="vitstoryheadline">Cuban-Nellie feud intensifies</span></h2></font> <font size="+1"><span class="vitstorydeck">Mavs owner sues former coach, claims inside info helped Warriors pull playoff upset</span></font> <font size="-1"></font><font size="-1"><span class="vitstorybyline"></span></font> <span class="vitstorybody"> The ever-darkening feud between Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and former coach Don Nelson has reached a new low. </p> Cuban is suing Nelson for beating his former team in the playoffs. </p> That's essentially what it boils down to as Cuban has initiated legal action against the Golden State coach for using inside information about his former team in the regular season and in their epic first-round upset of the Mavs. </p> Nelson said Friday that he was surprised by Cuban's move and figured it was a reaction to the arbitration Nelson has filed against Cuban over about $6.5 million in deferred money that Nelson and former Mavericks owner Ross Perot Jr. have said is owed to Nelson from the Perot era. </p> "I'm embarrassed by the whole thing," Nelson said. </p> There is little doubt that Nelson knows the Mavericks better than any other coach in the league, save Avery Johnson. But strategic secrets are hard to come by in the league, given the extensive scouting web every team has. The Warriors beat the Mavericks in six games in the first round, the first time a No. 8 seed has upset a No. 1 seed in a best-of-seven series. They also went 3-0 against the Mavs in the regular season. </p> It should be noted, however, that the Golden State hex over the Mavericks started in 2005-06, when Mike Montgomery was coaching the Warriors and they won three out of four games over the Mavs despite owning a far inferior record. </p> Cuban, who is having hip-replacement surgery Friday, could not immediately be reached for comment. </p> But it's clear that the bottom line is about money. Nelson had resigned his coaching position with the Mavericks in March, 2004. He was paid for one more season at his coaching salary, then was to begin work in a consultant's role at a greatly reduced salary, believed to be $200,000 annually. </p> Cuban's claim is that taking the Golden State coaching position last summer violated a non-compete clause in Nelson's contract.</p> Link</p> </span></span>