ESPN reporters Marc Stein and Tim MacMahon issued a joint statement in response to Dallas Mavericks team owner Mark Cuban’s decision to revoke their credentials.

    Their statement, as released through ESPN Media Zone on Tuesday, said:

    “We want to thank our colleagues throughout the media and the NBA, fellow Professional Basketball Writers Association members and, most of all, ESPN readers and viewers who have offered such tremendous support over the past few days.

    “The circumstances that led the Mavericks to deny us entry to their home games remain very difficult to understand, given that the NBA has always been one of the most media-friendly leagues in the world. Yet we’re hopeful that a resolution is near.

    “Until then, nothing about the objective and aggressive manner in which we cover the league and its teams will change.”

    Cuban explained in a statement Monday that his decision to pull credentials was rooted in concerns over automated game reports that could eventually replace human journalists.

    “While it may seem counterintuitive to ban someone from covering us as a way of stopping automation, it really was my only option,” Cuban said. “As is evident by the AP partnership with Automated Insights, it’s not if but when.’’

    Stein has covered the Mavericks for nearly two decades, while MacMahon has served as ESPN’s beat writer in Dallas for the last several seasons.(SD-Agencies)