Finley...

[exstatic]

Finally figured it out: he can only hit shots in a blowout. If we're blowing anyone out, he's strokin'. And like tonight, if we're getting blown out, he can hit anything. If, however, the game is tight, so is his sphincter.

[TwoHandJam]

You know it. This guy is going to build a mansion with the bricks he'll put up with in the postseason if Pop lets him.

What a dilemma. Finley can rarely hit shots when it counts and Barry won't even shoot unless there's a gun to his head.

[Slo spurs fan]

Beno?

[Pandaemonaeon]

Finally figured it out: he can only hit shots in a blowout. If we're blowing anyone out, he's strokin'.

That's one of the (many) things I hate about Finley. Plays like absolute shit for 3 1/2 quarters then start heating up when the game is already out of reach. Hey, at least you're only paying him $3-million!

[Leetonidas]

He was here to hit shots, not to brick them until we're down by 17.

[loveforthegame]

I still can't believe he jacked up 4 shots. Unbelievable.

[Budkin]

I still think when it's all said and done he will come up huge for us in the playoffs. What do I know though?

[timvp]

Two Words:

Devin Brown

[baseline bum]

I don't remember Devin Brown hitting a game-winner like Fin did against Sac or completely taking over a fourth quarter like Finley did opening night.

[Dingle Barry]

Yeah Devin Brown would have carried us today

[boutons_]

"he will come up huge for us in the playoffs"

Look at his career stats, they go down slihgtly in the playoffs, not up.

Michael's shooting 38% for this season, vs 44% for his career.
the Spurs team shoots 47%,
the worst team in the NBA shoots 42%.
Even Brent is shooting 40%.

[PM5K]

Are you guys fucking kidding me, Finley has already won three or four games for us.

I'm not saying he's great but to act like he doesn't step up when it counts is absurd.

[Guru of Nothing]

Two Words:

Devin Brown

My two words are, Brent Barry.

I think he will be thrust into a top 8 roster role come playoff time, and he will shine.

I'll bet every last one of my vBookie dollars I am right!

[PM5K]

Example One:

OT:Raptors @ Toronto Spurs up by one with three minutes left, Finley hit's a three and then a two, giving us a six point lead, San Antonio wins the game and carries that lead winning by seven.

[mavsfan1000]

Are you guys fucking kidding me, Finley has already won three or four games for us.

I'm not saying he's great but to act like he doesn't step up when it counts is absurd.
What does Finley do that Barry doesn't do?

[PM5K]

What does Finley do that Barry doesn't do?

That's a whole other discussion, I'm not saying Finley can do anything that Barry couldn't do, at least not here and now. What I AM saying is that the OP is wrong, and anyone who agrees with him.

[PM5K]

Example Two:

Sacramento @ San Antonio:

Finley, the longtime Dallas starter replacing the injured Manu Ginobili, hit a 20-foot jumper with 2.5 seconds left to give the Spurs a 90-89 win over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.

[boutons_]

The stats don't lie. Even when Michael has the benefit of high shooting %age in some games, he's had many more games where he's 0-for or 1-for, 5 pts or less, which pulls his overall shooting down to 38%, 10 % pts below the Spurs team avg.

A scorer who shoots a pitiful 38% isn't helping.

Look at how he does against the top teams:

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/michael_finley/game_by_game_stats.html

Just because he's made a difference in a couple games, doesn't mean he gets a pass in all the games, esp big games, where he scores essentially nothing.

I'd love him, and Brent, to make bigger contributions but it ain't there. At least Brent stepped up in the playoffs last year and was the first b/c rotation guy.

[PM5K]

Example Three:

Denver @ San Antonio:

Michael Finley gave the San Antonio Spurs the instant offense they coveted when they signed him in the offseason.

Finley scored 11 of his 16 points during a four-minute span of the fourth quarter Tuesday to steady the struggling Spurs and help them to a 102-91 win over Denver.

[PM5K]

Example Four:

Milwaukee @ San Antonio:

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- San Antonio Spurs guard Michael Finley felt less pressure coming off the bench then starting. And it showed in the final three minutes of the game.

He hit two straight 3-pointers and then made four free throws in the closing seconds to hold off the Milwaukee Bucks 95-92 Wednesday night.

[PM5K]

And I don't even think those excerpts even show how much of an impact he had on those games. Against Denver we were down by two, Finley hit a two to tie it, then a three to put us up by two, then a dunk to put us up by four, and we never looked back.

Against Milwaukee we were down by two, Finley hit two three pointers in a row to put us up by by four, again we never looked back especially considering there was only 2:17 left when he hit the first three...

[PM5K]

What's that? You say four games isn't enough, you want more huh?

Example Five:

Spurs @ Minnesota:

Michael Finley nearly signed with Minnesota this summer, ultimately choosing to leave Dallas for defending champion San Antonio.

On Thursday night, Finley left the Timberwolves frowning again.

The veteran swingman scored 21 points, including the last six for the Spurs, to help San Antonio hold off Minnesota 90-88.

In this game the Spurs were up by two, Finley hits a jumper to put us up by four, then a three right after that to put us up by five, both shots coming with less than three minutes to play....

[loveforthegame]

I guess I'd rather see a 4-12 or 2-8 shooting night than an 0-3 or 2-4. He's expected to score but you can't do that unless you shoot the ball. He's not going to drive anymore so it shouldn't be that hard to get some open looks. I'm not sure if it's the other guys taking action or Finley passing on shots? Likely a mixture of both.

Tonight for example, he played 5 minutes in the first half and only took 1 shot. A 40 foot near midcourt heave at the end of the 1st quarter with 2 seconds left. He ended up with like 16 minutes and still only took 4 shots.

[PM5K]

Yeah I'm not saying Mike doesn't have issues, guys in the past have gotten the benefit of the doubt because of how hard it can be to learn a new system, and how one can worry about playing on a team that's already won a Championship and not wanting to make the team worse rather than better.

I totally agree though, he's said before how he wanted to be more aggressive and he has been, but not consistently, and I don't know why.

To me though, there is no question that he can step up when it counts.

[timvp]

Devin Brown had a season-high 25 points today for the Jazz.

Just sayin ....

[PM5K]

Devin Brown had a season-high 25 points today for the Jazz.

Just sayin ....

:lol

That's a fucking career high for that scrub....

[LittleGeneral]

I'm with PM5K on this one. I don't understand Finley's reputation around here as a bad clutch player, especially during the regular season. I've always considered him to be the type of player who is capable of hitting big shots in the waning moments of close games.

I know he's hit at least one game winner against the Spurs. I know he nailed one game-winning jumper that had been preceded by an Avery Johnson "closed-eyes" three-point shot moments before.

[Dre_7]

I'm with PM5K on this one. I don't understand Finley's reputation around here as a bad clutch player, especially during the regular season. I've always considered him to be the type of player who is capable of hitting big shots in the waning moments of close games.

I know he's hit at least one game winner against the Spurs. I know he nailed one game-winning jumper that had been preceded by an Avery Johnson "closed-eyes" three-point shot moments before.

He also hit the game winner in one of the WCF games against SA in 2003.

[Dre_7]

Fin WILL come up big for SA sometime in the playoffs. Book it.

Fin> Brown

All the haters can kiss my...

[T Park]

Brown has one good game and TIMVP brings it up.

But ignores all the games Finley has won damn near single handidly.


Finley shoots more people bitch.

Finley shoots less, people bitch.

He scores, people bitch.

He doesnt score, they bitch.


Just curious BITCHERS, WTF does he have to do?!!?

Oh yea, wear a headband and be a CBA player who hails from SA.

Pardon me.

[mavsfan1000]

Shoot over 40% would be nice.

[Dre_7]

Finley will come up big in the playoffs...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v99/TurqHardConec/fin1220.jpg

BOOK IT!!

[T Park]

Shoot over 40% would be nice.



no one gives a flying fuck what you think, or what you think should happen so take a long walk off a short pier spanky.


Michael Finley is getting Brent Barry disease and passing up shots.


Averaging over 10 a game this season, coming off the bench, and the guy sucks??

When did Devin Brown average 10 a game? Oh yeah, never. Not even this year playing on a poor Jazz team. He can't even pass up Gordon Giricek for christ sake.


Brent Barry??

Continues, to boggle the mind, and boggle how he suckered us into a 7 million a year contract.

[PM5K]

Michael Finley is getting Brent Barry disease and passing up shots.

What's the cure for that?

[MannyIsGod]

He's frustrating at times, but I think it stems from the amount of defense he's having to play now. Its probably a big adjustment. I think he'll be good in spots and I think he's alread been good in spots. However, this isn't the Finley I was expecting and I'm sure many people are with me on that. He's far from consistent. I hope he gets better as the year goes on.

I still think we made the right move in regards to Finley over Brown.

[ZStomp]

Brent Barry??

Continues, to boggle the mind, and boggle how he suckered us into a 7 million a year contract.


$7 million a year? Where did you get that info?

He's getting 4.6 million this year, 5.1 the next and 5.5 the following.

I don't see how that averages out to $7 per..:lmao

[ZStomp]

I still think we made the right move in regards to Finley over Brown.

Me too.

What has Devin Brown done this year?

Oh yea, he scored 25 points. :lol

:angel

[PM5K]

However, this isn't the Finley I was expecting and I'm sure many people are with me on that. He's far from consistent. I hope he gets better as the year goes on.

I still think we made the right move in regards to Finley over Brown.

I totally agree.

To me we brought him here to be just what he hasn't been, consistent.

We've already had some inconsistent guys in Hedo and Brent, and I think so far Finley has been a huge improvement, but not to the extent I was hoping for.

For example on a night like tonight against Cleveland, you'd want him to step up when Tony and Manu played somewhat subpar (Manu just didn't shoot enough either) but he didn't.

[SAGambler]

When Fin is on... He can light em up...
When he's off... He just throws up bricks...

I was concerned when the Spurs signed him... Just how well would he perform here, where he would have to expend energy playing some D...

But NVE has been a real disappointment so far.. I wanted him 3 years ago.. Now we have him, but he doesn't seem to have a whole lot left.. Yeah, he can can a three every now and then with a pure stroke, and can really help put some guys in foul situations with some of his moves, but I certainly hope that both he and Fin get it together for the playoffs... After all, that's what they both came here for... To win a "ship".... Time to step it up guys....

[spurster]

Maybe the Spurs should have kept Glenn Robinson.

[nkdlunch]

Shoot over 40% would be nice.

thank you. mavfan that might be your greatest post ever. If he has 42% fg in the season and playoffs I'm happy w/finley. his current 38% is not good enough since his defense and passing are not his strong points. so til now he is dissapointing.

[Joepa]

Devin Brown had a season-high 25 points today for the Jazz.

Just sayin ....

Yeah, would have been really awesome to keep Devin around.

The dude is on the bench for a sub .500 team (9 starts, 51 GP) and his stats are laughable.

7.8 ppg
2.7 rpg
1.1 apg
1.45 TO pg

[Marcus Bryant]

Brown didn't have any trouble playing Spurs Basketball on both ends of the court. He was tailor made to be a swing in the Spurs' rotation. Hopefully Finley doesn't go Hedo in the postseason and make that swap out to be the mistake it currently looks like.