Bigs Props to Michael Finley

[Leetonidas]

8 straight games in double figures? Guy deserves big props. 15 ppg in that stretch.

Here's to you, Mike. :toast

[rocyaice]

He's been beasting. And he's been doing it effeciently and consistently. Definately proud of Mike. I've been a fan of his since entered the league. I hated seeing him struggle so much with consistency at the beginning of the season but since the all star break he's seemed to find a grove and recently he's been great. I can't think of a better 4th option out there playing better than he is right now. I hope when Barry returns the consistency continues.

Once again I want to thank Mark Cuban for giving us the opportunity to sign such a class athlete.

[Dre_7]

Former Wisconsin Badger baby!!!

[T Park]

didnt some spurstalk posters compare him to uh Steve Smith earlier this year?


I mean, how can he do so well!!?!?!??!

[Solid D]

Mike's draining everything. He's in a fantastic rhythm. We just need Brent and Robert to get back in there and get their rhythm back, too.

[Man Mountain]

Hopefully Finley can keep this up. It's going to be a rough road in the playoffs and the Spurs will need one(or more) of the role players to come up big.

[Borosai]

I get wet just thinking about Finley doing this to the Mavs, if they end up meeting in the WCF. Argghh...

[Capt Bringdown]

Everyone was hoping that he'd play at this level when we signed him. Nice to see him finally deliver the goods. Keep it up.

[ducks]

he should keep starting and he should now be included in the big 4

[powerpower]

he should keep starting and he should now be included in the big 4

oh please give it some time....

[mardigan]

he should keep starting and he should now be included in the big 4
I do hope they keep him in the starting line-up, it is going to be hard for Brent to reclaim that spot

[Kobulingam]

Thank you new (old) ball. Took these old dogs long enough to get adjusted (back) to it.

[timvp]

Hopefully Finley was just Robert Horrying for the first 3/4ths of the season. He sucked on both sides of the ball until sometime in March.

If he has really turned it on, that could be huge in the playoffs. I'm even more impressed that he's actually going after and getting some rebounds these days.

[T Park]

Hopefully Finley was just Robert Horrying for the first 3/4ths of the season. He sucked on both sides of the ball until sometime in March.



Kinda like last year? :lol

[SenorSpur]

I've seen this before from Finley, while he was in a Mavs uniform. Colour me a skeptic, but I'm waiting for him to do this consistently during the playoffs. Granted, he had a fantastic series versus the Mavs last season. I'll be convinced when I see him shoot consistently, make the occassional drive and dunk and get into a consistent, confident rhythm during the entire playoffs.

Yes, give Fin his props.....for how he's playing now.

[sribb43]

Props to Fin for finally stepping up. Just dont let him take the final shot in the closing seconds of a playoff game. As a mavs fan, I have seen it first hand several times

[rocyaice]

Props to Fin for finally stepping up. Just dont let him take the final shot in the closing seconds of a playoff game. As a mavs fan, I have seen it first hand several times

I seem to remember Finley being pretty solid in closing minutes in a Dallas uniform. I seem to remember Nash and Dirk missing more game winners than Fin.

[T Park]

I seem to remember Finley making a three in game 4 last year against Dallas to give em a 2 point lead near the end of regulation.

[exstatic]

I think Fin has proven over the years that he isn't "the man". That being said, he would be an almost perfect 3rd or 4th option. I think he's a better fit in the starting lineup than Brent, too. Maybe Manu can turbocharge Brent's game off the bench like he did Fin's.

[T Park]

Agreed about Fin in the lineup.

he seems to get into a better rythum running up and down that first couple minutes.

Its also nice to have a guy that can stretch the D that early in the game.

barry can do that, but fin is also a mid range threat as well.


Theyve run a great double big pick and pop for the 2 guard, that neither Barry nor Fin have completed yet, but I hope they run it more often.

Fin and Barry both were so wide open it was sickening.

[mikekim]

the only thing i don't like about finley's game right now is the fact that the guy i'm playing in my fantasy league for this week has him...and i have manu (who, up until tonight, has been getting outplayed by mike)...
manu's mini-slump and fin's surge couldn't have come at a worse time for my team...

but aside from that, this couldn't have come at a better time for me as a spurs fan (i would've liked this same production from fin against milwaukee and boston maybe) . a bit bitter sweet though...it's fantasy basketball playoffs right now...haha oh welllll...

[T Park]

would've liked this same production from fin against milwaukee and boston maybe

I could be wrong, but I thought Finley played well vs the Celtics.

Hell i put that game in the dark recesses of my mind, next to "the pass" and ".4"

[aaronstampler]

I'm worried that the better Fin plays the more likely Pop is to go small. I wish how well/poorly Fin plays impacted just Bruce's minutes and that's it. I dislike that it impacts Elson's minutes.

[exstatic]

I'm worried that the better Fin plays the more likely Pop is to go small. I wish how well/poorly Fin plays impacted just Bruce's minutes and that's it. I dislike that it impacts Elson's minutes.
The primary thing that impacts Elson's minutes is his inability to NOT go for upfakes and draw the subsequent silly fouls. He could be the best shotblocker in the league if he would just REALIZE that he shouldn't leave the floor until the offensive player does. When you commit a foul every 7 minutes or so, you're not going to spend much time on the hardwood.

[wildbill2u]

The primary thing that impacts Elson's minutes is his inability to NOT go for upfakes and draw the subsequent silly fouls. He could be the best shotblocker in the league if he would just REALIZE that he shouldn't leave the floor until the offensive player does. When you commit a foul every 7 minutes or so, you're not going to spend much time on the hardwood.
Unfortunately, that's why they call them 'fakes', the object is to get the defensive player off his feet and either draw a foul or be out of position for the next offensive move.

Elson, like many other players, doesn't have the best intuitive grasp of exactly when the offensive player is faking. He really doesn't have enough experience in his relatively undistinguished career against the front line players of another team's starting five. He may get better with practice, but probably not much better this year.

[SpursFanFirst]

It's good to see him doing so well...especially after that slump he had.
Here's hoping Manu can come out of his as well :toast

[theroc5]

I agree I think that finely should start over barry.

With 96 min between the 2 and 3 I would like to see this
Manu gets 32 min.
Bowen gets 30 min
Finely gets 20 min. (5 min of playing the 4 for small ball.)
Barry gets 19 min

[Bruno]

And people said he was done two months ago. :rolleyes

[YODA]

Its a great time for Finley to hit his stride, The new ball really messed him up in my opinion. The biggest factor to me about Finleyy is that he isnt just shooting 3's. For a while, all he took was 3,s and he seemded nervous when he did. Now he is driving a lto more, acitve on Defense, and shooting alot more mid range jumpers. Koodos To Finely, for coming around justt in time for playoffs. On a broader scale, Its good to see the Spurs try to back off jacking up so many 3's.


YODA

[exstatic]

Unfortunately, that's why they call them 'fakes', the object is to get the defensive player off his feet and either draw a foul or be out of position for the next offensive move.

Elson, like many other players, doesn't have the best intuitive grasp of exactly when the offensive player is faking. He really doesn't have enough experience in his relatively undistinguished career against the front line players of another team's starting five. He may get better with practice, but probably not much better this year.
The thing that Elson needs to realize is that Tim can hardly jump, and averages almost 3 times Elson's blocks. Elson has such springs that he never needs to leave his feet until the offensive player does. I would rather he NEVER went for the first fake and let some guys score if it meant that he didn't have to leave with fouls. They usually score anyway, and get the FT to boot.

[wildbill2u]

The thing that Elson needs to realize is that Tim can hardly jump, and averages almost 3 times Elson's blocks. Elson has such springs that he never needs to leave his feet until the offensive player does. I would rather he NEVER went for the first fake and let some guys score if it meant that he didn't have to leave with fouls. They usually score anyway, and get the FT to boot.
Good idea--if you could get him to do it. Kinda like how Nazr would have been more effective without multiple pump fakes under the basket.

"I yam what I yam," said Popeye.

[exstatic]

Good idea--if you could get him to do it. Kinda like how Nazr would have been more effective without multiple pump fakes under the basket.

"I yam what I yam," said Popeye.
:lol:rollin
Work with him this summer. Make him play one on one with numerous pumpfakes. If he leaves his feet before the offense, make him run 5 laps...each time. Shit, hire Nazr to come in and be the pump faker. Or Rose. :lol

[wildbill2u]

:lol:rollin
Work with him this summer. Make him play one on one with numerous pumpfakes. If he leaves his feet before the offense, make him run 5 laps...each time. Shit, hire Nazr to come in and be the pump faker. Or Rose. :lol
I shouldn't have said anything about multiple fakes. Didn't I see Elson do that a couple of times against Phoenix and give them time to defense him. Maybe its endemic in a certain level of player. :rolleyes :bang

[timvp]

Elson makes me miss Nazr's pumpfakes when he consistently gets blocked by point guards. Just over the last couple games, he was blocked by Monta Ellis and James Jones. How a seven-footer gets blocked from behind by a guy a foot shorter than him, I'll never know.

:depressed

[T Park]

So now were bitching about him getting his shot blocked?

hes giving 5 and 8 in the last couple games.

Stepped up well against phoenix and were nitpicking BS like "he got his shot blocked"

How many times did the goddamn golden boy Malik Rose get his shot blocked?

good lord.

[sribb43]

I seem to remember Finley making a three in game 4 last year against Dallas to give em a 2 point lead near the end of regulation.

I just have bad memories still of Fin shooting I think 1-17 in the Conference Semi's in Game 5 vs. SAS in 2001. Then in the summer MC gave him that $100 million contract. Wondering what Cubes would have given him if he hadnt shot so poorly in that game.


http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f193/stacem28/mavsspurs.jpg

[T Park]

christ look at lineup.

people wonder why the Spurs got swept.

Danny Ferry and terry porter starting. God what was pop thinking :lol

[Pugglekicker_21]

Didnt we draft Manu in 99? I wonder why it took so long fo him to get here, and for other people too.

[sribb43]

forgot Samaki was on the Spurs, that must have been a beating for Spurs fans, i know it was for Mavs fans

[samikeyp]

forgot Samaki was on the Spurs, that must have been a beating for Spurs fans, i know it was for Mavs fans

Samaki is pretty forgettable.

[exstatic]

Didnt we draft Manu in 99? I wonder why it took so long fo him to get here, and for other people too.
He wasn't ready.

[T Park]

not just not ready.

Not even friggen CLOSE to being ready.

[aaronstampler]

I think either the year he got drafted or the year before he was on some team that was so bad defensively that the whole team allowed over 60% shooting from the field.

[maldita21]

Finley makes the most of his time (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA040907.06D.spurs.2eed4b0.html)
Web Posted: 04/08/2007 08:37 PM CDT

Johnny Ludden
Express-News

Michael Finley had just finished his second consecutive 40-plus-minute performance Saturday night when someone asked about the sudden increase in his workload.
"I'm glad we have tomorrow off," Finley said, "so I can rest up a little bit."

Finley earned a day to relax after playing 41 and 40 minutes in the past two games. He had been on the floor for as many as 30 minutes in only five of the previous 58 games.

The absence of Brent Barry, who has missed the past three games with a back injury, has increased Finley's playing time. And his consistent production has given Spurs coach Gregg Popovich little reason to take him off the court.

In the past eight games, the last three of which he started, Finley has averaged 14.9 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 47.7 percent. :clap

During that time, he's made 25 of 48 3-pointers, including at least three in each of the last six games.

"It's the old good days," Tim Duncan said. "He used to lead the league in minutes for a couple years there (in Dallas), so he's used to it.

"He knows how to pace himself and honestly, we need him out there. He's been doing such a great job for us shooting the ball, spreading the floor, making the right plays."

Finley had 19 points and a season-high 10 rebounds in Thursday's victory over Phoenix, then made three 3-pointers in the Spurs' 40-point first quarter Saturday against Golden State. With Barry expected to return at some point this week, Finley has built a credible case for continuing to start, but said he won't have a problem should he return to the bench.

"It was something I was accustomed to before I came into the starting lineup," said Finley, in his 12th NBA season. "I just have to mentally stay focused coming off the bench, and if I do that I should be OK."

Finley started to settle into a rhythm before getting the opportunity to start. After he shot 37.9 percent, including 31.2 percent from the 3-point line, in the season's first three months, Popovich told him to stop deferring to teammates and fire away when open.

Finley also was happy to see the NBA switch back to the leather ball at the start of the year.

When Spalding representatives showed up at the Spurs' practice facility last week and gave the players some new synthetic models to test, he started booing. :lol

Finley's increased production has coincided with the Spurs' surge since the All-Star break. Of late, the team has relied on him to help anchor its small lineup.

"This year, I put a lot of pressure on myself early," Finley said. "I wanted to have a stellar season, so to speak.

"From that standpoint, I was taking away from my game. Then I settled down a little bit, let the game start coming to me, come into my role, and I've been a lot more comfortable since then."

That's good news for the Spurs.

Finley had similar struggles last season before improving in the playoffs. During the last four Western Conference semifinal games against Dallas, Popovich played him 47, 44, 45 and 47 minutes.

As Finley headed out of the locker room late Saturday, he looked forward to his day off. But he also said he didn't feel too tired.

"Since the playoffs are rolling around, there's no time to make excuses," Finley said. "I'm just ready to play." :hungry:

[duncanchick21]

:toast :clap Keep Up The Good Work Fin!!! Youre Going To Kick Ass In The Playoffs!! Go Spurs Go!!