ducks
05-26-2007, 09:17 AM
Notebook: Spurs won't discuss Cuban's comments
Web Posted: 05/25/2007 09:57 PM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News
The Spurs gave an official "no comment" to reports the NBA is investigating comments made last week by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban about Spurs forward Michael Finley.
Cuban told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram he was pulling for Finley to win an NBA title and added, "I would hope that after his contract is over in San Antone, he would consider the Mavs as an option. I don't know that he would, but our entire organization has that much respect for him."
Finley signed a free-agent contract with the Spurs after the Mavericks waived him in 2005 to take advantage of a one-time amnesty clause in the NBA's collective bargaining agreement. That allowed them to avoid paying a dollar-for-dollar luxury tax on the $51.8 million that remained on the final three seasons of Finley's contract.
Team officials are prohibited from commenting about players under contract to other teams. Both the Spurs and Finley on Friday declined to comment about possible tampering charges.
Finley thanked Cuban for the support he expressed.
"I heard about it," Finley said. "Thank you. Anything to make the playoffs, from his standpoint. I'm appreciative."
Pack your ear plugs: The Spurs know the EnergySolutions Arena crowd is one of the NBA's loudest, but after the hostility they received from Phoenix fans in Game 5 in the conference semifinals, they figure they're ready for anything.
Suns fans were livid after Robert Horry's flagrant foul at the end of Game 4 cost the Suns Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw for Game 5. Both were suspended for leaving the bench area during the altercation that followed Horry's flagrant foul. Horry received a two-game suspension.
The NBA assigned extra security to the Spurs during Game 5 after a bomb threat had been phoned in to their hotel in Phoenix.
"There's no way (it can be as hostile)," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Everything is less than that, that's for sure."
Popovich likened Jazz fans to Spurs fans.
"It's a great place to play," he said. "They get into it and love their team. They do a great job."
Horry was not allowed inside the arena for Game 5 against Phoenix, but he has plenty of playoff experience in Utah.
"...They're a good crowd, but if you jump on them early, you can keep the crowd out of it and not have to worry about them," Horry said
Keeping it clean: Utah coach Jerry Sloan said he's been disappointed his team's effort at times during the series, and hinted that he'd like to see the Jazz play more physical than they did in the first two games.
But he made it clear he doesn't want his players to cross the line.
"I don't want any nasty basketball, or any of that 'We've got to take somebody out' kind of stuff," Sloan said. "I just want to see us play hard."
Peas in a pod?: Utah forward Carlos Boozer, who played for Popovich when he was an assistant coach on the 2004 USA Basketball team, said he sees several similarities between Popovich and Sloan.
Sloan (in his 19th season) and Popovich (11th) are the longest-tenured coaches in the NBA.
"I definitely see some of the things that he has that Jerry has," Boozer said. "They're both fiery at times. ... They put their heart and soul into the game, and they're very passionate about it."
Web Posted: 05/25/2007 09:57 PM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News
The Spurs gave an official "no comment" to reports the NBA is investigating comments made last week by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban about Spurs forward Michael Finley.
Cuban told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram he was pulling for Finley to win an NBA title and added, "I would hope that after his contract is over in San Antone, he would consider the Mavs as an option. I don't know that he would, but our entire organization has that much respect for him."
Finley signed a free-agent contract with the Spurs after the Mavericks waived him in 2005 to take advantage of a one-time amnesty clause in the NBA's collective bargaining agreement. That allowed them to avoid paying a dollar-for-dollar luxury tax on the $51.8 million that remained on the final three seasons of Finley's contract.
Team officials are prohibited from commenting about players under contract to other teams. Both the Spurs and Finley on Friday declined to comment about possible tampering charges.
Finley thanked Cuban for the support he expressed.
"I heard about it," Finley said. "Thank you. Anything to make the playoffs, from his standpoint. I'm appreciative."
Pack your ear plugs: The Spurs know the EnergySolutions Arena crowd is one of the NBA's loudest, but after the hostility they received from Phoenix fans in Game 5 in the conference semifinals, they figure they're ready for anything.
Suns fans were livid after Robert Horry's flagrant foul at the end of Game 4 cost the Suns Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw for Game 5. Both were suspended for leaving the bench area during the altercation that followed Horry's flagrant foul. Horry received a two-game suspension.
The NBA assigned extra security to the Spurs during Game 5 after a bomb threat had been phoned in to their hotel in Phoenix.
"There's no way (it can be as hostile)," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Everything is less than that, that's for sure."
Popovich likened Jazz fans to Spurs fans.
"It's a great place to play," he said. "They get into it and love their team. They do a great job."
Horry was not allowed inside the arena for Game 5 against Phoenix, but he has plenty of playoff experience in Utah.
"...They're a good crowd, but if you jump on them early, you can keep the crowd out of it and not have to worry about them," Horry said
Keeping it clean: Utah coach Jerry Sloan said he's been disappointed his team's effort at times during the series, and hinted that he'd like to see the Jazz play more physical than they did in the first two games.
But he made it clear he doesn't want his players to cross the line.
"I don't want any nasty basketball, or any of that 'We've got to take somebody out' kind of stuff," Sloan said. "I just want to see us play hard."
Peas in a pod?: Utah forward Carlos Boozer, who played for Popovich when he was an assistant coach on the 2004 USA Basketball team, said he sees several similarities between Popovich and Sloan.
Sloan (in his 19th season) and Popovich (11th) are the longest-tenured coaches in the NBA.
"I definitely see some of the things that he has that Jerry has," Boozer said. "They're both fiery at times. ... They put their heart and soul into the game, and they're very passionate about it."