Mavs' Finley to have ankle surgery

[ducks]

Mavericks' Finley to have surgery on right ankle
By STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Sports Writer
May 23, 2005

DALLAS (AP) -- Dallas Mavericks swingman Michael Finley expects to have surgery because of a bone chip in his right ankle that bothered him most of the season.

Finley said Monday he never wanted the ankle injury to be an excuse for any struggles he had this season. He left the Mavericks' fifth game in November with what the team called a sprained ankle and missed 15 games before returning Dec. 9.

The two-time All-Star had some of the lowest averages in his 12 NBA seasons, scoring 15.7 points per game and shooting 42.7 percent from the field. He averaged a career-low 4.1 rebounds and was chastised by former coach Don Nelson for poor rebounding during a game.

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``It's been tough on me physically because I've been unable to do the things that I'm capable of doing ... unable to be the explosive guy that the fans have grown to love, that the team has gotten accustomed to,'' Finley said. ``When you take that part away from my game, it limits me and makes me just an ordinary guy. I think this year it did that a lot.''

When Finley was hurt in November, he said he opted against surgery and missing even more time because the team was having other injury problems. He felt he could contribute without being healthy, and he knew he couldn't further damage his ankle. It was just a matter of playing through pain.

Finley said his recovery from surgery won't last longer than six weeks, and he expects to be healthy for training camp. He even plans to have time to play golf.

``It just gives me a chance to really recuperate with the time off, doing nothing,'' he said. ``I'll be able to get things back that were lacking from my game this year, the explosiveness, the ability to get to the basket when I want to pain-free. Hopefully, with the surgery, all of that will be over and done with.''

Finley told reporters about the expected surgery as he left the American Airlines Center after the team's season-ending meeting. The Mavericks, who won 58 games during the regular season, were eliminated from the playoffs by a 130-126 overtime loss to the Phoenix Suns and former teammate Steve Nash in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals Friday night.

Coach Avery Johnson indicated earlier that Finley ``was bothered by an ankle injury toward the end of the season,'' and that he felt the veteran would do whatever it took to get ready to play next season. He never mentioned surgery.

``Obviously, it looks like something was bothering him all year, and he wasn't himself,'' teammate Dirk Nowitzki said. ``He was injured early, and then it seems like he never really got over the hump. ... I'd just like for him to perform the way he can. He's still very, very capable.''

[mavsfan1000]

If his ankle wasn't right why was he playing so many minutes? I blame Avery Johnson for not allowing Daniels to get in a flow. He and Harris were totally taken out of the rotation which decreased Dallas's depth. They were a big part of what made Dallas good during the season and not playing them did not make sense.

[Pandaemonaeon]

Wah wah ing excuses. Trade the son of a !

[mavsfan1000]

I would rather have Daniels and Stackhouse playing then an old Finley that can't get to the basket.