Would Pop cut Duncan if it meant keeping Finley?

[SenorSpur]

I like Michael Finley..he's the epitome of class, he's a great guy, and a good role model for younger players coming up..with that being said, he's not a guy that should be playing significant minutes on any team anymore..

These first 2 games are the best he's going to look from a physical standpoint..he's fresh from a good off-season, he hasn't had any wear and tear from the season yet, hasn't had any injuries..even with that, he's been very bad defensively in both games..he just can't keep up on defense..he misses too many rotations, he can't stay in front of his guy, he can't elevate enough to affect the shot, he didn't make good defensive decisions tonight..

I agree with your setup compliments on Finley, but allow me to pile on a bit. One of the other areas Finley is very weak in is rebounding. To illustrate just how fundamentally poor he is in that area, RARELY, if ever, does he box anyone out. Furthermore, he always seems to make the bad pass at the wrong time.

As always, and especially in a game like this against a younger, quicker team, if Finley is not stroking his jumper, he's useless.

Still, it seems that we all make the same claims and complaints about him year after year and Pop just keeps on going back to the guy. It's as though Pop just doesn't get it.

Granted, it's not Finley's fault that the Spurs lost, it's just more of the same blind loyalty to a guy that is playing more minutes than he should be.

The contradicting question is how can Pop expect the Spurs to pick up their defensive intensity as a team, when he features two players (Bonner and Finley) that are so notoriously poor on that end?

[Fabbs]

If your gonna about anything about offense.

Thats where the game was lost. That and getting outrebounded by 12.

13 min 6 pts Blair 3-3 shooting.
27 min 6 pts Finly 2-5

13 min 4 boards Blair. 2 offensive
27 min 2 boards Finly 0 offensive

[draft87]

Not panicking over the game. Losses are to be expected, I'll live with 81-1 or something similar.

But Finley, 28 minutes... really?

I mean it's 4 on 5 when he's out there.

Someone mind telling Pop he's got to play a player with a pulse, per NBA rules?

now i'm not the most popular name on this board but i'm gonna get for saying this:

1) why say something this goofy? did you watch the game? if so, then offer some analysis on finley's role/production/etc

2) if you are not serious and just clowning, please stop. this is a waste of everyone's time

3) if you 1 and 2 make you respond with sarcastic 'old' 'suck' ' bonner' comments then please, by all means go cheer on the lakers or the mavs.

4) if 3 came off as rude then please accept my apologies and let's just stick to 1/2

[draft87]

Finley was slow to rotate, his stupid pump fake 3 step dump off the ball to whoever was near him, open or not, was AWFUL offense. He was easily fooled on defense, especially that thomas baseline play. I would have liked George at the wing, Bogans maybe, Malik for sure.

George played with passion. He doesnt deserve the minutes over the sack of dirt that is Finley? If he doesnt catch fire early his game is useless.

ok, i stand corrected. i agree most with your last statement about catching early fire. but why exaggerate about the duncan thing?
don't get me wrong, i'm not disagreeing with you. i'm not a fan of extended finley minutes. he's been reliable health-wise. it does not seem wise to play him that many minutes and risk another veteran running out of steam come april. i think we're seeing the starting lineup and rotation as it is simply because there are so many players not completely familiar with the system.

don't be surprised if every 2 weeks Finley gets a minute or two shaved off his time.

there's a very good chance that hairston can match up very well against deng and salmons but it's too much to juggle jefferson, rusty-manu, etc, bogans getting into rhythm.

i think just as much as the wise ones were saying- game 1 was simply game 1. game 2-82 are a lot to work towards.(besides the hornets played as bad as the spurs played well) -that there's a whole season for the younger players to get comfortable with the entire system on both ends and therefore take over some of finley's minutes.

finley's role could possibly stay as starting 2 but will most definitely be to provide 3pt shooting and to steady the ship during some of the more complex playmaking(crunchtime) whether it's starting and playing 20 mpg or coming of the bench and playing 17mpg.

[angelbelow]

I wasn't too pleased with Finley playing so much, but it's early on and the others may still be learning the system.. so maybe that was why Finley was out there.

I'm not a coach but I would have just thrown the new players in and let them learn on the go.

[SA210]

I've been screaming this for three years. Finley's last decent year was 2007, and I wanted to dump him after that year. But of course Pop signs him to a two-year contract when he has ZERO left in the tank.

And now we're in the 2nd year of the completely dry tank. Trouble is, when you run on a dry tank, it harms the whole engine.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

13 min 6 pts Blair 3-3 shooting.
27 min 6 pts Finly 2-5

13 min 4 boards Blair. 2 offensive
27 min 2 boards Finly 0 offensive

While it's obvious you haven't watched the game, I still wonder what you meant by this? That Blair should take Fin's minutes? Or that Blair played better than Fin? Because neither is correct.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

All the cool kids hate on Fin and Bonner, but fail to see what the guys who would have taken their minutes have contributed.

[Fabbs]

I've been screaming this for three years. Finley's last decent year was 2007, and I wanted to dump him after that year. But of course Pop signs him to a two-year contract when he has ZERO left in the tank.

And now we're in the 2nd year of the completely dry tank. Trouble is, when you run on a dry tank, it harms the whole engine.

+2.

Anyone have wedding pictures of PopnFins?

[hater]

All the cool kids hate on Fin and Bonner, but fail to see what the guys who would have taken their minutes have contributed.

I think most ppl are not hating on finley/bonner they are hating on the fact that they get so many minute.

Finleys line:
28 minutes 6pts 1ast 2 rbs = utter

some of his minutes should have gone to Mason/Hill even if they were also sucking

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

some of his minutes should have gone to Mason/Hill even if they were also sucking

It doesn't make sense, really. Mason and Hill were worse than Fin last night, just like Dyess and Blair were way worse than Bonner, why should they get more minutes?

[NRHector]

Well if we are going to lose with Finley and Bonner playing anyway then why not losing with McDysee and Blair or the rest of the bench so they can learn the "system" on the fly at least that would be a legit excuse.

[hater]

It doesn't make sense, really. Mason and Hill were worse than Fin last night, just like Dyess and Blair were way worse than Bonner, why should they get more minutes?

Blair and Hill were not worse than Bonner and Finley

Blair was active in the paint and Hill was defending well. And like hector says it's better to lose with the young players than the veterans. at least they are gaining experience

[ElNono]

blair was active in the paint and hill was defending well. And like hector says it's better to lose with the young players than the veterans. At least they are gaining experience

+1

[Fabbs]

Blair and Hill were not worse than Bonner and Finley

Blair was active in the paint and Hill was defending well. And like hector says it's better to lose with the young players than the veterans. at least they are gaining experience

it's obvious he (BG_Spurs_Fan) didn't watch the game.

[Johnny RIngo]

All the cool kids hate on Fin and Bonner, but fail to see what the guys who would have taken their minutes have contributed.

I wanted Hairston to get some of Finely's minutes.

[spurspokesman]

Name a single player who was producing at that position tonight.

Not a 1

[TDMVPDPOY]

finley doesnt look like a player that should be earning 2 paychecks...

cuban must be payin him to suck on the spurs team...

[spurspokesman]

Blair and Hill were not worse than Bonner and Finley

Blair was active in the paint and Hill was defending well. And like hector says it's better to lose with the young players than the veterans. at least they are gaining experience

Finley got his ass busted. Period. No excuses. But this is the norm. He just cant hang anymore.

[NRHector]

it's obvious he (BG_Spurs_Fan) didn't watch the game.

Well don't you think it would make more sense to let the new guys learn "the system" right now at the begining of the season and not wait until the middle or almost at the end when it matters the most, that is the excuse that is being used to give Finley and Bonner more minutes because they already know "the System", well if they do they don't need more minutes the new players do

[Spurs Brazil]

I don't like Finley D and I'd rather see him playing 10-15 minutes but yesterday the whole team were TERRIBLE. Only TD played well

[Fabbs]

Well don't you think it would make more sense to let the new guys learn "the system" right now at the begining of the season and not wait until the middle or almost at the end when it matters the most, that is the excuse that is being used to give Finley and Bonner more minutes because they already know "the System", well if they do they don't need more minutes the new players do

Oh yes we are in complete agreement. You must have interputed my post as I am one of the Finley-Pop slurpers.

BG_Spurs_Fan slurped that anyone who thought Finley played to much last night did not see the game.

[NRHector]

Oh yes we are in complete agreement. You must have interputed my post as I am one of the Finley-Pop slurpers.

BG_Spurs_Fan slurped that anyone who thought Finley played to much last night did not see the game.

I'm with you

[z0sa]

Bonner did well defensively, but like the other bigs outside of Tim, couldn't rebound.

[bugoy]

hahaha