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So nobody has posted a "Start Finley, bring Manu off the bench" thread yet? I'm shocked.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b....21e37283.html
Spurs' Finley starting to get into groove
Web Posted: 12/17/2005 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
The game was tight, but Michael Finley was just getting loose.
Finley had already made a baseline jumper to momentarily slow Minnesota's comeback. With the Timberwolves having once again closed within four, the ball swung to him in the left corner.
Feet set, hands at the ready, Finley received the pass and — without a moment of hesitation — released a 3-pointer that arced perfectly before dropping through the net. It was the last shot the Spurs would make Thursday night, and it proved to be the difference in their 90-88 victory.
Finley had delivered similar heroics two nights earlier, hitting a mid-range jumper followed by a 3-pointer to distance the Spurs from the Los Angeles Clippers in overtime. He scored 21 points in each game, starting both in place of Manu Ginobili.
As he straightened his tie in the Spurs' near-empty locker room late Thursday, Finley said he felt good. But, he also admitted, he should feel good.
Hadn't he merely done the same thing he did for nine seasons in Dallas?
"Now I have to get to the point," Finley said, "where coming off the bench is as comfortable for me as starting."
With Ginobili still sidelined by a right foot sprain, Finley probably won't return to his reserve role for at least another two games.
Finley, so far, has made good use of his expanded playing time. In the four games he's started, he's averaged 15.5 points and 4.8 rebounds in 34.0 minutes while shooting 46.8 percent. He's also made 22 of 47 3-pointers.
As a reserve, Finley has shot 37.3 percent while averaging 8.7 points and 3.5 rebounds in 25.2 minutes.
Finley started the last 605 games he played with Dallas. He spent much of that time as one of the featured pieces of the Mavericks' offense, never going long without the ball in his hands.
"He's used to taking advantage of mismatches in the post and ... getting touches every third time down the court," Brent Barry said. "That just isn't the case now. It takes time, especially for a player like Mike, and even Nick (Van Exel), to get adjusted to it."
Barry knows. He started for most of his five years in Seattle before joining the Spurs last season.
Although never as prolific a scorer as Finley, Barry also has had to learn how to contribute in fewer minutes. For much of the past two weeks, he's performed consistently when given the opportunity.
"In my case, it was just that I felt there was a lot of pressure to make everything perfect last year," Barry said. "This year, I'm a lot more relaxed.
"I don't know if Fin's going through the same sort of thing. I think he's a different type of player. But having the opportunity to get these minutes and get the experience he's getting, early in the season, is going to help him."
Like Barry, Finley also had never played with a dominant big man before joining the Spurs. He calls it "a big contrast from what I played in in Dallas."
As a result, Finley is learning how to take advantage of the double-teams Tim Duncan attracts. Not wanting to force shots, he's sometimes turned down open looks.
After Finley made back-to-back shots in Tuesday's overtime period, coach Gregg Popovich chided him for passing to Duncan on the next possession.
"At the end of the game, when I make that drive, I usually look to shoot," Finley said. "But it's different when you see Tim Duncan standing there."
While Finley was part of the Mavericks' Big Three, Duncan, Ginobili and Tony Parker assume much of the Spurs' scoring responsibilities.
"You go through a process where you start thinking about deferring some of the things you ordinarily would do in order to keep those guys happy," Barry said. "After a while, you figure out those guys don't really need it, and if you make a play for yourself, it's OK."
Finley also has worked to predicate his game on defense and rebounding, evidenced by the 10 boards he took against the Clippers.
"When you come into a championship team, you don't want to step on anybody's toes," said Robert Horry, who didn't begin to feel comfortable until near the end of his first season with the Spurs. "You just do what you can to help and not overstep your bounds.
"Now, it looks like he's saying, 'They just want me to have fun and shoot the basketball the way I did in Dallas.' He's getting into a groove."
So nobody has posted a "Start Finley, bring Manu off the bench" thread yet? I'm shocked.
in way to step up mike thread
Good, he's on my fantasy team.
Fin's catch-and-shoot off the curl is pure dynamite for this team. Hopefully he can find his rhythm off the bench.
I don't get how he can double his production going from 25 minutes to 35 minutes. I'm sure it helps he is getting more touches with Manu out, but truthfully Manu is a very efficient scorer who usually only gets 7 or 8 shots a game.
Instead of it being about minutes, I think its about mindset and his role with the team. He is seeing the team wants him to defend and rebound, but that he CAN really contribute scoring for the team in a very significant way.
I would like to see him take almost all of the backup sf/sg minutes, let him get 30 mpg doing so, and hopefully his production stays close to where it is now. He should be able to average 12 ppg, getting more when Manu and/or Parker are not hitting it.
If we can manage to get Finley playing near this level with a healthy Manu, we have more punch in the swing position than I can ever remember.
Start Finley, bring Manu off the bench.
Just kidding.
Finley has had the same mindset that has plagued Barry: a desire to be a "team" guy so bad that it makes him a little hesitant, or gets him thinking about it when he shoots.
He must reach the level of zen achieved by Robert Horry, the "if I miss this shot, I'm still the man, you can't rattle me" state.
Starting is overrated. The important is to finish the games, not to start them.
I don't care if Manu start or come from the bench. The only thing I wish is that he plays around 30-32 mpg in the regular season.
The fact that Finley begins to be in the groove open another question : Should we trade Barry ? he is too expensive for the playtime he has and is quite redundant with NVE and Finley.
Should we trade Barry since we have NVE and Fin?
Well, with him we have 4 guys at the 2/3 positions.
manu, fin, bowen, barry. If we only carry 3, then WHEN one gets hurt they would have to play practically the whole game (or we would get a 10 day contract type player).
Since Manu has been out, when teams play small we have put NVE out there with Tony. This gives Nick more minutes and prevents us from having to play Barry as much (because he sucks), but I don't think that is a good long-term rotation addition.
If we were to trade Barry, we would need to get back a 2/3 guy anyway so whats the point?
We must have AT LEAST 4 guys in our 4/5 rotation, which we have: Duncan, Rasho, Nazr, Horry. Our spare player there is Oberto.
Its very important to have 3 pg's on the roster, which we have. It could be said that Barry can play Pg, but he's really a combo guard at best and not a great pg per se.
The only "spare parts" players we have, Nazr, Barry, Beno and Oberto, are important (in that order) in case of injury. If we DO trade a combination of them away, perhaps we could do a 2 or even 3 for 1 and get back a player worth Nazr, Barry and beno, or Oberto, Barry and Beno.
A 2 for 1 we have enough of a bench to recover from, a 3 for 1 might be too much.
Further, I don't know that they are really worth much.
Whats the point? You pretty much have to give to get, and I don't see us getting much unless we give away too many of our bench players.
I see two reason to trade Barry :
1) Barry is expensive : With Manu and Bruce playing 32 mpg and Finley 24 mpg, there is only 8 minutes left.
2 ) He is redundant with Finley (vet shooter). With NVE, the fact that he could play the point (with Manu helping him) is meaningless.
The point is to trade Barry for a less talented, younger and cheaper 2/3 backup (a guy like Devin Brown). The purpose is not to change all our bench but to save money and to have a swingman on the bench that bring us some D and speed.
I find too that our PF/C rotation isn't well balanced but it's another topic.
It will be interesting to see if pop does that come playoff time like he has with hedo and SJ
Barry might be a luxury, but it's a great one to have. He's smart, can shoot, can handle, is a complete team player. In times of injury - like now - he's indispensible.
And, I'd never in a million years trade him for a guy like Devin Brown, who will not make it in this league nearly the way Brent Barry has.
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