Tom Orsburn: Spurs' Finley looking better
SALT LAKE CITY - Spurs forward Michael Finley's sore back didn't stop him from participating in drills at shootaround this morning.
"He's getting better every day," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
Finley logged just 17 minutes in Game 3 Saturday after tweaking his back in practice two days earlier. He appeared to move without pain this morning while participating in catch-and-shoot drills with assistant Don Newman and is expected to play tonight.
The Jazz, meanwhile, won't know until game time whether star point guard Deron Williams (stomach flu) will play.
Williams, who is averaging 30.3 points on 54.1 percent shooting in this series, was at the Jazz's shootaround but did not participate.
Williams did not talk to reporters afterward, but a couple of his teammates said they expect him to play.
"If there is any physical energy he can expend to get out on the court, he will do it," guard Derek Fisher said.
Said forward Matt Harpring: "He looked pretty good. I think he is going to play tonight."
Other notes and quotes from the shootarounds:
• Spurs center Fabricio Oberto had his sprained right thumb wrapped in ice after the shootaround. Oberto, who suffered the injury in Game 3, is expected to play tonight.
• Spurs forward Tim Duncan worked on his low-post moves with backup big man Melvin Ely at the end of the shootaround.
• Spur forward Matt Bonner admitted to being a fan of "The Andy Griffith Show" after he was caught whistling the show's familiar theme song while shooting free throws.
"I used to watch it when I was growing up. I've been called Opie so many times," said the red-headed Bonner.
• Just found out the name of another member of tonight's officiating crew. Joining Steve Javie will be Joe DeRosa. Javie and DeRosa worked Game 4 of the Spurs-Suns Western Conference semifinal series. That was the game in which Spurs forward Robert Horry committed a flagrant foul against Suns guard Steve Nash that resulted in league-imposed suspensions for Horry and the Suns' Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw.
• Popovich looked quite pensive as he walked off the court at the end of shootaround. I guess I would too if my team played as poorly as the Spurs did in Saturday's 26-point loss. And it doesn't help that the Jazz are 7-0 in the playoffs at home this postseason and undefeated in home playoff games against the Spurs.
• There are statues in front of the EnergySolutions Arena of Jazz greats Karl Malone and John Stockton in action. The statue of Stockton is on the money, but the one of Malone looks more like actor Woody Strode, a former UCLA football player and one of the first African-Americans to play in the NFL (Los Angeles Rams in 1946). Strode, who died in 1994 of lung cancer, is probably best remembered for his Golden-Globe nominated role in "Spartacus," a 1960 hit that starred Kirk Douglas. Strode also played John Wayne's sidekick in one of my favorite movies, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance."
"but the one of Malone looks more like actor Woody Strode, a former UCLA football player and one of the first African-Americans to play in the NFL (Los Angeles Rams in 1946). Strode, who died in 1994 of lung cancer, is probably best remembered for his Golden-Globe nominated role in "Spartacus," a 1960 hit that starred Kirk Douglas. Strode also played John Wayne's sidekick in one of my favorite movies, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance."
Hmm. OK.
Both refs favor road teams BTW.Just found out the name of another member of tonight's officiating crew. Joining Steve Javie will be Joe DeRosa. Javie and DeRosa worked Game 4 of the Spurs-Suns Western Conference semifinal series. That was the game in which Spurs forward Robert Horry committed a flagrant foul against Suns guard Steve Nash that resulted in league-imposed suspensions for Horry and the Suns' Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw.
At least I hope they continue that way
Yeah, we sure got the benefit of the calls in that game in PhoenixBoth refs favor road teams BTW.
At least I hope they continue that way
Yay!!!
We need Findog to start knocking down those threes again!!
They called game 4, in san antonio.Yeah, we sure got the benefit of the calls in that game in Phoenix
The night of the Horry flagrant.
Apology Accepted
Heck yeah. He was freakin on fire!
Javie better not pull a David Robinson special on Duncan tonight.
It might as well have been in Phoenix. The way that game had little to do with the road team vs. home team and a lot to do with who was up in that series. The way it always goes in the NBA when teams are up 2-1 in series.
Apology Accepted.
What’s a David Robinson special?
Totally not what T Park was arguing...
he simply said that this set of refs favors the road team.
You brought out a blatantly false example (Game 4 in San Antonio).
You didn't have to say anything, but now you just look like an even bigger ass.
David Robinson apparently believed that Steve Javie had something against him. It really came to a head after Game 6 of the 1996 WCSF at Utah. Robinson was saddled with foul problems for most of the night -- an elimination game for the Spurs -- and only played 29 mintues. After the game, in his post-game appearance on the podium, The Admiral went public with his concern that Javie had something against him and either called it "crap" or " ." Whatever, it was an uncharacteristic display of anger by David and, I think, added to the venom that San Antonio maintains for Steve Javie. I'm not sure that many people remember it, but Javie is probably still the most reviled NBA official in San Antonio -- so much so that I've heard casual fans refer to just about any bad official as "Javie."
Well said.
The Spurs in Utah during the playoffs with Javie in attendance meant David Robinson was getting two fouls in the first quarter no matter what. It happened every time to the point that even David Robinson snapped.
Add to the fact that Javie's best friend is Joe Crawford and he's literally the last ref I wanted to see against the Jazz in Salt Lake.
Well damn, how am I going to go on? That game had nothing to do with the road team and everything to do with Phoenix having to have that game or the series was over.
Either find me some other examples where DeRosa and Javie have hooked up the road team or stfu.
What the is wrong with you? TPark, with all his basketball knowledge, said we're going to get the hook up tonight. Be gone with your weak takes, LJ.
Bonus points for anyone that can tell me what the Spurs record is with Steve Javie as the ref....
And then give that information to TimVP....the back track ought to be entertaining...I just hope no one gets injured.
If you want to start guessing officials, here's my contribution.
In the Conference Finals round there are generally 18-20 officials working. After the Game 4's are concluded, you're basically down to 12 officials, as it's pretty much the Finals officials who work from that point forward.
To this point, there have been 18 officials who have worked Conference Finals games (3 games in each conference * 3 officials per game = 3 *2 *3 = 18)
To date, those 18 are:
Bavetta
Mike Callahan
Jim Clark
Sean Corbin
Dan Crawford
Bob Delaney
Scott Foster
Bernie Fryer
Ron Garretson
Steve Javie
Ken Mauer
Monty McCutchen
Jack Nies
Ed F. Rush
Bennett Salvatore
Tom Washington
Greg Willard
Mark Wunderlich
We hear that Joe Derosa will be the 19th official to call games in this round, so I'd think that, at most, there's maybe one other official left who is still working but hasn't yet called a game.
I think you can pretty safely assume that Corbin, Foster, McCutchen, and Wunderlich have worked their last games for this season, because this is the first year that any of those guys has worked this deep into the playoffs -- the first time an official gets to the Conference Finals, he usually only gets one game in that round.
For Games 4 and 5, I don't think the Spurs will see any official who has already worked a game in this round. That leaves the possibilities for the next 2 games as:
Bavetta
Jim Clark
Joe Derosa
Bernie Fryer
Steve Javie
Ken Mauer
Tom Washington
Greg Willard
We know tonight is apparently Javie and Derosa, but the third is likely to come from that list, as are the Game 5 officials.
Speculate away.
just no jack nies or bennet
By my count, since the 1998 playoffs, the Spurs are 11-6 with Javie on the floor.
Of course, they're also 0-3 with Javie on the floor since the start of the 2006 playoffs.
Oops......but I love David Robinson's arch enemyMaybe I'll make up for it by rooting for the Jazz
Let me put it another way...how many refs do the Spurs have a better record with?
One, right?
Ok...so I was wrong...
Seriously...talk about vendettas all you want...
But Bavetta and Bennet Salvator are just flat out incompetent...by far the worst refs in the NBA...so incompetent...that I actually feel sorry for any teams that have them reffing the game...even if I hate that team.
So incompetent...that I trust the vendetta refs to call a better game.
I didn't own myself...
The only refs we have a better record with than Javie are Joey and Danny Crawford.
You got pwnt...if that's your idea of a vendetta.
And any true DRob fan knows Drob is about forgiveness if nothing else...
TimVP proves he does not get it...just like when we tried to sign Malone.
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