# Loss to Mavericks especially disappointing to Spurs' Finley



## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

Web Posted: 05/24/2006 12:00 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer 

Michael Finley met the media Tuesday at the Spurs' practice facility, forthright and thoughtful as always. 

His five minutes of playoff postmortem completed, Finley opened the door to the Spurs' inner sanctum, about to leave inquiring minds behind for four months, when he turned back to the cameras, recorders and notepads. 

"I apologize for not talking to you guys after the game last night," Finley said. "It was kind of a tough night." 

No Spurs player seemed to take Monday's loss to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals harder than Finley, and the reasons were as apparent as the uniforms worn by the team that sent the Spurs to an early vacation. Finley played eight-plus seasons for the Mavericks, who waived him last summer in a cost-cutting move that, while fiscally understandable, hurt him nonetheless. 

While numerous Spurs players, coaches and minority owner David Robinson congratulated Avery Johnson, the former Spurs point guard who coached the Mavericks to the conference finals, Finley walked quickly toward the tunnel that leads to the team's locker room at the AT&T Center. 

Before he made his way off the court, Mavericks guard Jason Terry approached Finley and gave him a quick hug, putting behind him the ugliness of his Game 5 punch to Finley's groin. 

That incident was a flashpoint in a series that needed no help capturing the imagination of basketball fans everywhere. It got Terry suspended for Game6 and turned Finley into a villain on the American Airlines Center court on which he once was admired. 

That, too, turned the sting of the Mavericks' triumph into a searing burn for Finley. 

Finley said only a few words to Terry after Monday's game, eager to leave the court and slip into the relative solitude of the Spurs' team room. 

Finley has no championship ring, which means he has been eliminated from the playoffs each of the six times he has played in them in his 11 seasons. Losing to the Mavericks made this elimination the most painful. 

"I'm not going to sit here and lie. I would love to have beaten those guys," Finley said. "But my goal coming here was to make it to the championship, no matter who was in our way. Dallas was one of the teams that was in our way to us accomplishing that goal, and we were unable to get to that point. 

"From that standpoint, on both of those, that was very disappointing." 

Finley found little solace in the airtight nature of the series, being called one of the best in NBA playoff history. 

"It's disappointing because I felt we had a chance to win," said Finley, who finished the series as a starter, playing no fewer than 44 minutes in the final four games. "Not just in Game 7 but in the previous games. We put ourselves in position to win. The ball just didn't bounce our way. Dallas got a lot of bounces and a lot of breaks. You have to tip your hat to them. Maybe they're destined to do something good. You never know." 

Finley had one goal when he decided to sign with the Spurs last summer after the Mavericks cut him loose: win a championship. 

Two other teams that courted Finley, the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat, are in their respective conference finals, but Finley is not second-guessing himself. 

"I'm sticking with my decision, 100 percent," he said. "Unfortunately, we were unable to get into the NBA Finals. So be it. I'm happy. I'm with a great group of guys, a great coaching staff, and I'm happy."


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## The Future7 (Feb 24, 2005)

I dont blame him. I know he is not happy. We made the right decision in letting him go.


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## Saint Baller (May 3, 2006)

The Future7 said:


> I dont blame him. I know he is not happy. We made the right decision in letting him go.


 Him and NVE will be crawling back if we win the 'ship


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## StackAttack (Mar 15, 2006)

NVE's retiring and Fin's too proud.


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## The Future7 (Feb 24, 2005)

When they ask to comeback, we will spray them will some bug repelent


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## Saint Baller (May 3, 2006)

The Future7 said:


> When they ask to comeback, we will spray them will some bug repelent


 Yes, and then, we will say play for free or dont play at all


Hahaha


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## Cameron Crazy (Apr 25, 2006)

Way To Go Mavs That A Baby!


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## c_dog (Sep 15, 2002)

wow, this guy played for the mavs through its worst times. the mavs wouldn't be where they are today without this guy and i see all these mavs fans hating on him? where's your sense of loyalty? unbelievable.


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## compsciguy78 (Dec 16, 2002)

c_dog said:


> wow, this guy played for the mavs through its worst times. the mavs wouldn't be where they are today without this guy and i see all these mavs fans hating on him? where's your sense of loyalty? unbelievable.


I know, you guys make Kobe fans look like sane logical people.


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## Mavericks_Fan (Apr 19, 2005)

As I said, he lost my loyalty in these playoffs when he proved he had been coasting the last few years in Dallas. If he had played FOR us the way I just saw him playing AGAINST us then I wouldn't have a problem with him.


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

c_dog said:


> wow, this guy played for the mavs through its worst times. the mavs wouldn't be where they are today without this guy and i see all these mavs fans hating on him? where's your sense of loyalty? unbelievable.


the love lasted during the regular season...Itss playoffs baby and alls fair in love and war...


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## Chalie Boy (Aug 26, 2002)

I don't know if I speak for all Mavs fans but he shouldn't have went to the SPURS if he wanted us to feel sorry for him. :cheers:


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## VeN (May 10, 2005)

^^ /thread


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## mff4l (Dec 31, 2004)

well basically i dno't feel sorry for him either. his team played hard and lost. he was a class act while he was here, but we didn't get it done. *points to his sig*


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## c_dog (Sep 15, 2002)

Chalie Boy said:


> I don't know if I speak for all Mavs fans but he shouldn't have went to the SPURS if he wanted us to feel sorry for him. :cheers:


it wasn't his choice, he was let go. blame cuban, not finley.


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

c_dog said:


> it wasn't his choice, he was let go. blame cuban, not finley.


o.k. if it makes you feel better, were classless becuase we booed an opposing player on an opposing team in the playoffs...


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## Saint Baller (May 3, 2006)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> o.k. if it makes you feel better, were classless becuase we booed an opposing player on an opposing team in the playoffs...


 :laugh:


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## MavsChick (Jan 19, 2006)

I wouldn't boo Finley at all. He was a class guy who always gave it his best. Not much was expected of him when he (along with Sam Cassell and A.C. Green) came to DAL for Jason Kidd, but he really shone for years, especially after Nash came along.


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