[MavsFanFinley]

So the DMN says Finley is still bitter about being waived and the SA Express says he's moved on. I wonder which paper has the right story.

Finley settles in as one of Spurs' leaders

Web Posted: 10/31/2006 09:39 PM CST

Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer

Michael Finley hasn't forgotten the last time he walked into Dallas' American Airlines Center. The same fans he had played in front of for more than eight years booed him.
They called him a traitor. They carried signs brandishing him "Public Enemy No. 4." The day before, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban went on the radio to complain about Finley's "acting."

Finley said he's moved on. But, as the Spurs prepare to return to Dallas for Thursday's season opener, it's clear he also hasn't forgotten.

Not the sting of being cut by the Mavericks. Or the reception he received in last season's playoffs.

"The only difference now," Finley said, "is the way I felt last year is how the whole team feels this year."

In some sense, Finley has moved on. He might have looked like a Spur last season. But now, he also feels like one.

One sign came Monday after practice. The coaches were putting Jackie Butler through an exhausting drill by having him catch the ball on the block, dunk, then repeat the same thing from the other side of the lane. The young center, a free agent signed away from the New York Knicks, stopped after a few minutes.

Chest heaving, he walked off the court and put his hands on his knees.

Finley had just completed his own workout at the opposite end of the court. He walked over to Butler, leaned in and whispered in the big man's ear. Butler nodded, turned and went back to work.

"Not by any means, do I feel that this is my team," Finley said. "I know where my role lies on this team, but when I see opportune times to say something to the team or to individuals, I feel that I have enough respect from the team this year that they will listen to me.

"Last year, for me to come in and do that right away, I don't think that was my place."

The Spurs welcome having another leader in the locker room. Last week, Finley made Butler and rookie Jamar Smith run extra after practice as punishment for earlier causing the entire team to run. Staffers hadn't seen a similar act by a player since Avery Johnson left the team.

"You have to have people on your team who set examples for the young kids," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Jackie needs that, and he has a multitude of guys to look at to see the work they do during a practice and before a practice or after a practice. It's a great environment for him."

After Butler finished his workout Monday — which ended only after he ran the length of the court six times and dunked — Finley put his arm around him and offered some more advice.

"A lot of young guys come into the league and see extra work as punishment," Finley said. "It's not punishment. It's just trying to make you a better player."

Finley speaks from experience. As a rookie in Phoenix, he shared a locker room with Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson, A.C. Green and Danny Manning. After the Suns finished practice, assistant coaches Paul Silas and Donnie Nelson would lead Finley through additional drills.

"For me to go in and look at those guys putting in the extra effort, they didn't have to tell me much," Finley said. "I just knew I had to go out there and play.

"I had a great group of people around me. I'm just trying to spread the wealth, I guess."

Like Bruce Bowen, who often puts in his extra work before practice, Finley is meticulous about his preparation. He's been around to encourage Butler, in part, because he's still on the court doing his own work.

"He's in that Joe Dumars mold," Popovich said. "He comes to work, he does his job, and he cares about everybody."

He's also a fierce competitor. Finley claims losing to Dallas in last season's playoffs didn't bother him as much as simply losing. But this much is certain: He hasn't forgotten all that transpired during the series.

After Mavericks guard Jason Terry was suspended for jabbing Finley in the groin near the end of Game 5, Cuban complained Finley had faked the severity of the blow. "Maybe the crybaby from Tim Duncan wore off" on Finley, Cuban said in a radio interview at the time.

Finley said he has no problems with Terry, who apologized to him after Game 7. "He told me it wasn't personal," Finley said. "I know he's not that kind of guy."

As for Cuban, Finley will continue to receive checks from him for the $52 million he was owed when waived by Dallas. But he hasn't spoken to the Mavericks owner.

"I have no reason to talk to him," Finley said. "He's his own man, and I guess he made comments he's going to stand on. That's on him."