critiquing finley

[Murphy3]

what does fin need to do to improve next year?

[LonestarROB]

Be more agressive and improve ball handling skills.

[MFFL]

I think he needs to cut back on the wild jumpers. IMO Finley takes bad shots at times because he has had to carry the team for so long. But the Mavs have improved so much this year that Finley doesn't need to force a shot. Rather than Finley taking a low percentage shot, let someone else take a higher percentage one.

[Murphy3]

i agree on the forced shot comment
i also think that he needs to learn how to pass out of the double team better.

[Murphy3]

and hell yeah rob, be more aggressive

[TheKid]

Definately feels he needs to take it to the basket more. He should go to the line NO LESS than 7-8 times a game.

[Murphy3]

nellie actually said that finley isn't good at drawing fouls.
well, he was damned good at it a couple of years ago

[TheKid]

Nellie is crazy if he said that. He's not good at drawing fouls because he takes a lot of jumpshots. Look at game four, the three times he drove into the lane, he ended up on the free throw line.

[Murphy3]

i agree, he's definitely good at getting to the line when he takes it to the hole
i don't know why nellie said that, it was in the dallas morning news after game two, i believe

[MFFL]

Nellie says some strange things sometimes. But I think he was talking about trying to teach Findog some NEW moves that would draw fouls. But every time Findog tried those NEW moves in a game, they screwed him up. I think I'm paraphrasing the article correctly (sound right to you murph?)

[Murphy3]

i think you might have read a more in depth article.
the one i read was about 10 lines long.
all it said was nellie had told finley that he needed to get to the line more and that when he tried, it screwed his game up

so, actually, maybe we did read the same thing

[dallaslaker]

Finley and Dirk need to work on their passing out of double-teams. I would like to see Finley post up more and lower than he usually does. He tends to get the ball too far out which slows the double-team. If he can get deeper position and then get the ball, it will force the defense to have to adjust quickly and possibly screw up sending the wrong person.

Also agree that he MUST become more aggressive going to the rim! Those kind of moves really takes the opposing team out of the game mentally. When they think that all we have to do is drive hard to the basket and we will either score or get fouled, then THEY start thinking there is no way to stop us.

[Murphy3]

i agree...dirk and finley do need to pass out of the double team better. you better throw in jhoward though. he's horrific at passing out of double teams.

if finley and dirk would drive more, it will often times leave an opening for someone else near the basket
there's nothing wrong with driving and dishing if you get in trouble

[dallaslaker]

Howard is a completely separate topic. He's a great guy, but he has a LONG way to go before he gets used to our style of play. If he becomes more of a banger and offensive rebound type, that would help him the most.

[Murphy3]

when he gets doubled on the low block, howard almost always shoots it still
..got to pass out of it

[TheKid]

I truly don't think Fin is that bad passing out of the double team. I think he tends to jump in the air and get stuck, but I don't think he's bad passing out of the double team. I think some better decision making will fix that. I'm not worried too much about Fin to be honest in that aspect. But you're right, Juwan is a different topic.

[Murphy3]

well, that is why fin needs to get better at passing out of double teams..because he makes poor decisions..takes poor shots alot of times when double teamed.
i do think it is the one area where he can improve the most. that and driving more often..and keeping his defensive intensity up

[TheKid]

I've said before on a post that I Fin is a good defender. Someone must think so because he's the only maverick who got votes for the NBA All defensive team.

[Murphy3]

no he's not, dirk and nash received one vote, and fin received 6

[Murphy3]

finley is a solid defensive player alot of the time...but there are stretches where he lacks defensive intensity.

[MFFL]

Unfortunately, that statement is true for every Mavs player except Buckner.

[Murphy3]

haha, i wish it was true with every mavs player except buckner...with certain players like howard, it's more like, very rarely solid defensively with numerous defensive lapses

[scooterj5]

Finley was damn good as usual today. He wanted to take the tough shots. And does this seem like lam to me, "he's horrific at passing out of double teams"? Oh well the new lam is much better. Go mavs.

[Murphy3]

finley was clutch all game
he got hot late in the third of game four and it carried over all the way through game five
if it wasn't for him, there wouldn't have been a semi close fourth quarter for nash and booths heroics