$10 Fines

[MavsFanFinley]

Mavs must communicate or pay the price - $10

Nelson imposes fines against players who fail to talk on the court

10/14/2002

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News

Don Nelson is so serious about the Mavericks doing a better job defensively this season that he's hitting the players where it hurts most – in the wallet.

Nelson said Sunday he has implemented a fine structure for his players whenever they fail to talk to each other in defensive situations. And the guilty parties won't necessarily be the ones who get fined. It'll be the team's leaders.

"Whenever there isn't communication on the court defensively, whether it's in practice or during a game, we're going to hand out a fine, starting with our veteran players," Nelson said. "It will go by seniority, because we want to get our veteran players stepping up and getting everybody else talking defensively."

The fines are of the token variety, $10 per infraction. That's barely enough to qualify as tip money on the road for NBA players. But, just like contract negotiations when players don't like to leave any money on the table, neither do they like to have any deducted from their pay – whether it's by the NBA or their coaches.

On the first day of the Mavericks' new law and order system, Michael Finley and Shawn Bradley got hit with fines because there were instances in which players did not help out their teammates by warning them about screens, and in which players switched defensive assignments without voicing their intentions.

Nelson said there wasn't one play in particular that led him to implement the system, just a feeling that his team isn't doing enough communicating on the court.

"Perhaps it'll get their attention," Nelson said. "In general, we're not talking enough."

While $10 per infraction doesn't sound like much, the fund could grow quickly, although Nelson hopes it doesn't. Each time there is a case of miscommunication or non-communication, the pot will grow, with new players having to contribute, in addition to those who already are having to put in their $10 for each failure to communicate.

Defense, of course, has been the overwhelming theme of the Mavericks' training camp. Nelson wants to make sure his players understand that this is not just training-camp lip service.

"Nellie is going back to his defensive roots," assistant coach Del Harris said. "People forget that that's how he made his reputation as a coach."

The players are treating Judge Nelson's new court as it is intended. They know their coach is serious about a defensive upgrade this season for the Mavericks, who were next-to-last in the league last season in points allowed.

But they also know Nelson wants to keep things light during camp. There will be plenty of time for stress during the long regular season.

"It looks like Nellie loves to take Michael Finley's money," said veteran Avery Johnson, who will be one of the last to have to kick into the fund because he's only been with the Mavericks since the middle of last season. "I don't know if Michael's money is greener or just came out of the mint or what. But Nellie always wants to hit Michael first.

"What we want to find out is where the money is going to go. I would say it would go for Nellie's greens fees. But he's a member of a club now so he doesn't need that."

Indeed, Nelson said he already has the fine money earmarked for a very important use during the regular season.

"It'll go into the coaches' beer fund," Nelson said.

[Chiwas]

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Wise.