Michael Finley Quotations

Tony is a big part of our success so far this season. Tonight, everyone had to step up and do something that he would usually give us during the game as far as assists and points. Everyone did that tonight.

When we had the team down big last night, it was a great opportunity to rest our starters and give the bench guys a lot more playing time. Instead, we made it a ball game.

We want to build on something that will help us in the long run and we want to defensively get more stops and stop fouling. We did that and offensively we were quick and that just opened up the game for us.

Only two guys didn't have a break and that was Tony and Tim. Everybody else relaxed and just got away from basketball a little bit and was fired up to come back here and compete and that's what we did.

From the first day I got here, these guys have welcomed me with open arms, ... With each game I've gotten more and more comfortable. I knew what I was getting into when I signed here and this was it.

He looks good. He looks the same to me.

We have to take care of our own business. We can't worry about Dallas. We have to play hard and play consistent as we head towards the playoffs. If we do that we will be all right.

Well, it hurts from the standpoint to think the way everything came about. At the same time, I mean, I understand it's a business. I've been in this league for 10 years. I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly.

Unlike some of the other people in the league I told over the phone, I wanted to tell Kevin face to face. It was a tough decision, because I've always been a Kevin Garnett fan. In my opinion, he's one of the best players to ever play the game.

Unfortunately we were unable to do it. So in my mind it's a decent trip for us.

To be a part of a championship team, I'm excited... This is the closest I've ever been to a championship. I'm looking forward to the challenge of helping this team repeat.

To be a part of a championship team, I'm excited, ... This is the closest I've ever been to a championship. I'm looking forward to the challenge of helping this team repeat.

To be part of a championship team, I'm excited,

To me, nothing has changed. He?s still got the same game.

Everybody has to step it up. You never know when your number is going to be called. We have to handle our business, everything else will handle itself.

At 7 feet, there's a lot of guys he can just shoot over. He's been making a living doing that.

Do what you're expected to do and go on about your way,

It was an unspoken motivation for us against them tonight. They beat us pretty well at their place, and we just wanted to establish ourselves early and often, and I think we did that.

Sometimes when your offense is coming easy, you relax a little bit on defense. We got caught in that for a while. As a result, with them being such a high-scoring team, eventually it was up to us to get a few stops and just keep scoring.

As a reserve you have to get into that flow and try to find the flow of the game. You find yourself trying to make more of an immediate impact when you come off the bench. Where as a starter, the game just seems to come to you a lot easier.

As a player and a man, I really respected him saying that. I took that to heart.

They're coming in trying to establish themselves as a title contender.

It was even more important for us to win without Tim. We showed what type of team we are with one of our main ingredients not even playing, so when he comes back it will give us an added boost of confidence.

It was important for us to win without Tim (Duncan) to show what type of a team we are without one of our main ingredients. I had the same shots I've had in the past, but the only difference was tonight I was able to knock them down.

For me, I'm coming to a situation where I'm wanted, and I'm looking forward to it.

It's my fault that we got to this point. I was guilty of being overly optimistic. I wanted to believe that the next deal was the one that was the difference maker. ... I was wrong. ... Waiving Mike gave us the opportunity to reclaim financial flexibility. It never should have gotten to this point. My mistake let it. Which makes it all the more painful. It's a business, but it really is personal.

It's something we don't bank on having to have in order to win games. We always think defense is the backbone of all our victories. But if we continue to shoot the ball like that, we'll be tough to beat.

It was a good shot. I would have taken a different shot because you don't want to kick a man when he's down. But he (Mohammed) was hot, and he wanted to see how hot he was.

I'm not going to dye my hair and try to get extra attention. That's just not me.

I left before the charges were filed cause I knew nothing about them.

In a nutshell, they're already a championship team but they have room for improvement and I feel my game can help them in the areas where they need improvement,

In a nutshell, they're already a championship team, but they have room for improvement. And I feel my game can help them in the areas where they need improvement.

I knew what I was getting into. When I signed (coach Gregg) Popovich told me my role would be to come off the bench.

If you have it, great. I mean, you obviously want your fans there, but if you don't, you can't get caught up in that. If you're on the road, you've got to throw on your boots, lace them up and take care of business.

In some circumstances the bison appear to just ignore the vehicle. In other circumstances though we have seen them disturbed and pushed off the road, wasting energy, energy that is so important and valuable for them in the winter,

(In San Antonio), I knew what I was getting into from a team standpoint, from a coaching standpoint.

I guess I wasn't seen as part of the future in the Mavericks' eyes, which is cool,

It helped to get the energy back, so I was able to get my legs under me and knock down some shots.

He said we could pretty much get anything we wanted offensively on these guys. But, defensively, we needed to make a stand.

If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't. I'm fine. I don't lose sleep over it. My life goes on.

I am my biggest critic, so I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to make the perfect pass or hit all of my jumpers. I am just trying to make the game come to me right now.

What am I most proud of? That, as a man, I've made my mom proud. Not just in basketball, but away from the court, too.

I'm just a skinny kid from Maywood trying to do my best. I never took anything for granted. I never wanted to come off like some kind of big-headed, conceited athlete.

To me, defense is a mental attitude…it takes will and heart to go out there and lock your man up.

I don't regret not coming out early. A lot of people felt that I could have been a lottery pick, but we'll never know.

You have to get yourself psyched up because you never have a night off defensively, especially at my position.

I prepare myself in the summer to play 48 minutes. It's not a logical goal, but that's the way I prepare.

My thing is, I want to play basketball, I would enjoy playing in the D-League, but at the same time I don't want to take an opportunity away from a young guy to get exposure. I'm still thinking about it.

It's always good to go against your friends, especially when you come out victorious.

The guys have welcomed me with open arms and I am getting more comfortable,

A lot has changed in the last year, but the game of basketball has remained the same. I put myself in a position where I'm very happy, very comfortable. I'm just going out there and playing.