Mad Ups to Mike

The NBA is now down to its final 4 and unlike the NCAA final four this year, A Badger will be represented. While I usually make it a policy to root against the Spurs in the playoffs, I will be donning by Spurs Cap* and pulling for Michael Finley over the next 4 weeks. Finley has had a solid, if not stellar career in the NBA but always seems to fall just short of the championship ring he deserves.

I've always thought Finley to be terribly underrated, both in college and in the pros. He helped turn around our basketball program, led the team to the tourney for the first time since the Marshall Plan was a fad, and set all sorts of records that were just recently broken. He has since been named a two-time all-star and a member of a USA basketball team that was a complete disaster. However, I think his most important contribution as a pro has been his involvement in another epic turn-around. Along with some guy named Nash and another guy named Dirk, Michael Finley helped lead a wayward franchise back to winning basketball and left the Mavericks as title contenders. It is too bad the Mavs let Finley go last year- maybe they would still be playing had he been around this year.

Besides feeling that Mike never got his due, I have always cursed Jerry Krause for failing to pick him in the 1995 NBA draft. This was a month after Hugh Hollins de-railed the Bulls attempt to win a 4th straight title and even though the team had Toni Kukoc, Ron Harper, and Scottie Pippen, the Bulls clearly could have used another potential scorer who could slash. Instead, Jerry Krause decided to draft his 5th unsuccessful PF in a row by taking Jason Caffey with the 20th pick. Phoenix gobbled up Finley with the next selection. I'll never forgive Krause for this boneheaded pick.

On other thing about that draft, check it out here. Finley has to be 3rd or 4th best player taken in that draft, right? You don't even have to look past the 5th pick to find anyone else worth anything there. Garnett is clearly #1, I'd put Stackhouse #2, but then you've got Wallace or Finley (and maybe McDyess) as the next few players. Personally, looking at the long haul, I would take Finley over all of those guys. Too bad I can't be a GM. Anyways, best of luck to Finley and the Spurs.

*If I still had it