Tom Orsburn: Spurs' Finley looking better
SALT LAKE CITY - Spurs forward Michael Finley's sore back didn't stop him from participating in drills at shootaround this morning. "He's getting better every day," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
Finley logged just 17 minutes in Game 3 Saturday after tweaking his back in practice two days earlier. He appeared to move without pain this morning while participating in catch-and-shoot drills with assistant Don Newman and is expected to play tonight.
The Jazz, meanwhile, won't know until game time whether star point guard Deron Williams (stomach flu) will play. Williams, who is averaging 30.3 points on 54.1 percent shooting in this series, was at the Jazz's shootaround but did not participate. Williams did not talk to reporters afterward, but a couple of his teammates said they expect him to play. "If there is any physical energy he can expend to get out on the court, he will do it," guard Derek Fisher said. Said forward Matt Harpring: "He looked pretty good. I think he is going to play tonight."
Other notes and quotes from the shootarounds:
• Spurs center Fabricio Oberto had his sprained right thumb wrapped in ice after the shootaround. Oberto, who suffered the injury in Game 3, is expected to play tonight.
• Spur forward Matt Bonner admitted to being a fan of "The Andy Griffith Show" after he was caught whistling the show's familiar theme song while shooting free throws. "I used to watch it when I was growing up. I've been called Opie so many times," said the red-headed Bonner.
• Just found out the name of another member of tonight's officiating crew. Joining Steve Javie will be Joe DeRosa. Javie and DeRosa worked Game 4 of the Spurs-Suns Western Conference semifinal series. That was the game in which Spurs forward Robert Horry committed a flagrant foul against Suns guard Steve Nash that resulted in league-imposed suspensions for Horry and the Suns' Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw.
