TOUGHNESS OR TALENT?

The Indiana Pacers beat the Miami Heat last night 91-77 to force a game seven Monday night in Miami.

Before the game, Pacers head coach told his team, “We are two games away from the NBA finals.”

When most people were calling it a “closeout” game for the Heat (Miami led 3-2) Vogel was seeing the glass half full and showing his team that they were going to win the series.

“We have great respect for their culture; their togetherness; their teamwork; their ability to win the plays at the rim; their ability to win loose ball battles; their ability to just reach that level of greatness. We didn’t play our best basketball tonight and we were able to get a win. We’re going to have to play our best basketball to get a win down there in Game 7.” -Frank Vogel

Pacers power forward David West:

“I wasn’t 100 percent, but I had to play. We’ve come too far for me not to play. I’m not feeling good right now although this win helps. I’m sure I will be better tomorrow and I’ll be ready for Monday.”

I have always liked West not only as a player but he’s a better person too.  I found that out first hand when I worked Xavier’s basketball camp and West was there.  West reminds me of the late Maurice Lucas; the way they play and their presence on the floor and how valuable they are to their team.  West played last night with a fever of a 103 degrees.

Indiana’s Paul George, Roy Hibbert and West have outscored Miami’s LeBron James, D-Wade and Chris Bosh 368-332 in the series.

Tom Kensler of the Denver Post with a great recruiting article on Tad Boyle at Colorado.

“We’re going to recruit good-character kids who know right from wrong,” he said. “They can come from different backgrounds and family situations. That’s OK. But they must have been held accountable and are used to being held accountable.”

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Twitter: @CoachFinamore

E AND T

Tom Crean, Indiana University men’s basketball:

“Your fundamentals, your technique, all your experiences, all those things are really, really important but there’s nothing bigger than energy and toughness. It’s got to be there constantly.” 

HOOPS135@HOTMAIL.COM

TWITTER: @CoachFinamore

DAY 65: TOUGH S.O.B.

I’m sad to report that former NBA power forward Maurice Lucas has passed away. Today I write about ‘Toughness’ in our 90 Day Basketball Improvement Plan.

Day 65 – Toughness

Nobody ever said it would be easy; that goes for life and basketball.  Being tough means shaping up, getting it together and giving all you have. It’s pushing yourself when you feel like giving up. It’s having the guts to bust through the wall.

It’s not grabbing your shorts and bending down while on the free-throw line. Toughness is not allowing the opponent see you when you’re tired.

Maurice Lucas was one of the toughest power forwards the league has ever seen. He lost his battle with cancer yesterday and passed away. The New York Times on the man Bill Walton calls, ‘The greatest Blazer ever.”

“I played very hard and very physical, but I thought I also played pretty smart because I studied my opponents rabidly,” he told The New York Times in 2004. “So I knew their tendencies and things I could take away from them on defense.”

How tough are you when it comes to basketball? Are you tough and smart? Do you set screens for your teammates? Do you pursue rebounds? Do you get up and defend as hard as possible?

Toughness isn’t beating people up with your fists on the court.  It’s about not backing down when someone tries to ‘punk’ you.

Toughness isn’t just physical, its mental; you can’t get yourself into top physical condition if you are not mentally tough to train.

When you get knocked down, make sure you are tough enough to get back up.

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

-Unknown Source

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

MEASURING STICK

It’s championship week in the NBA. We’re just one day away from game 1 of the NBA finals.  On Tuesday I wrote about the importance of ‘Team’ and how critical it is for all winning teams.  Today I will touch on a trait which has been tossed around a bit with Boston and LA.

Toughness:

Derek Fisher didn’t think toughness was important in an interview yesterday-but I have watched Fisher over the years and I know he wasn’t serious.  A lot of his success is due to his toughness; he’s one of the toughest guards in the league.

David Lassen of the Press-Enterprise on what some of the players are saying about the series.

We can get into who’s tougher, who’s bigger, who’s faster, who shoots the ball this way,” he said, “but it comes down to which team wins the game.

“We don’t really need to get caught up in some of the little things that really don’t have much to do with executing and playing basketball.”

At this point in the season; both teams are talented and skilled.  If there is one ingredient the championship team has, make that must have, is toughness. Both the Lakers and Celtics are tough. But the ‘tougher’ team is going to hoist the trophy.

When we talk toughness in basketball, we’re not talking punching someone in the face or winning a fist fight on the street. Toughness on the hardwood is not boxing in the ring, this concept is misunderstood by most people.  Sure everyone was saying the Celtics were tougher back in 2008 when LA went down, but don’t be fooled.  LA is tough.

You start with Fisher, then you have Kobe Bryant.  This starting backcourt alone is probably the toughest in the league. They also have Ron Artest another tough guy. But Boston’s front line is where their toughness shines; Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis and Rasheed Wallace.  Shoot, even Boston’s head coach Glen Rivers is tough.

Toughness is someone who loves the heat of the battle.  Who will not back down and hide when their team needs a bucket. Toughness is being competitive at all times when you’re on the floor. Toughness is having the confidence to step up and make a shot.  Toughness is guarding your man, pressuring the ball, and being in position to help your teammate

Toughness is finishing drives in traffic.  Toughness is rebounding.  Toughness is not backing down when the going gets tough.

So don’t listen to Fisher when he says it’s all about winning over who’s the tougher team. Before we can win, we need to be tough.  Because the weak never win; just ask the G.O.A.T.,  Michael Jordan.

“There’s more to basketball than being able to run, jump and shoot.”

-Jerry West

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

T.A.C.

This morning I read a quote from Ohio State basketball player Evan Turner who mentioned that his coach (Thad Matta) has been emphasizing toughness, attacking and composure all week long leading up to their game last night against Northwestern. Well it worked; OSU won 76-56 after jumping out to a 40-17 first half lead.

T.A.C.- an acronym we can all use not only in the game of basketball but in the game of life as well. You need to face each day with toughness, you need to attack tasks but all along showing composure and being under control.

The Sporting News interviews Memphis Grizzlies big man Zach Randolph. You should sign up for their wonderful daily e-mail magazine. To me, it’s the best coverage of sports out there. And best of all, it’s free; no B.S. “Insider” garbage that costs money.

Sporting News:The Grizzlies were off to a 1-8 start, but you’ve obviously turned it around.What’s been the key?

ZachRandolph: I don’tthink we really knew each other; I don’t think we really were believing we canwin early on. But the more we play together, the more we’ve gotten used to eachother and we’ve developed chemistry. This team, now, has great camaraderie.It’s the best camaraderie of any team I’ve been on.

Z-Bo is one of my favorite people of all-time. I spent some time with him in 2001 while he was a MSU Spartan.

USA Today with Purdue men’s head basketball coach Matt Painter on his team.

“I never thought I’d be in this position with this team,” said Painter, who has all juniors and seniors in the starting lineup. “Some guys have taken poor shots and you can correct some of those things, but I never thought I’d have to coach effort with these guys.

“I’ve got a theory that if you give 100% all the time, somehow things will work out ok.”

-Larry Bird

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com