European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 15, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pace 38 stars and stripes june 2007 stars and stripes paqc39 first ring or spurs cant wait lefty injun if May have come at right time m fas m i a finals veterans eager for journeymen to get theirs by Elizabeth White the associated press Cleveland the san Anto Nio spurs Robert Horry is going for his seventh teammate Michael Finley is going for his but for both in the twi Light of their winning the Aba championship would still be v its going to hit Michael a Little harder than if s going to hit said who May soon have a seventh people Are its old hat for its not old hat for me and i enjoy it to the utmost just As much As Michael if we can win this and if i get my seventh that going to be like a Feather in my the spurs Are just one Victory away from their fourth Champion ship in nine seasons and third in the past up 30 Over the Cleveland they have a Chance to Complete a sweep on every year that weve won weve had some Guys on the team that have been around the have been have done it year after year and just unable to kind of get to this get this said Tim Dun who will Likely soon have his fourth championship ring and per haps a fourth finals map so every year youre really proud to have a person like it would be the second ring with the spurs for 15year Veter an who has two rings from his Days with the Houston rockets and three with the los Angeles the Forward said he keeps them All in a bathroom drawer at Home and Only wears a couple of them now and again for Charity robs got forget forget san Antonios Bruce Bowen joked i or would really like to accomplish this goal for Finley and the other veterans without a is in his 12th year in the he spent most of that time in Dallas before joining the spurs in 2005 after they won their most recent san Antonio Cleveland Besto seven san Antonio Cleveland 76 san Antonio Cleveland 92 san Antonio Cleveland 72 san Antonio leads series 30 thursday san Antonio at Cleveland sunday san Antonio at tuesday Cleveland at san june 21 Cleveland at san if necessary Hes had to go a different whereas he was the Man on his team and now he comes to a team where Hes no longer the Bowen its an adjust and i think that shows what Type of basketball player he Finley has acknowledged Strug gling at times with his stroke while in san but Hes found it when it he made a franchise playoff record eight three pointers in game 5 of the first round against the Denver he started just 16 games Dur ing the regular season and has remained in the starting lineup for the where Hes started All 19 a win is a i think every body will enjoy it the every body for different if were fortunate enough to for me to have my first ring it would be a Finley for some Guys to have Multi ple rings it still would be a bless because this season Hast been All we had some struggles within the other aging spurs without a championship include Jacque Vaughn and Fabricio both backup Point guard Vaughn is a Veteran who has bounced around Over his 10 years in the this is his year with the Jacque has been on some bad teams and Hes a Eric spurs Forward Robert Horry 5 is congratulated by teammates Tim and Tony Parker during game 2 of the Aba Horry is in line for his seventh championship Bowen Hes a Guy that you would want on your team any Given because of what he rep How he prepares for the game and How he respects the of is in his second year both in the league and with the Hes played on the big stage throughout his now the Bowen i think its great for Guys like that to be Able to experience this and i really really really would like for them to have the Opportunity to celebrate in a Champi on that just might its Nice to have those Guys in this to be Able to championship after being in this league for so Many years and playing the game the right Way for so Many such Good Duncan it Means a lot More to just add one and win one for rockets swapping Howard for wolves guard James by Dave Campbell the associated press Minneapolis the Minne Sota Timber wolves have reached an agreement to Trade Point guard Mike James to the Houston rockets for Power Forward Juwan James Bill said wednesday night the teams have been working for several weeks on a Deal to move James after one disappointing season in Mineso Bot the wolves and the Rock ets declined to comment about the Trade wednesday the Deal was first reported by to station Krov in Houston and the Houston Duffy said he was told the Deal would Likely be completed on and that it could have additional Houston was bid Ding against Minnesota last sum Mer when James was a prize free agent after averaging Points per game with after the wolves got him for a million James never found a steady role on a struggling team that was Over run with Point guards and saw his scoring average drop to with three years left on his trading James was a first move toward Minnesota expected overhaul of the a 13year averaged Points and re Bounds for Houston last Hes but he can fill a need in the Frontc Purt for a savvy defender and reliable this is howards sixth fathers Day is june 17 Send a free online message at stars stripes accept fathers Day online Only messages at until june 15 Mickelson Hurt wrist Likely to spare him from intense fan scrutiny regardless of play Charles Phil Mickelson adjusts his wrist Brace during a practice round for the 107th open at Oakmont country Mickelson said he Hurt his wrist hitting wedges out of the rough in anticipation of the Phil Mickelson int exactly sure what is wrong with his injured left other than it that a slight improvement Over last when no one was cer Tain what was wrong with his the wrist now sports a Glove More suited to making a 710 split than a 20foot underneath the hat on his things have proven just As difficult to this waa supposed to be the week when Mickelson would meet his demons Headon in the same tournament where his spectacular collapse a year ago in stantly became a part of Golf either that or it was going to be the week where Mickelson con firmed what Many have Long suspected Itiat Evert Tony Tsipra nos psychiatrist would have Trou ble figuring out what goes on in Side lefty one Way or the this open was going to provide some closure for Golf fans then theorist messed every thing Mickelson messed it up practice ing chips out of the rough while preparing for the that s his and it does sound better than if he Hurt it playing catch in the parking lot with his As he used to do to warm up before some just what is wrong is murky at Mickelson says if s inflame and its gotten bad enough to take a cortisone shot and wrap the wrist in a Glove that Tim Dahlberg More details looks More at Home at a Bowling Alley than a Golf you half expected him to strap it onto the space age contraption that his Short game guru was using to Mea sure the Speed of the greens and get a few electrical jolts to Speed die Mickelson politely declined autographs during wednesdays practice pointing to his wrist As the of can be funny and no one is claim ing Mickelson int being Forth right about what ails if any he tends to give out too much in contrast to Tiger who goes about his business with the openness of a secret with you knew Al most to the hour when his wife was going to go into labor at the 1999 with the Only guess is that his baby will be born sometime this and look no further than Michelle Wie for evidence that wrist problems can create havoc with a Golf Mickelson him self withdrew from the memorial a few weeks ago because of his in jury and Hast played competitively the injury seems serious enough to Cost him a Chance to win the tournament he wants and needs More desperately than any in a strange it May have also happened at just the right without a sore Mickelson would have come to Oakmont with a lot of explaining to his wayward shots on the 18th Hole at winged foot would have been re played constantly on and every move he has made since would be Analysed Over and Over fans would crowd around every tee just to see where in Pennsylvania he might hit the questions Center on his not his that not because there a lot easier to his excuse for the week is at the end of his left expectations have accordingly been lowered by the i wish i had one More week of recovery and practice time to pre pare but you do the Best you Mickelson its now been a full year since the Mickelson a col lapse so shockingly sudden and Complete that even the usually loquacious lefty could barely sum Mon up the words to describe i am such an idiot was the Best he could and few who were there to witness it could Dis among them was Johnny Mill whose Job it was to describe to what was happening when Mickelson for reasons that Only he seemed to comprehend pulled out a Driver on the final Hole and promptly gave away right Ben Hogan officially has rolled Over in his Miller said As Mickelson tee shot sailed wide left just crazy shot Mickelson insists he left the disaster behind him almost from the moment he left the in his next he also insists it has made him a better player be cause it forced him to pair up with instructor Butch Harmon to eliminate the wild left shot from his the new Mickelson won the players championship with a Shorter hitting fairways and greens on the final Day in what Many thought was just a pre View of what he would do in the but questions As they always seem to do with Mick would he be Able to Block out the past and contend would he sleep Well saturday night if he was near the or would he dream the Nightmare that was his a year ago would he be Able to stand on the 18th tee in the final round with a Clear mind dont count on tuning in sunday after noon to find Tim Dahlberg is a National sports Colum nist for the associated write to him at  your View greetings Wil be on a for viewing at starting