In Friday?s preseason home opener at the American Airlines Center, for the first time in Don Nelson?s four-plus seasons in Dallas, he played a game without Michael Finley. The Mavs didn?t use Finley?s absence ? he left to be with his sick mother ? as an excuse for a lack of focus in their 98-96 loss to Boston. But Finley was certainly the focus of postgame locker-room talk.

?He?s one of the guys we depend on,?? said Tim Hardaway, like Finley a Chicago native. ?We need to give him as much time as he needs.??
     The Mavs were unclear about the seriousness of Finley?s family matter; Hardaway seemed especially down, though Nelson was able to manage to smile about the situation. When it was noted how Finley had never before missed a session of work under Nellie, the coach said, ?Yeah, and I didn?t like it, either.??