Just how dirty is the Spurs Bowen?

[texbumTHElife]

Charlie Rosen just continues to illustrate his total homerism and lack of any journalistic talent.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/3478882

Too long for me to post but here is a snipet:


# Outnumbered on a 2-on-1 fastbreak, Bowen turned his body slightly sideways and thus initiated contact with Hamilton. No whistle blowed, and Hamilton scored.

# While chasing Hamilton through a maze of screens, Bowen deliberately threw himself into Ben Wallace (a la Reggie Miller) and chumped a ref into calling Big Ben for a moving pick..

# In defense of another fastbreak, Bowen managed to elbow Delfino just enough to throw him off stride.

# After Delfino unleashed a jumper, Bowen again turned slightly sideways and delivered a slight bump. Delfino knew the contact was coming, and his resultant flinch was instrumental in his shot falling short.

# When Bowen was called to box out Delfino, he loaded his right elbow but refrained from jabbing it into his opponent's face. Just the threat of the blow, however, was enough to discourage Delfino from trying to maneuver his way to the offensive glass.

# Bowen's most dastardly deed was committed against Hamilton — who rather easily beat Bowen into the paint. Hamilton was pulling up for a jumper when Bowen caught him from behind and stepped on the back of Hamilton's sneaker — a risky play that caused no injury worse than a 10-foot airball.

p.s. Sorry if this was already posted.

[whottt]

You aren't Cleve Steamer are you?

[texbumTHElife]

You aren't Cleve Steamer are you?


I have no clue what you are getting at.

[texbumTHElife]

My response to Mr. Rosen:


When I was younger and learning how to play basketball I remember one fundamental thing the coaches taught. Defense. Defense takes on many different shapes and forms as I am sure you know. Some times intimidation is the most important part of defense. Shaquille O'Neal has made a living and reputation as a good defensive player on intimidation alone.

For you to say the things you did all you proved was that you are completely lacking of any unbiased journalistic talent.

I find it comical that your witch hunt turned up nothing substantial and the only thing you are left with at the end is "We'll undoubtedly reach a more definitive conclusion about Bruce Bowen's bully-boy defense when we next re-encounter the Spurs in the playoffs." I got news for you, if you cant handle intimidating defense, you are only gonna last four games against the Heat.

Not the best rebuttle in the history of the english language but I think my point is made and felt.

[whottt]

He's the guy that runs the Spurs Dominion Forum...this post reminded me of one of his for some reason. The comparison wasn't meant to be an insult as he is a pretty knowledgable fan.

[timvp]

You know Bruce Bowen would smile when he reads this article. He isn't only in the players' heads, he's in the head of writers now. Classic.

Yeah, Bowen is a little dirty but you can't be a great defender without being dirty. If you've ever played basketball, the best defenders are the ones who hold you or otherwise get away with fouls without the refs calling it.

[texbumTHElife]

As long as I can remember one of the most important aspects of defense is intimidation. Now this doesnt mean that you should just hack the snot out of players so they dont want to get hit. What it means is they should know that you are willing to get scrappy and chippy and do everything in your power to stop them with or without the ball.

I think the main issue these whiners have with Bowen is his off the ball defense is top notch. He defends players without the ball just like the defends them when they have it. This keeps them from running free all over the floor and setting up.

What a terrible excuse for journalism that entire article is. The fact that FoxSports posted that idocy laced homerism on their site really startles me. I was always under the impressions that national sites and news stations wanted professional journalistic writers. I guess I was wrong. Move over Bill Walton, the "Captain Homer" title has been stolen.

[slayermin]

Charley Rosen / Special to FOXSports.com
Posted: 7 hours ago
*
Bruce Bowen has been a member of the NBA All-Defensive Team from 2000 to 2004 (on the first team the first year) , meaning his credentials as a premier defender are impeccable. Despite this fact, many players and coaches privately believe Bowen is the league's dirtiest player.

Vince Carter has been very outspoken about Bruce Bowen and his alleged dirty plays on defense. (Jennifer Pottheiser / GettyImages)

The underground complaints exploded into headlines nearly six weeks ago after San Antonio bested the Nets in New Jersey. During that game, Vince Carter believed that after every jumper he launched, Bowen was deliberately jumping into his legs. If this was true, Bowen was undertaking the most dangerous and unethical act any defender could possibly commit — one which threatened career-ending damage to the shooter's knees. When the referees ignored Carter's protests, the Invincible Man became so outraged that he was eventually double-T'd and ejected from the game.

The Spurs insisted Bowen was simply playing his normal aggressive defense, and that nothing was amiss. If anything, Bowen's attempts to attack Carter's shots created some unavoidable momentum that caused incidental and harmless contact. Both the media and the NBA were quick to dismiss the incident as evidence of Carter's routine excuse making whenever his team lost.

But many NBA insiders support Carter. They swear that in the course of playing defense, Bowen regularly holds, bumps, hacks, elbows, knees and low-bridges his opponents with impunity. One current coach even went so far as to swear that Bowen employs "some kind of martial art technique to slash and chop at his opponents' arms."

Reasons enough to warrant a close inspection of Bowen's modus operandi as the home-standing Pistons edged the Spurs 110-101 on Sunday.

San Antonio's game plan was necessarily altered almost beyond recognition after Tim Duncan went down with a severely sprained right ankle at the 10:06 mark of the first quarter. The injury to the Spurs' star ultimately forced Gregg Popovich to scramble his normal rotation in an attempt to compensate for the points TD wouldn't be producing.

Another consideration was that Manu Ginobili was returning to the lineup from a serious groin injury. Not only did Ginobili's playing time have to be severely limited, but the Spurs wanted to avoid having him play, then sitting and cooling off before re-entering the game. Accordingly, Ginobili was on the court for the opening 16 minutes of the game and was bench bound thereafter.

But Bowen was given several opportunities to put points on the scoreboard. He usually hangs out in either corner and is the prime beneficiary of swing passes whenever Duncan is doubled in the pivot. In fact, San Antonio sports just one single play designed for Bowen — he sets a weak-side brush pick near the foul line, sprints to the nearest corner, receives a skip pass and then fires away. During Bowen's brief stint on the court (a mere 19 minutes compared to his normal 31.9), Popovich called his number twice, with Bowen missing wide-open jumpers both times.

Granted that Bowen's offense is limited to hustle plays, open shots created by ball movement, plus an occasional pull-up going left — unless he has a clear path to the rim, his right-handed dribble is characteristically unproductive — he shot 3-for-8 and registered just six points. To compensate for Duncan's absence, Ginobili's limitations, and Bowen's errant shooting, Popovich went to a pair of subs — Devin Brown and Beno Udrih — who specialize in creating their own shot opportunities.

And this aspect of Pop's strategy was successful. The Spurs managed to cobble together 101 total points, 4.2 more than their norm. The tradeoff, however, was to sacrifice the team's vaunted defense. Compare the 110 points yielded to Detroit to San Antonio's league-best average of 86.5 ppg.

In retrospect, Popovich lost much more than he gained.

In any case, what about Bowen's less-than-legal efforts on defense?

He was variously matched against Richard Hamilton, Chauncey Billups, Tayshaun Prince, Carlos Delfino and Carlos Arroyo — and his overall defense was just as sub-par as his offense.

While Bowen showed no signs of blatant rough-house tactics, he did these licks in:

Outnumbered on a 2-on-1 fastbreak, Bowen turned his body slightly sideways and thus initiated contact with Hamilton. No whistle blowed, and Hamilton scored.

While chasing Hamilton through a maze of screens, Bowen deliberately threw himself into Ben Wallace (a la Reggie Miller) and chumped a ref into calling Big Ben for a moving pick..

In defense of another fastbreak, Bowen managed to elbow Delfino just enough to throw him off stride.

After Delfino unleashed a jumper, Bowen again turned slightly sideways and delivered a slight bump. Delfino knew the contact was coming, and his resultant flinch was instrumental in his shot falling short.

When Bowen was called to box out Delfino, he loaded his right elbow but refrained from jabbing it into his opponent's face. Just the threat of the blow, however, was enough to discourage Delfino from trying to maneuver his way to the offensive glass.

Bowen's most dastardly deed was committed against Hamilton — who rather easily beat Bowen into the paint. Hamilton was pulling up for a jumper when Bowen caught him from behind and stepped on the back of Hamilton's sneaker — a risky play that caused no injury worse than a 10-foot airball.

Bowen's potential for exercising his full repertoire of down-and-dirty defensive ploys was curtailed by several factors, including his limited playing time, and the fact that none of his assignments ever posted or isolated him. Nevertheless, most of Bowen's extracurricular activities against the Pistons were certainly in line with Detroit's standard rough-and-tumble tactics. So the jury is still out.

We'll undoubtedly reach a more definitive conclusion about Bruce Bowen's bully-boy defense when we next re-encounter the Spurs in the playoffs.

Charley Rosen, former CBA coach, author of 12 books about hoops, the current one being A pivotal season — How the 1971-72 L.A. Lakers changed the NBA, is a frequent contributor to FOXSports.com.

-----
Bowen is tough and relentless. I don't think he's dirty. Playing against him is probably frustrating as hell, especially if your trying to get your numbers.

[samikeyp]

Every one of those coached who bitched would love to have Bowen on their team. Players like Carter and others get pissed because they think "I am a superstar, I should get whatever I want" God forbid somebody actually gets up in their grill. Those "licks" that this dickhead described...how are they any different from any other NBA game?

[Supergirl]

the only good thing about this article is that it explains why he didn't get more playing time - because he was missing his shots.

Bowen plays good D. Players hate that, except when they're doing it.

How about he number of times Ben Wallace got away with shoving and grabbing someone in the paint? Was that not just as "dirty"? I'd say more.

[boutons]

Charly Rosen seems to have vendetta against Bowen. He has certainly spent a lot of time studying Bowen's play and singling out Bowen for tactics that every player does at times. Bowen's skill is that he does them all the time to great effect.

What's Charly's motivation? Trying pump his $$reputation as a Bowen-hater? write those $articles? get those TV $appearnces to talk it up?

Fuck you Charly Rosen.

[Guru of Nothing]

# turned his body slightly sideways

# chumped a ref into calling Big Ben for a moving pick..

# managed to elbow Delfino just enough to throw him off stride.

# again turned slightly sideways and delivered a slight bump.

# but refrained from jabbing it into his opponent's face.

# stepped on the back of Hamilton's sneaker


I'm convinced Bowen is the dirtiest player in the NBA.

[kskonn]

Yea it sounds like he almost did a lot of dirty things but didn't. You can't use that as an excuse for guys missing shots. i mean come on, he stepped on the back of his sneaker? on purpose? that is as ridiculous as when Carter said he strategically placed his foot under his last year to injure him. Whatever...

[Solid D]

Charie sometimes has some very interesting observations but I think he missed a good game yesterday.

[Kori Ellis]

Bowen is just crafty. :smokin

[kskonn]

Charie sometimes has some very interesting observations but I think he missed a good game yesterday.


agreed!!!

[GINNNNNNNNNNNNOBILI]

does anyone think rasheed wallace is dirty because duncan landed on his foot??
If someone landed on Bowens foot, all we would hear about is how dirty he is.

[Ishta]

does anyone think rasheed wallace is dirty because duncan landed on his foot??
If someone landed on Bowens foot, all we would hear about is how dirty he is.Very true....

I guess we can't get accused of being "SOFT" anymore. We got a bonafide dirty player WOW:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

[Solid D]

does anyone think rasheed wallace is dirty because duncan landed on his foot??
If someone landed on Bowens foot, all we would hear about is how dirty he is.

No. Rasho pushed Sheed in the back and into Timmy's path. Check the replay if you don't remember seeing it this way. You can't really blame anyone, per se, but it's really Rasho who shoved him into Duncan's landing area.

[GINNNNNNNNNNNNOBILI]

No. Rasho pushed Sheed in the back and into Timmy's path. Check the replay if you don't remember seeing it this way. You can't really blame anyone, per se, but it's really Rasho who shoved him into Duncan's landing area.


Im not calling Rasheed dirty, im proving a point that people have it in for Bowen sometimes. Ankle sprains like that happen alot, but if someone landed on bowens foot, people would call him dirty.

[Solid D]

Oh, okay.

[td4mvp21]

If his defense is dirty, then I don't even wanna mention Shaq's.

Its complete bull what everyone is saying about Bowen. About his dirty tactics by slipping an ankle underneath his oppenent. Its absurd. Its like saying that Rasheed purposely planted his foot under Tim's(which he didn't obviously). They need to get a life.