Duncan's Dirty Play

[Humble Billy Hayes]

http://www.dallasbasketball.com/fullColumn.php?id=1568

Duncan's Dirty Play: A Game 4 Game-Changer
When The Refs Denied SA's 'Undercut' Trick, They Set A Tone
By David Lord -- DB.com

It was a little play. But it was a huge play.

It was subtle. But the refs saw it.

It was dirty – a trademark trick of the Spurs. But if you are a Mavs follower, you examine the result of Tim Duncan’s little, huge, subtle, dirty, illegal, dangerous action on Josh Howard … and you think maybe there’s a little justice in the NBA world.

And I think it was a key to Howard’s Mavs beating Duncan’s Spurs in Game 4.

You probably recall the play from Saturday afternoon at the AAC. First minute of the third, and the sequence went like this:

Josh Howard makes a 3. The Spurs respond with a score to stay ahead, 57-54. Then J-Ho shoots another 3 – but there’s a whistle.

The refs charge Duncan with a foul. And they send Josh Howard to the free-throw line for 1, 2, 3 attempts.

Naturally, the camera flashes to Duncan. And naturally, Duncan plays his infamous "How-is-that-a-foul?" card with the refs, going full-throttle “Palms-Up.’’ Additionally, Pop engages a ref in a long discourse as Josh goes to the line.

And indeed, there was a lot of space between Duncan and Josh. So where was the foul?

I watched the replay, and looking carefully, one could see what the foul was called for (even though the announcers didn't see it and didn’t comment on it). And one could see it was the right call and that it had to be made.

And, I feel, that it was significant.

So what happened? Duncan ran and waved at J-Ho as the Mav shot. But Timmy was so far away that he had no chance to alter the shot. Still, well after the shot was gone from Howard’s hands, Duncan kept moving at Josh. Duncan could have stopped rushing the shooter post-shot; there was no benefit to getting closer to Josh, and in fact, it took the Spurs’ best rebounder further from the boards and a potential carom.

But Tim Duncan didn't stop moving toward Howard until Timmy had his feet positioned where the airborne J-Ho was about to land.

Sure enough, Josh landed on Duncan's feet. And Josh went down to the floor in a heap.

It's the kind of move that Duncan teammate Bruce Bowen has used as a career-making trick. Bowen’s developed it into an art form – but it’s not pretty. And it is dirty. It’s a technique designed to frighten shooter and to injure ankles. (Try it it sometime down at your rec-center game; if your potential victim understands basketball, he is likely to respond with a less subtle fist to your face.)

But maybe because Josh didn't come up limping, or maybe because it was the “clean’’ Duncan and not the notorious Bowen doing the dirty deed, the undercutting with the feet went unnoticed.

Except by the refs.

The significance? With that whistle, the refs sent a signal. They were aware of such dangerous chicanery, they were watching for that sort of dirty play, and they weren't going to let it slide. (A sidebar: Remember on the afternoon of Game 3, when DallasBasketball.com broke the news that the night’s officiating crew would include Joey Crawford, who traditionally takes no guff from Duncan, and Eddie Rush, who traditional keeps a tight rein on Bowen’s chippy habits? Some dismissed the news as insignificant. But I can promise you, the Spurs themselves didn’t dismiss it that way.)

The whistle cost the Spurs some points (Josh made two of the three FTs), but more importantly it removed from the San Antonio toolbox a device that SA (especially Bowen) has crafted and made effective over the years: the "accidental" injury to the opponent's ankles.

And uninjured and maybe even secure with the knowledge that the refs were vigilant, Howard went on to have a sensational 14-point third quarter, one in which the Spurs went from holding a four-point lead to having a nine-point deficit from which they never recovered.

It was a little play, and one that went generally unnoticed. But in my opinion, it was also a huge play – and one that set the tone and changed the game.

[ducks]

howard kicked his legs foward
was not dirty

[Muser]

Lol wtf is this douche talking about "It changed the game"?

[Pelicans78]

This guy is a moron. Tim Duncan has never committed a foul in his life.

[TampaDude]

This guy is a moron. Tim Duncan has never committed a foul in his life.

Neither has Chris Paul... :lmao

[mavs>spurs2]

howard kicked his legs foward
was not dirty

Everyone knows that's just how Josh shoots

[DAF86]

OMG what a fucking whinny little bitch!

[The_Worlds_finest]

booo whoooo whoooo everybody needs to give josh howard a 3 foot private ring around him when he shoots boo whooo whoo...what a whinner. Hornets fan please go away, chris paul is a joke and WILL NEVER make it to the WCF

[duncan228]

Duncan is going to purposely risk getting his own ankles/feet/knees hit or hurt? Not at this moment, when he's already dealing with 2 bad knees.

This is a case of seeing what you want to see.

[jack sommerset]

Weak article!

[timvp]

What in the hell? Mav Fan please tell me that was satire.

That might be the stupidest thing ever written on the internets. The writer thinks Duncan is nimble enough to not only close out on a shooter but then try to injure his ankle? Has the writer seen Duncan move this series?

And someone might want to give playdog a crash course on momentum.

[timvp]

This is so laughable I have to move it to the Spurs forum.

[kace]

Duncan's Dirty Play: A Game 4 Game-Changer



dirty play ? :nope fail
game changer ? :nope fail


two bullshit only in the title ? no need to read more.

[Thompson]

Are you kidding?:rollin That was one of the worst calls of the game! Not only was it not dirty, it shouldn't even have been called a foul. Howard kicked his legs out and fell backward, and it didn't look like there was even contact (Duncan's foot went in between Howard's splayed out feet). And Howard is the one known for being dirty, not Duncan.

[ElNono]

That was an offensive foul on JHo... :hat

[Allanon]

Josh Howard kicked his legs out.

Pretty much all the shooters do it these days to try and draw a foul while still getting a good shot up. Reggie Miller was famous for it.

No biggie on either side.

[E20]

4 rings bitch.

[ChumpDumper]

mavfan whining about alleged dirty play?

:rollin

[Avitus1]

Wow....

[sook]

wtf is this nigga talking about?

[alchemist]

that site has direct relations with Marc Cuban so take it for what's its worth (nothing)

[TampaDude]

David Lord, captain of the FAILBOAT... :lol

[mrs.purss]

Duncan Dirty?

[Flux451]

Is he Dampier's Cousin?

[Marcus Bryant]

Got damn the Metroplex is fucking stupid.

[dirk4mvp]

3-1

[Flux451]

3-1

actually its 1-3

[dtk]

:rollinhttp://img97.imageshack.us/img97/82/brucebowenkickhu6.gif

[Bender]

actually its 1-3
he's a mavs fan, to him it's 3-1

[SA210]

:rollinhttp://img97.imageshack.us/img97/82/brucebowenkickhu6.gif


Thanks for posting, I love this one :lmao

That's my boy !



:ihit

[dtk]

^that's a hilarious gif... almost makes up for ALL of the crappy uses of motion gifs on the internets...

[Spurs_down_3to1]

Duncan much like the other spurs are dirty mothfuckas. They flop, whine and intentionall fall towards other player's knees and ankles trying to injure them. Bowen jumps up and then falls down going straight towards another guy's knee trying to take him out of a game. Manu steals 10-15 points a game from his cheating flops.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sp-SWL7lLE

[Mal]

It is about this 3 FT foul on Howard by Duncan ?? They called it dirty ? WTF ??

[pjjrfan]

howard kicked his legs foward
was not dirty
Yeah that's what I saw, what is this fool talking about?

[CubanMustGo]

Duncan much like the other spurs are dirty mothfuckas. They flop, whine and intentionall fall towards other player's knees and ankles trying to injure them. Bowen jumps up and then falls down going straight towards another guy's knee trying to take him out of a game. Manu steals 10-15 points a game from his cheating flops.



At least try to bring some original smack. Then again, since you waited until Dallas had a 3-1 advantage to grace us with your presence, you're probably not aware that many others have done it here so much better.

[sammy]

What a jackass! If anyone is dirty it's that fucking Josh Howard! That rat bastard undercut Gooden the last game and he's the reason Oberto has that irregular heart beat problem since he elbowed him in the chest in that playoff series! Fucking dirty asshole! I wish we had Robert Horry so he could lay the wood on this asshole! :bang

[crc21209]

I didnt know TD punched Howard in the nuts ala Terry on Fin 3 years ago.

[VaSpursFan]

lamest.article.ever...is david lord cuban's pseudonym?

[Sean Cagney]

Get the fukka outta here, Spurs hate all over in there from this dude who wrote it. Terrys little tricks are far dirtier, no mention of anyone but Spurs though.

[manufor3]

Duncan much like the other spurs are dirty mothfuckas. They flop, whine and intentionall fall towards other player's knees and ankles trying to injure them. Bowen jumps up and then falls down going straight towards another guy's knee trying to take him out of a game. Manu steals 10-15 points a game from his cheating flops.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sp-SWL7lLE

eyLn5M8c2Gw

[Sean Cagney]

3-1

Only because Spurs are banged up, with Gino it's 3-1 Spurs, but whatever it is what it is and they are banged up and Dallas has been playing good lately so I give them some credit.

[peskypesky]

:lmao

:lobt2::lobt2::lobt2::lobt2:

[Spursmania]

Duncan much like the other spurs are dirty mothfuckas. They flop, whine and intentionall fall towards other player's knees and ankles trying to injure them. Bowen jumps up and then falls down going straight towards another guy's knee trying to take him out of a game. Manu steals 10-15 points a game from his cheating flops.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sp-SWL7lLE

Yeah, we're dirty mothafuckers and we're going to kung fu your ass, so be careful. We break ankles and legs and arms. Lol...:lol

Yes, Spur love to injure players. Those damn Spurs dirty, dirty.:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao

This is so funny. Keep going useless Troll...

Smell it, lick it, love it, the trophies you will never have. But congrats on the div. and conf. wins.:toast

:lobt2::lobt2::lobt2::lobt2:

[Spursmania]

:rollinhttp://img97.imageshack.us/img97/82/brucebowenkickhu6.gif

Cool...:lmao:lmao:lmao

[Spurs_down_3to1]

At least try to bring some original smack. Then again, since you waited until Dallas had a 3-1 advantage to grace us with your presence, you're probably not aware that many others have done it here so much better.



I was here before but I got banned. :wow

[Spurs_down_3to1]

Yeah, we're dirty mothafuckers and we're going to kung fu your ass, so be careful. We break ankles and legs and arms. Lol...:lol

Yes, Spur love to injure players. Those damn Spurs dirty, dirty.:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao

This is so funny. Keep going useless Troll...

Smell it, lick it, love it, the trophies you will never have. But congrats on the div. and conf. wins.:toast


:lobt2::lobt2::lobt2::lobt2:


I got my popcorn ready for tuesday night. I will laugh my ass off as Dallas kicks the living shit out of the spurs. I will eat that popcorn and laugh as your team gets raped and ejected in the first round. Bowen, Timmy and the other cheating flopping whiners will no doubt have hands raised in the air to protest fouls. I hope Duncan is kicked in the head and suffers brain damage because the guy is a punk. Straight punk ass trash. Duncan is a piece of garbage whiner with his hands in the air all bug eyed. Spurs getting beat the hell down. game 5= funeral for SA.

[Spurs_down_3to1]

:rollinhttp://img97.imageshack.us/img97/82/brucebowenkickhu6.gif

I would call this shit far worse than the Terry nut punch. Bowen is doing some matrix jump kick at another guy's head. How did he not get suspended for the season for being a dumbass?

[duncan228]

I got my popcorn ready for tuesday night. I will laugh my ass off as Dallas kicks the living shit out of the spurs. I will eat that popcorn and laugh as your team gets raped and ejected in the first round. Bowen, Timmy and the other cheating flopping whiners will no doubt have hands raised in the air to protest fouls. I hope Duncan is kicked in the head and suffers brain damage because the guy is a punk. Straight punk ass trash. Duncan is a piece of garbage whiner with his hands in the air all bug eyed. Spurs getting beat the hell down. game 5= funeral for SA.

The trash talk is one thing, dirty, floppers, whiners, blah, blah, blah.

Wishing injury on any player is just low class.

[peskypesky]

I got my popcorn ready for tuesday night. I will laugh my ass off as Dallas kicks the living shit out of the spurs. I will eat that popcorn and laugh as your team gets raped and ejected in the first round. Bowen, Timmy and the other cheating flopping whiners will no doubt have hands raised in the air to protest fouls. I hope Duncan is kicked in the head and suffers brain damage because the guy is a punk. Straight punk ass trash. Duncan is a piece of garbage whiner with his hands in the air all bug eyed. Spurs getting beat the hell down. game 5= funeral for SA.

whatever. Duncan has 4 rings and 3 Finals MVP's and two-regular season MVP's and is considered by most experts to be the best PF of all-time.

Dallas has what? A complete choke to a weak team in 2006 Finals? Big fucking deal. You think we wanna trade with you? We're not retarded like you motherfuckers in Dallas. We can actually count. 4>0 no matter how much you protest.

[peskypesky]

I would call this shit far worse than the Terry nut punch. Bowen is doing some matrix jump kick at another guy's head. How did he not get suspended for the season for being a dumbass?

Bowen didn't know the shooter was going to pass up the shot and drive. he had already jumped in the air to block the shot...he can't defy the laws of physics, dumbass.

[NRHector]

what about the moving screens of Nowitzki?:ihit

[Borosai]

I stopped reading after the first few lines. He sounds like a butt-hurt, 10-year-old child. Is this guy a real journalist? Blogger maybe? Definitely a loser. And a whore. With a bad case of ass warts. Cock.

[TampaDude]

I was here before but I got banned. :wow

Really??? Then you won't be shocked when it happens again. :lmao

[Thompson]

Bowen didn't know the shooter was going to pass up the shot and drive. he had already jumped in the air to block the shot...he can't defy the laws of physics, dumbass.

Exactly, He was already in the air when the shooter changed direction.

Terry intentionally punched Finley in the groin, and Howard tried to take Manu's head off on Ginobili's dunk in 2008 (and Howard wasn't even called for a foul, though it's fairly obvious he's swiping at Manu's head more than he is the ball). It's a little more than a third into the video. This video is a little grainy, but you should still be able to see it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ReFuGEoEpA

And about that 'Bowen tried to come down on Dirk's leg and hurt him' crap. People complain that Bowen crowds shooters 'so they'll land on his feet and hurt their ankles,' but when Dirk does it to Bowen 'Bowen is trying to hurt the guy he's landing on.' Pick one argument you idiots, even if they're both wrong.

Also, if that Ginobili was healthy and playing now, this would be an entirely different series.

[Chomag]

Now people are saying TD is dirty... when will it ever stop:downspin:

Some just don't ever want to admit they witness excellence.

[The Truth #6]

I think it's satire. The website listed next to his name is DB.com

[J.T.]

Wishing injury on any player is just low class.

Yet deep down every Spurs fan would be like omgawesome if it happened to Kobe.

[Dunc n Dave]

Duncan much like the other spurs are dirty mothfuckas. They flop, whine and intentionall fall towards other player's knees and ankles trying to injure them. Bowen jumps up and then falls down going straight towards another guy's knee trying to take him out of a game. Manu steals 10-15 points a game from his cheating flops.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sp-SWL7lLE

Says the guy who roots for a team with Jason Terry (the nut puncher),
Dirk (suspended for dirty fouls vs the Jazz),
Josh Howard (the guy responsible for Oberto's heart problems thanks to a kick to the chest on a drive to the basket),
and Erika Dampier (the guy who holds more than any other post player in the league).

:rolleyes

[Dunc n Dave]

I would call this shit far worse than the Terry nut punch. Bowen is doing some matrix jump kick at another guy's head. How did he not get suspended for the season for being a dumbass?

Here's the actual video of the Bowen kick. When you see more than the 7 second version you realize he was running full speed at Wally, who pumped faked Bowen in the air, and then tried to drive around Bowen. It was an accident and the refs, and the league agreed. No suspension, no flagrant, jsut a regular foul.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kj6h8TF58U

[tp2021]

Josh Howard kicked his legs out.

Pretty much all the shooters do it these days to try and draw a foul while still getting a good shot up. Reggie Miller was famous for it.

No biggie on either side.

[polandprzem]

The most lame art I've ever read in my life period.


Good I did not read it all