Kori Ellis
05-10-2005, 03:58 AM
Allen: Not Sitting Pretty
By Kori Ellis
SpursZONE.com
http://www.woai.com/spurs/story.aspx?content_id=830F7074-0E19-45CD-AA7D-64143FCF2179
As the San Antonio Spurs prepare for their second game against the Seattle Supersonics Tuesday night at the SBC Center, much of the talk surrounding the series has been shifted to Ray Allen’s feud with Bruce Bowen. The latest from Allen is his belief that Bowen intentionally injured him during game one.
"Same old Bruce," Allen told the Seattle Times. "I got caught on his foot and it just turned. He's good for that. He's done that before."
For only being six games into their playoff run, the Spurs have already dealt with an inordinate amount of complaining from their opponents. In their first round matchup with the Denver Nuggets, George Karl wasn’t bashful in his criticism of the officiating and the way certain Spurs play.
Karl, much like Allen, was outspoken in his claims that Bowen gets away with physical play. But don’t confuse Karl and Allen for friends. The bad blood between the pair has been overflowing since their days together in Milwaukee when Karl coached Allen.
"He's a great player,” said Karl when questioned about Allen in the past. “But he cares too much about having style, making highlights and being cool.''
Being cool is tough with Bowen following your every move. Allen looked like the best player in the league during the Sonics’ first round matchup with the Sacramento Kings. The Kings, never to be confused with a defensive juggernaut, let Allen do whatever he wanted on the court. Bowen makes Allen adjust to him and Allen doesn’t like it.
In addition to his comments about Bowen, Karl was vocal about the play of Manu Ginobili.
”I love Manu, but he makes the game difficult to play, makes it difficult to defend, makes it difficult to referee,'' said Karl. “Personally, watching it kind of makes the game ugly.''
Ugly is playoff basketball, and Karl knows this. In the coach’s rant, Karl basically called Ginobili the Anti-Ray Allen, which in retrospect is a good thing.
Another perspective on Allen can be attained by listening to what Spurs reserve forward Glenn Robinson had to say about his former Bucks teammate. When Robinson was traded from Milwaukee to Atlanta, he took issue with Allen saying the trade to get rid of him was a good one.
"A lot of people were saying how bad of a trade it was and that they didn't get anything for me," said Robinson, "and for (Ray) to come out and say something like that, that's gay to me. You know what I mean? I look at him as a coward."
"It's no secret in the league that he's soft," Robinson said. "He needs to let me live my life and finish my career instead of talking about him being glad that I'm gone.
"I can remember when ... what's Dennis Rodman's boy name? His right hand man? He was with him at San Antonio? ... (Jack Haley) Yeah. Haley knocked the (expletive) out of him.
"Who was the first one there to take up for him? Big Dog was. He needs to work on not being so soft and quit being a little punk on the court. Just play ball and keep his mouth closed.”
Allen closing his mouth anytime soon isn’t too likely. He complained about Bowen before the series had even started. And because he becomes a free-agent after these playoffs, Allen has to be quick to deflect any criticism that could come his way. Blaming Bowen is the easy out for Allen at this stage.
"From a referee's point of view, if there's riding going on out on the floor, you have to make the call, plain and simple,” said Allen to the media on Monday. “I've played against (Bowen) before and when you take a shot, what he does is, he'll put his hands up, but he'll move his body right into your body. When you do that, you're putting the guy you're playing against in danger. It's just dirty basketball.”
Oddly enough, Karl gives the best insight on why Allen has been quick to whimper when tough defense has been played on him.
"I call him Barbie Doll because he wants to be pretty.”
Barbie Doll has a chance for revenge in game two, but don’t count on it. Bowen’s defense won’t be pretty.
By Kori Ellis
SpursZONE.com
http://www.woai.com/spurs/story.aspx?content_id=830F7074-0E19-45CD-AA7D-64143FCF2179
As the San Antonio Spurs prepare for their second game against the Seattle Supersonics Tuesday night at the SBC Center, much of the talk surrounding the series has been shifted to Ray Allen’s feud with Bruce Bowen. The latest from Allen is his belief that Bowen intentionally injured him during game one.
"Same old Bruce," Allen told the Seattle Times. "I got caught on his foot and it just turned. He's good for that. He's done that before."
For only being six games into their playoff run, the Spurs have already dealt with an inordinate amount of complaining from their opponents. In their first round matchup with the Denver Nuggets, George Karl wasn’t bashful in his criticism of the officiating and the way certain Spurs play.
Karl, much like Allen, was outspoken in his claims that Bowen gets away with physical play. But don’t confuse Karl and Allen for friends. The bad blood between the pair has been overflowing since their days together in Milwaukee when Karl coached Allen.
"He's a great player,” said Karl when questioned about Allen in the past. “But he cares too much about having style, making highlights and being cool.''
Being cool is tough with Bowen following your every move. Allen looked like the best player in the league during the Sonics’ first round matchup with the Sacramento Kings. The Kings, never to be confused with a defensive juggernaut, let Allen do whatever he wanted on the court. Bowen makes Allen adjust to him and Allen doesn’t like it.
In addition to his comments about Bowen, Karl was vocal about the play of Manu Ginobili.
”I love Manu, but he makes the game difficult to play, makes it difficult to defend, makes it difficult to referee,'' said Karl. “Personally, watching it kind of makes the game ugly.''
Ugly is playoff basketball, and Karl knows this. In the coach’s rant, Karl basically called Ginobili the Anti-Ray Allen, which in retrospect is a good thing.
Another perspective on Allen can be attained by listening to what Spurs reserve forward Glenn Robinson had to say about his former Bucks teammate. When Robinson was traded from Milwaukee to Atlanta, he took issue with Allen saying the trade to get rid of him was a good one.
"A lot of people were saying how bad of a trade it was and that they didn't get anything for me," said Robinson, "and for (Ray) to come out and say something like that, that's gay to me. You know what I mean? I look at him as a coward."
"It's no secret in the league that he's soft," Robinson said. "He needs to let me live my life and finish my career instead of talking about him being glad that I'm gone.
"I can remember when ... what's Dennis Rodman's boy name? His right hand man? He was with him at San Antonio? ... (Jack Haley) Yeah. Haley knocked the (expletive) out of him.
"Who was the first one there to take up for him? Big Dog was. He needs to work on not being so soft and quit being a little punk on the court. Just play ball and keep his mouth closed.”
Allen closing his mouth anytime soon isn’t too likely. He complained about Bowen before the series had even started. And because he becomes a free-agent after these playoffs, Allen has to be quick to deflect any criticism that could come his way. Blaming Bowen is the easy out for Allen at this stage.
"From a referee's point of view, if there's riding going on out on the floor, you have to make the call, plain and simple,” said Allen to the media on Monday. “I've played against (Bowen) before and when you take a shot, what he does is, he'll put his hands up, but he'll move his body right into your body. When you do that, you're putting the guy you're playing against in danger. It's just dirty basketball.”
Oddly enough, Karl gives the best insight on why Allen has been quick to whimper when tough defense has been played on him.
"I call him Barbie Doll because he wants to be pretty.”
Barbie Doll has a chance for revenge in game two, but don’t count on it. Bowen’s defense won’t be pretty.