Kori Ellis
05-31-2005, 12:24 AM
Bowen unable to make stop on 'great shot'
Web Posted: 05/31/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
On a night when Spurs' defensive specialist Bruce Bowen had a breakout offensive game and hit what could have been one of the biggest 3-point shots of his playoff career, it was a defensive stop he did not make that left him shaking his head in wonderment.
It wasn't for lack of all of Bowen's defensive skill that Phoenix's Joe Johnson was able to make a 16-foot jump shot from the left corner to give the Suns a 104-101 lead, a critical make in their 111-106 victory in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals at the SBC Center.
Bowen played the same kind of airtight defense that infuriated Ray Allen during the Western Conference semifinals, clutching and bumping as he stuck to Johnson as the Suns' guard dribbled into the corner. He was right in Johnson's face as the shot was launched.
But on this night, when Johnson missed only five of his 15 shots, the ball hit nothing but net.
"He hit a great shot," Bowen said. "That's part of this game where you just have to give credit when it's due. He hit a very tough shot. He was in a rhythm tonight, and when a guy gets in that kind of rhythm, it really doesn't matter who is guarding them at that moment. Everything that leaves their hands feels like a layup."
Johnson was not about to disagree, but he missed Bowen's point about the "zone" in which Johnson was playing.
"He played great defense on the play," Johnson said. "I just took what he gave me."
Never mind the fact Bowen gave Johnson only the smallest of peeks at the basket.
Spurs' coach Gregg Popovich slapped Bowen, runner-up to Ben Wallace in voting for Defensive Player of the Year, on Johnson with 24 seconds left in the third period of Game 4 because Johnson already had gone off for 22 points on Manu Ginobili, Brent Barry and Tony Parker.
Bowen had done a great job of taking Phoenix's Shawn Marion out of the first 14 quarters of the series, but the situation called for the change.
"He did a great job on Joe on that shot," Popovich said. "Joe just hit the shot."
For Bowen, the disappointment of a loss in a game that could have sent the Spurs into NBA Finals 2005 overshadowed his best offensive performance of the series. He made 6-of-11 shots, including 3 of 6 from 3-point range.
Bowen was shooting with such confidence that Popovich used a time out with 1:11 remaining, and the Spurs trailing by four points, 107-103, to design a play to produce an open 3-pointer for him.
"It's funny," Bowen said. "Maybe he doesn't get me plays consistently, but there are spots where he will say, 'Let's run one for Bruce.'
"You might think in that situation, out of the blue, 'He's running this for Bruce?' But he's done that before and that shows the confidence he has in me. He doesn't give me a boatload of plays, but he will have me in situations in certain times where he thinks I can produce."
The play worked to perfection, and Bowen nailed the 3-pointer, trimming Phoenix's lead to a single point, 107-106.
"Icing on the cake," Bowen said.
But on this night, there would be no tasty treat for Bowen and the Spurs.
Web Posted: 05/31/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
On a night when Spurs' defensive specialist Bruce Bowen had a breakout offensive game and hit what could have been one of the biggest 3-point shots of his playoff career, it was a defensive stop he did not make that left him shaking his head in wonderment.
It wasn't for lack of all of Bowen's defensive skill that Phoenix's Joe Johnson was able to make a 16-foot jump shot from the left corner to give the Suns a 104-101 lead, a critical make in their 111-106 victory in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals at the SBC Center.
Bowen played the same kind of airtight defense that infuriated Ray Allen during the Western Conference semifinals, clutching and bumping as he stuck to Johnson as the Suns' guard dribbled into the corner. He was right in Johnson's face as the shot was launched.
But on this night, when Johnson missed only five of his 15 shots, the ball hit nothing but net.
"He hit a great shot," Bowen said. "That's part of this game where you just have to give credit when it's due. He hit a very tough shot. He was in a rhythm tonight, and when a guy gets in that kind of rhythm, it really doesn't matter who is guarding them at that moment. Everything that leaves their hands feels like a layup."
Johnson was not about to disagree, but he missed Bowen's point about the "zone" in which Johnson was playing.
"He played great defense on the play," Johnson said. "I just took what he gave me."
Never mind the fact Bowen gave Johnson only the smallest of peeks at the basket.
Spurs' coach Gregg Popovich slapped Bowen, runner-up to Ben Wallace in voting for Defensive Player of the Year, on Johnson with 24 seconds left in the third period of Game 4 because Johnson already had gone off for 22 points on Manu Ginobili, Brent Barry and Tony Parker.
Bowen had done a great job of taking Phoenix's Shawn Marion out of the first 14 quarters of the series, but the situation called for the change.
"He did a great job on Joe on that shot," Popovich said. "Joe just hit the shot."
For Bowen, the disappointment of a loss in a game that could have sent the Spurs into NBA Finals 2005 overshadowed his best offensive performance of the series. He made 6-of-11 shots, including 3 of 6 from 3-point range.
Bowen was shooting with such confidence that Popovich used a time out with 1:11 remaining, and the Spurs trailing by four points, 107-103, to design a play to produce an open 3-pointer for him.
"It's funny," Bowen said. "Maybe he doesn't get me plays consistently, but there are spots where he will say, 'Let's run one for Bruce.'
"You might think in that situation, out of the blue, 'He's running this for Bruce?' But he's done that before and that shows the confidence he has in me. He doesn't give me a boatload of plays, but he will have me in situations in certain times where he thinks I can produce."
The play worked to perfection, and Bowen nailed the 3-pointer, trimming Phoenix's lead to a single point, 107-106.
"Icing on the cake," Bowen said.
But on this night, there would be no tasty treat for Bowen and the Spurs.