Beer is Good
05-04-2006, 04:34 PM
Series notes: 'Finesse D' isn't slowing Wells any
The Kings guard says he's too physical for Bruce Bowen.
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Thursday, May 4, 2006
No one had to remind Bruce Bowen that he's had his hands full with a certain lumbering and determined No. 42 in this playoff series.
Bonzi Wells has abused the San Antonio Spurs from the start, with the shooting guard willing his teammates to follow his lead by reducing the defending champions' inside defense to rubble.
Bowen's defensive pride has taken a beating, and the veteran knows well that the Kings will ride Wells as far as he can take them.
"Bonzi, he's playing with a lot of confidence right now, and he has a license to trump what he's done," Bowen said. "He's earned it. So kudos to him because he is doing a good job. It's not blowing smoke toward him. He's playing well."
Wells leads the Kings in the series in scoring (24.4 points) and rebounding (12.2). He had 38 points and 12 rebounds in Game 5 Tuesday in San Antonio, leaving Kings coach Rick Adelman on Wednesday to wonder if he's ever seen a player work over the Spurs like that in back-to-back games (Wells had 25 points and 17 rebounds in Game 4).
Wells said he can appreciate Bowen's defensive efforts but says there's a significant difference between smash-mouth defenders and those who chase people around.
"You've got to understand what it is about Bruce Bowen," Wells said. "Bruce Bowen is a good defender on guys who come off screens and shoot jump shots. But when a guy like me or Ron (Artest) are (playing him), we want to feel Bruce Bowen. A lot of guys don't. He's an excellent team defender. If you put him in the streets or the park (for pickup games), guys will go at Bruce Bowen. He ain't going to have a 7-foot center to protect the rim.
"I'm not taking anything away from his defense. He's a good finesse defender, but when it comes to physical defense, it's two different stories."
Boosting the backcourt - Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Bowen combined for 64 points in Game 5, which helps the offense. But helping slow the bulk of Wells and Artest? Pass the calories, please.
"We put Bruce and Manu on some high-protein diets the last day and a half," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said before Game 4. "They ballooned from 85 pounds to 140. We're going to be all over those guys."
Crunching numbers - Artest made 30 percent of his three-point shots during the regular season and Wells 22 percent.
So there they were launching threes at an amazing clip in Game 5, with Artest making 4 of 8 and Wells hitting his three shots.
"We played the whole (series) thinking they were not shooters," Ginobili said.
Popovich said dealing with Artest and Wells inside is trouble enough. Trying to suddenly stop their threes? "Real trouble," the coach said.
• Parker warded off a thigh bruise suffered early in Game 5 to hit some 15-foot jumpers, leaving Tim Duncan to remark later: "We need him to do that," and Adelman to jump on his crew for allowing him to be so wide open.
The Kings guard says he's too physical for Bruce Bowen.
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Thursday, May 4, 2006
No one had to remind Bruce Bowen that he's had his hands full with a certain lumbering and determined No. 42 in this playoff series.
Bonzi Wells has abused the San Antonio Spurs from the start, with the shooting guard willing his teammates to follow his lead by reducing the defending champions' inside defense to rubble.
Bowen's defensive pride has taken a beating, and the veteran knows well that the Kings will ride Wells as far as he can take them.
"Bonzi, he's playing with a lot of confidence right now, and he has a license to trump what he's done," Bowen said. "He's earned it. So kudos to him because he is doing a good job. It's not blowing smoke toward him. He's playing well."
Wells leads the Kings in the series in scoring (24.4 points) and rebounding (12.2). He had 38 points and 12 rebounds in Game 5 Tuesday in San Antonio, leaving Kings coach Rick Adelman on Wednesday to wonder if he's ever seen a player work over the Spurs like that in back-to-back games (Wells had 25 points and 17 rebounds in Game 4).
Wells said he can appreciate Bowen's defensive efforts but says there's a significant difference between smash-mouth defenders and those who chase people around.
"You've got to understand what it is about Bruce Bowen," Wells said. "Bruce Bowen is a good defender on guys who come off screens and shoot jump shots. But when a guy like me or Ron (Artest) are (playing him), we want to feel Bruce Bowen. A lot of guys don't. He's an excellent team defender. If you put him in the streets or the park (for pickup games), guys will go at Bruce Bowen. He ain't going to have a 7-foot center to protect the rim.
"I'm not taking anything away from his defense. He's a good finesse defender, but when it comes to physical defense, it's two different stories."
Boosting the backcourt - Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Bowen combined for 64 points in Game 5, which helps the offense. But helping slow the bulk of Wells and Artest? Pass the calories, please.
"We put Bruce and Manu on some high-protein diets the last day and a half," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said before Game 4. "They ballooned from 85 pounds to 140. We're going to be all over those guys."
Crunching numbers - Artest made 30 percent of his three-point shots during the regular season and Wells 22 percent.
So there they were launching threes at an amazing clip in Game 5, with Artest making 4 of 8 and Wells hitting his three shots.
"We played the whole (series) thinking they were not shooters," Ginobili said.
Popovich said dealing with Artest and Wells inside is trouble enough. Trying to suddenly stop their threes? "Real trouble," the coach said.
• Parker warded off a thigh bruise suffered early in Game 5 to hit some 15-foot jumpers, leaving Tim Duncan to remark later: "We need him to do that," and Adelman to jump on his crew for allowing him to be so wide open.