Kori Ellis
01-11-2005, 01:56 AM
Spurs notebook: Bowen receives big surprise
Web Posted: 01/11/2005 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
SALT LAKE CITY — Bruce Bowen was named the Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday, making him only the second Spurs player besides Tim Duncan to receive the honor in the past seven seasons.
Bowen helped the Spurs to a 3-0 record while averaging 17.3 points on 55.6 percent shooting. He scored 24 points, his career-best in a regular-season game, against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday while also helping limit Kobe Bryant to 17 points.
"This was something that totally caught me off guard," Bowen said. "I really feel fortunate to get an honor like this.
"So many guys worry about so many different things, but if you take care of business on the court, everything else will take care itself."
Bowen is the first Spurs player to be named the West's player of the week this season. Duncan and Derek Anderson are the team's only other players to be similarly honored since the start of the 1998-99 season.
Bowen learned about the award as he was preparing to take a nap Monday afternoon. His agent, Lon Babby, who also represents Duncan and Malik Rose, left a message.
Babby encouraged Bowen to tease Duncan, who also was nominated for this week's award.
"What am I going to say to him?" Bowen said, laughing. "'So what you got 47 of them. I got one.'"
Still waiting: Karl Malone has yet to tell the Spurs whether he will play for them. The Spurs also haven't asked. Yet.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he would like to make any significant addition to the team no later than shortly after the All-Star break, which ends Feb. 20. The trade deadline is Feb. 24.
"The more time that goes by the more difficult it is," Popovich said. "Regardless of whether it's Karl Malone, if we were to make a trade, if we were going to add somebody, I would think you would have to make any changes to your team at the latest by then to give everybody time to integrate."
Close scare: Robert Horry banged his left knee with a little more than nine minutes remaining in a collision with Jazz point guard Raul Lopez. After crashing to the court, Horry immediately signaled for Spurs trainer Will Sevening.
Horry stood up on his own and limped to the bench. He iced the knee for a couple of minutes, but returned with 6:30 left.
Web Posted: 01/11/2005 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
SALT LAKE CITY — Bruce Bowen was named the Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday, making him only the second Spurs player besides Tim Duncan to receive the honor in the past seven seasons.
Bowen helped the Spurs to a 3-0 record while averaging 17.3 points on 55.6 percent shooting. He scored 24 points, his career-best in a regular-season game, against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday while also helping limit Kobe Bryant to 17 points.
"This was something that totally caught me off guard," Bowen said. "I really feel fortunate to get an honor like this.
"So many guys worry about so many different things, but if you take care of business on the court, everything else will take care itself."
Bowen is the first Spurs player to be named the West's player of the week this season. Duncan and Derek Anderson are the team's only other players to be similarly honored since the start of the 1998-99 season.
Bowen learned about the award as he was preparing to take a nap Monday afternoon. His agent, Lon Babby, who also represents Duncan and Malik Rose, left a message.
Babby encouraged Bowen to tease Duncan, who also was nominated for this week's award.
"What am I going to say to him?" Bowen said, laughing. "'So what you got 47 of them. I got one.'"
Still waiting: Karl Malone has yet to tell the Spurs whether he will play for them. The Spurs also haven't asked. Yet.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he would like to make any significant addition to the team no later than shortly after the All-Star break, which ends Feb. 20. The trade deadline is Feb. 24.
"The more time that goes by the more difficult it is," Popovich said. "Regardless of whether it's Karl Malone, if we were to make a trade, if we were going to add somebody, I would think you would have to make any changes to your team at the latest by then to give everybody time to integrate."
Close scare: Robert Horry banged his left knee with a little more than nine minutes remaining in a collision with Jazz point guard Raul Lopez. After crashing to the court, Horry immediately signaled for Spurs trainer Will Sevening.
Horry stood up on his own and limped to the bench. He iced the knee for a couple of minutes, but returned with 6:30 left.