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Parker, questionable?
Maybe in the regular season.
DAMNT!!!!
Spurs on the defensive: Bowen declares 'war' in battle vs. Mavs
Web Posted: 05/09/2006 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b....1258ad9c.html
Avery Johnson and Bruce Bowen are, in NBA parlance, self-made men. Neither was drafted. One began his professional career in France, the other in the USBL. For years, both bounced from tryout to tryout until finally finding a permanent home in the league.
Which is why Johnson respects "the journey" Bowen has made, as well as the tenacious defender he's become. It's why when Johnson was named Coach of the Year two weeks ago, Bowen was among the first to call with congratulations.
This is also why when Johnson complained of Bowen's "bear-hug" defense on Dirk Nowitzki after the Spurs beat Dallas in the opener of their Western Conference semifinals series Sunday, Bowen didn't seem to care. No matter the intent — to influence the officials, take pressure off Nowitzki, or, as Johnson maintains, criticize his own team's inability to counter the defense — Bowen understood.
"It's war now," Bowen said. "It's not about friendships. I won't hold a grudge against him for that.
"Some things are about just wanting to get a victory."
The Spurs didn't secure Sunday's 87-85 victory until the final shot, and they don't expect tonight's rematch to be any less compe ive when the series resumes at the AT&T Center. Bowen and Nowitzki will again share the stage, though the Spurs also have other concerns after learning El Contusión has a new backcourt partner: Le Contusión.
Already slowed by a bruised right thigh and a strained right hip, Tony Parker suffered a left quadriceps contusion in Sunday's game. He didn't work out Monday, and team officials listed his chances of playing tonight as "questionable."
Parker's availability likely will be determined by how stiff his leg — or legs — feels this morning. At the least, Spurs trainer Will Sevening may have to begin buying thigh pads in bulk to outfit both Parker and Manu Ginobili.
"It's like he and Manu have targets in their thighs for people to kick them," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "They've had a lot of those this season, and we've caught another one."
Bowen had his own déjŕ vu experience Monday after learning he was the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up to Detroit center Ben Wallace for the second consecutive year. The award has been a longtime goal of Bowen's, but he didn't sound discouraged by the results.
"It doesn't take away from what I do," Bowen said. "It's like that in life sometimes: There are things you don't get, and you have to continue on."
Bowen didn't weaken his credentials Sunday when he helped force Nowitzki into missing 12 of his 20 shots. His effectiveness against the Mavericks' All-Star forward has factored heavily in the outcome of the teams' five meetings this season. In the two games Dallas won, Nowitzki averaged 32 points while shooting 52.3 percent. In the Spurs' three victories, he averaged 19 points on 35.4 percent shooting.
Though Bowen is nearly a half-foot shorter than Nowitzki, he did a good job of crowding the Mavs' star and challenging most of his shots. When necessary, he tried to funnel Nowitzki into Tim Duncan and the Spurs' other shot-blockers.
"Every time I try to spin, Duncan or some big guy is always coming from the baseline trying to trap me," Nowitzki said. "In those games I shot the ball well, I was kind of able to rise and shoot over them and make my shots.
"You've got to give them credit. They're kind of forcing me into that fadeaway, and they're kind of living with it. Yesterday, they succeeded. So we'll see what comes out tomorrow."
Bowen is wise enough not to gloat over one performance. As successful as he was Sunday, he also knows tonight offers no guarantees.
"Dirk is an All-Star," Bowen said. "He's going to be all right. Trust me, he gets enough shots to be all right. He can redeem himself."
The Spurs aren't the only team to throw a smaller defender on Nowitzki. Sacramento used Ron Artest to guard him, albeit with less success.
"We've seen this defense before," Johnson said, "and we've executed against this defense before."
Dallas' best counter to the Spurs may not even be Nowitzki, but rather small forward Josh Howard. With Bowen guarding Nowitzki, the Spurs usually open the game with Duncan on Adrian Griffin. But once Jerry Stackhouse replaces Griffin, the Spurs have to decide whether to have one of their big men guard Howard or go small.
Including the playoffs, the Mavericks are 20-0 when Howard scores at least 20 points. Howard seemed headed for a similar performance Sunday after ending the first quarter with 12 points, but he took only four shots in the second half.
"We've had trouble in the past with that because either Griffin or Josh are quick enough to drive the bigs," Ginobili said. "But it's a risk we're willing to take.
"Not having Tim guarding Dirk and getting in foul trouble and having Bruce, who is one of the best, guard him is something we need to do."
Johnson also said Monday he admires Bowen's defense. His "bear-hug" complaint from a day earlier, he said, was aimed primarily at the Mavericks' offense for not doing more to combat the Spurs.
"One of these days, I hope to have a chance to play one-on-one with him and come out of retirement," Johnson said, laughing. "I'm going to go left by him. Nobody, not even Bruce can stop me from going left."
Parker, questionable?
Maybe in the regular season.
DAMNT!!!!
Spurs-Mavs notebook: Hiccup on final play all his fault, AJ says
Web Posted: 05/09/2006 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b....126fc5d5.html
Dallas coach Avery Johnson blamed himself for the breakdown in the final play of Sunday's game.
Johnson said the variation of the play he drew up in the huddle during the timeout wasn't one the Mavericks had previously used.
"That's a rookie coach," Johnson said.
Dirk Nowitzki tried to drive into the lane with Bruce Bowen crowding him and appeared to stumble. His pass to Jerry Stackhouse was deflected by Manu Ginobili. Stackhouse still got the ball, but forced a 3-pointer from the left corner that fell short of the rim.
"It wasn't the players' fault. It was my fault," Johnson said. "Pin that on me. Plan A wasn't there, but we still tried to force Plan A. We wanted to go to Plan B and we thought we could get a good Plan B.
"That's the first time we've ever run that play the whole year. That's my fault."
Bear humor: The Spurs found humor in the "bear-hug defense" complaint Johnson made about Bruce Bowen on Sunday.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich joked that he learned the defensive strategy from Johnson himself.
"He had trouble guarding people one-on-one," Popovich said, "so he just used to grab them."
Michael Finley wasn't sure what Johnson's description meant.
"I'm from Chicago," Finley said. "The only bears we had were Chicago Bears the football team. I don't know what a bear hug is."
Feeling rejuvenated: If the Spurs saw any advantage in playing early Sunday afternoon, it was that it enabled them to go to bed sooner.
"Of course we feel better," Manu Ginobili said. "We're more rested and we have more time to prepare for the (tonight's) game.
"The fact we're going to be more prepared doesn't mean we're going to win it, too. But at least we're going to be more ready."
In search of helping hands?: Johnson said he wasn't too troubled by the Mavericks' paltry assist total in Game 1. They had only eight assists, the lowest in the franchise's playoff history.
Incredibly, three of those assists came from Marquis Daniels, who played six minutes.
"We're not a big assists team anyway," Johnson said. "We're a big ball-movement, player-movement team, and we think we got that, but the shots just unfortunately didn't go down. And their defense had a lot to do with that."
Keeping it close: Johnson said he disagreed with the idea of Sunday's two-point loss hurting the Mavericks' psyches more than a blowout would have.
"I think more psychological wreckage would (have happened) if we lost by 22," Johnson said. "Then you would feel probably like this mountain is really, really hard to climb."
Stern concedes mistake: NBA commissioner David Stern acknowledged that it was a mistake to schedule the Spurs to open the Western Conference semifinals with an early game Sunday.
The Spurs wrapped up their first-round series in Sacramento so late on Friday that it was after midnight in Texas. The Spurs spent the night in Sacramento and arrived in San Antonio about 3 p.m. Saturday.
They tipped off their series with Dallas at noon Sunday because ABC wanted to show the Cleveland-Detroit game in the more attractive later time slot.
I think if he can walk, he'll play.
I agree.
But, I hope these injuries don't affect his speed and what not.
If it does, that hurts the Spurs significantly.
Well they affected his lift in game 1 a bit and then he got hit again. We'll see. I think he'll be okay. Will Sevening is earning his paycheck
No question.
If they can win game 2, those three days will help him immensly.
hahaha avery u clown.
So Avery invented the "bear hug defense" and taught it to Coach Pop, who in turn taught it to Bruce Bowen, all along? By that logic, Avery indirectly taught Bruce Bowen the very same "bear hug defense" he complained about!
Maybe they'll get a discountParker's availability likely will be determined by how stiff his leg — or legs — feels this morning. At the least, Spurs trainer Will Sevening may have to begin buying thigh pads in bulk to outfit both Parker and Manu Ginobili.
"the Spurs also have other concerns after learning El Contusión has a new backcourt partner: Le Contusión."
Vive' le ice pack!
Dallas coach Avery Johnson blamed himself for the breakdown in the final play of Sunday's game.
I read somewhere that Dallas leads the league in shots made after calling a timeout, which is why I found this comment interesting. I wonder if PO experience had anything to do with it?
LMAO...Avery wasn't complaining about the "bear hug defense"...he was just stating a fact. If anything, it was a compliment to Bowen...
"It's what you call bear-hug defense," Johnson said. "That's the new NBA rule. I've got to try to simulate a drill to help him in what you call that bear-hug defense."
"One of these days, I hope to have a chance to play one-on-one with him and come out of retirement," Johnson said, laughing. "I'm going to go left by him. Nobody, not even Bruce can stop me from going left."
now i'm not too sure but was johnson really that good at going left or was he just joking around
OH MY GOD!!!!!!!
AVERY JOHNSON AND BRUCE BOWEN AREN'T MORTAL ENEMIES!!!!!!!!!!
Bruce is a traitor. How can he not hold a grudge against the evil Avery, the man who refused to give David Robinson an autograph!!! Bruce even said something about "friendships".
BRUCE MUST NOW BE THE ENEMY AS WELL!!!! HATE BRUCE BOWEN!!!!!!!!!!!!
How many timed does Manu get dinged on/around his knees before he starts wearing kneepads?
Tim has been wearning a sleeve on his left knee (no pad that I can see) a couple months.
Drop the vanity, follow your leader, Manu, Tony.
He was just as good as Manu at going left and even though every opponent knew that, they still could not stop him from doing so.
artest found a way to stop manu for a few games during the series
Taking heat away from Stackhouse has everything to do with it. Dallas fans have no problem completely consuming their own, and AJ is trying to keep it from happening.
By the way, AJ legitimately couldn't go to his right.
Exactly. What'd Bruce ever do in SA? It was all TD.
Half Mav Fan, Surely you recognize a Spurs damage control piece when you see one? coughLuddencough. I mean how obvious can it be? AJ was 3 seconds from getting a Bowen foot up his azzzzzzzzzzzz.
Hey whottt, I heard that The Coyote took a piss on the Alamo.
I was very surprised to see Tony as fresh as he looked on Sunday. I mean just 36 hours earlier he was limping to the locker room. I have a feeling he'll be just fine tonight....at least I hope so.
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