Then-NBA disciplinarian Stu Jackson called Bowen over the incident and threatened to fine him. Popovich brought up other players doing the same thing in a vintage rant of its own time and purpose. Let's break down the quotes:
"Did (the league) call them?" Popovich said. "Did they call all those guys (Dirk) Nowitzki landed on when he sprained his ankles the past three, four years? The answer is no."
This is just outright bad logic from a very smart man. Not everyone who speeds gets caught. That doesn't make it OK.
"So why did they call Bruce? Because it's happened to him twice? Bruce guards an All-Star every night. If he was doing what they're accusing him of doing, wouldn't it have happened a higher percentage of times?"
Maybe it had? The NBA wasn't stressing shooters' landing zones as much in the 2000s as it has in the 2010s, so these fouls weren't on people's minds.
"The people who cry about it are just frustrated about having to go against Bruce."
Couldn't the same be said about Pachulia?
"The league is just trying to cover its ass," Popovich said. "I told Bruce, 'You be Bruce Bowen. You're the best (expletive) defender in this league. You will NOT change the way you play defense.'
"Stu Jackson is not going to change my team just because he thinks he's doing the right thing."