Bowen Has to Stop...

[timvp]

A weird thing about Bowen's half flops (I say half because he is getting pushed somewhat) is that refs seem to call them later in the series as they see the two teams play more and more. Paul got away with about 50 push offs against Bowen early in the New Orleans series but in Game 6 they finally started calling it and Paul was eventually forced to stop pushing off on every drive.

I do agree that it's somewhat annoying at this stage of the series because the refs will just never call it.

[Borosai]

Oh, and Kobe did shoot one free throw on that bs foul called on one of his ridiculous 3s.

[m33p0]

Kobe got 0 F/T's tonight. I think you should all STFU about Bowen's defense.

That is the plan: don't let him get into the lane and don't give him free throws. you can STFU now about Bowen's defense.

[michaelwcho]

What's funny is that the refs are never going to even call that blatant foul by Kobe.

Bowen's defense has been great otherwise though. He's keeping Kobe off the foul line which is a very difficult thing to do. I think a part of that is that though is Kobe hasn't really been driving aggresively to the hole as his jumpshot and 3 point shot has been falling consistently.

Don't be so sure. Chris Paul got away with the same sort of off-arm BS for about 5 games, but the refs got wise to it and eventually didn't let him slide so much. Maybe Bowen is setting up the same sort of thing?

[GrandeDavid]

WHAT!!? LMAO @ people saying Bowen had lockdown defense! 30 points on 57% shooting, hehe.

And a 19 point beatdown.

[Indazone]

The announcers said that Bowen was instructed by Pop to give Kobe space. Turn him into a jump shooter. Pop didn't want him to play suffocating defense on Kobe.

[SPARKY]

Kobe got 0 F/T's tonight. I think you should all STFU about Bowen's defense.

You mad?

[SRJ]

First of all, Bowen is doing a good job overall against one of the NBA's all-time best scorers. I'm not trying to downgrade Bowen's defense in general.

However, Bowen's role is not primarily about keeping Kobe off the FT line! His first priority is to make Kobe's FGA's as difficult as possible. If he is falling away from Kobe, he is not properly contesting the shot.

It's not a huge deal, and I'm sure Bowen will adjust for the next game.

EDIT: I didn't realize the following:

The announcers said that Bowen was instructed by Pop to give Kobe space. Turn him into a jump shooter. Pop didn't want him to play suffocating defense on Kobe.

Now I understand. In a vacuum, however, I think you'd rather see the tough contest.

[1Parker1]

Don't be so sure. Chris Paul got away with the same sort of off-arm BS for about 5 games, but the refs got wise to it and eventually didn't let him slide so much. Maybe Bowen is setting up the same sort of thing?

CP3 is not Kobe Bryant. Trust me, I will be in shock if the refs ever call that "shove off" by Kobe.

[T Park]

Just be lucky if Bowen can continue to keep Kobe and able to play the D hes been able to do so far.

[Kori Ellis]

Bowen does flop on it some. But he also is getting pushed away harder than you think. Bowen is extremely light and some of the push offs by Kobe actually push him away.

Anyway ... leave it to Spurs fans to start a nagging thread about one of their players after they just got a must-win.

[Lake_show]

Just be lucky if Bowen can continue to keep Kobe and able to play the D hes been able to do so far.

You gotta love Spurs fans.

Hehe.

[Kori Ellis]

You are right man... there is a perfect example of what you are talking about in my sig.

Actually in your sig, he pulls away and let's him go by because Tim is there (in theory) to contest.

[NewJerSpur]

You are right man... there is a perfect example of what you are talking about in my sig.

That's not flopping...that's Bruce anticipating contact and backing off of Kobe to induce him into a travel. Better play by Kobe, but I can't fault Bruce for what he was thinking there.

[SRJ]

Anyway ... leave it to Spurs fans to start a nagging thread about one of their players after they just got a must-win.

You call it a nag, we call it analysis.

[SpursFan0728]

I agree
That happened in game 1 during the final stretch when Bowen flopped and kobe hit an open jumper...

the ref won't make those calls

[NewJerSpur]

Bowen does flop on it some. But he also is getting pushed away harder than you think. Bowen is extremely light and some of the push offs by Kobe actually push him away.

Anyway ... leave it to Spurs fans to start a nagging thread about one of their players after they just got a must-win.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm nagging, I was just bothered by it in the first few games and even more in the 4th quarter of this must win. I know Bruce is better than that, even with the light contact.

[NewJerSpur]

You call it a nag, we call it analysis.

Exactly.

[Kori Ellis]

Analyze tomorrow.
Celebrate tonight.

[DazedAndConfused]

Kobe has not been shutdown at all by Bowen. Kobe is not the reason why the Lakers lost this game, regardless of if he got free throws or not.

[watertorture]

Kobe does what Michael used to--he pushes off with his off-hand. Bruce is so tight on him that he is getting knocked back. Refs have different rules for certain players.

[ChumpDumper]

Kobe has not been shutdown at all by Bowen. Kobe is not the reason why the Lakers lost this game, regardless of if he got free throws or not.

Then why are you whining about the free throws?

[rascal]

Actually in your sig, he pulls away and let's him go by because Tim is there (in theory) to contest.

He would have ran into Tim had he continued to challenge the play. He had no where to go but to back off as he did.

[SPARKY]

Rocket fan is one whiny bas .

[ChumpDumper]

Was it me, or did the Spurs crowd seem to be really personal tonight. There were all kinds of comments flying from those courtsides seats that you could hear over the noise of the crowd.

We can only take so many fat jokes.