Bruce is gone.

[Spursmania]

If Bruce, doesn't play this Friday, the dye has already been cast and, I too, doubt we will see much of Bowen anymore. This will suck. I guess ST posters are the dumb s and Pop is the wise one on this decision. Dammit Pop!

[1Parker1]

This is why we're looking this year more like the 2005 Suns tham the spurs.

Here's why:

The 2005 Suns were a great team but:
1-They depended on the 3 ball way too much
2-They weren't a defensive minded team
3-They weren't a good rebounding team.

The only deference is that we dont score 110 ppg coze Pop prefers the half court ofense instead of fastbreaks after fastbreaks.

That being said,if we look like the 2005 suns the best we could posibly do is to get to the WFCs, but that's about it.

P.S. It's being a of a journy so far since 2003,we´ll all remember you Bruce

Any team coached by Pop will be a defensive minded team. Just because the Spurs don;'t have the personnel to be as great a defensive team as they've been in the past doesn't mean they don't have a defensive mentality. They are still about 1000 times greater defensively than the 2005 Suns team.

As for the rebounding...I believe the Spurs lead the league in defensive rebounding so I'm not sure where you are getting that the Spurs aren't a good rebounding team. Rebounding is the least of this team's worries.

[LockBeard]

I don't understand how Pop could just give up on Bowen like that.

[Baseline]

Coach should pit Bruce and Fin 1 on 1 in practice with the winner getting Fin's minutes

Not good - Pop would insist on refereeing the game, and would give fin all the calls.

It's in the secret pact they signed. Finley will play as many minutes as he humanly can until he dies - even if it means losing games.

[Gervin44Silas13]

If he's rested he better be ready to play defense HARD D-FENSE!!!!!!!

[G-Nob]

Just a question because I don't live in San Antonio but has anyone in the local media questioned Pop on the reduction in Bowen's minutes? Maybe he can shed some light so we all aren't walking around trying to find furniture to kick.

Could it be Bowen might have an injury issue that Pop doesn't want him to aggrevate?

[phxspurfan]

I really don't understand the evidence behind this thread. Or the timing. Bruce is getting DNP's but Pop has been so inconsistent with his rotations all year that you can hardly make conclusions about players based on PT trends. And Of course the Spurs entertained offers with Bruce in them. That doesn't mean any of them were finalized. People are reading wayy too far into this. Pop will realize he needs Bruce, his 'cooler,' again in the playoffs, and that's when he will be ready to go.

[greyforest]

POP PLAY BODWEN U WTh

[xtremesteven33]

Pop is a mad scientist.....lets see what he does....

[SequSpur]

Bowen is going to start again.

[Austin_Toros]

Bowen to go? It looks like the spurs are making way for Marcus Williams.

[jdev82]

If that's the case, Bowen's lack of offense is the kicker to me. If he had some 1-1 game this would have never happened. At the same time as many times as our defense has gotten served this year, I'm surprised he isn't in the rotation.

bruce has shown more one on one game this year than ive ever seen from him. making the drive and the layup or the penetrate and kick. the smart plays when we have no offense working. if he got minutes he would be still a force. i wouldve thought this 4 mins a game would end come this time and he would be gearing up for PO time. but idk maybe pops gone CIA. or maybe bruce wants to stop playing so much. idk. but i dont think his lack of offense was the kicker. hes been as effective as any spur on both ends this year, but has got no minutes

[Baseline]

I don't understand how Pop could just give up on Bowen like that.

I agree. It makes no sense. It's not like we have a young Dwayne Wade that is taking his minutes.

Why Bowen would have DNPs while Finley plays 30 minutes is totally beyond me. I bet if you polled the other 29 GMs in the league, 25 of them would say that Bowen should easily get half of those 30 minutes.

[BallHog11]

The way this is happening in ref to Bruce Bowen is completely classless! We have 3 banners hanging that we would not have without Bruce. Coaching staff and organization have always made bizarre decisions when it comes to talent. We let Pops Mensah Bonsu leave for nothing. This guy was easily a 20-10 per night guy at 6'10.

We let him leave and decided to sign Gooden. Mindblowing! We could have had a 20-10 guy with at ude in the paint for maybe 180,000 dollars and we let hime go. Mahimi is a mystery. Ginnobli in the starting line up after missing so many games is a mystery. Keeping dead wait on the bench and staarting Bonner at Point-Center are huge mysteries.

Finally, If I am Bruce Bowen, I leave this team now! Bruce can sign anywhere, get paid, and play at least 3 more seasons. Then the Spurs can go back and shop for Forein players that never show up!

The Ego's are out of Control! Time for a coaching change!

[BallHog11]

I agree. It makes no sense. It's not like we have a young Dwayne Wade that is taking his minutes.

Why Bowen would have DNPs while Finley plays 30 minutes is totally beyond me. I bet if you polled the other 29 GMs in the league, 25 of them would say that Bowen should easily get half of those 30 minutes.

You are so right. What a slap in the face for Bruce. He is a class act and a of a player. He deserves better and I pray that he gets it. Besides, POP and RC's luck is running out fast. The entire leauge has improved while we have made stupid move after stupid move. Why do we have Vaughn, Bonner, Oberto on our roster anyway? As for Manu, I am a fan and have been since he became a Spur. But come on,,,,this guy misses a lot of games due to injury. Football players dont miss as many games.

He has gotten smaller! Looks like he looses more weight each year and he absolutely cannot stay healthy. STRANGE!

All Strange!

Right now, we have Duncan, Finley, Mason, Parker, Ginnobli, Bowen and Thomas! Bonner is a good player and should contribute off the bench. But starting at Center??? He would not start for any other team in the NBA! As for the rest of the roster, Dead Weight! Wonder why we keep these guys at the expense of turning down talent every year!

Hope these two rocket scientist (Pop and RC) dont reduce us to NBA bottom feeders! Lucky if we get out of the first round. , without Bruce, we wont!

[exstatic]

ROFL. Pop is preparing for life after Bruce already.

+1

10 minutes of Bruce could have bothered Durant out of his plasma hot shooting against OKC. Pop declined.

I've been thinking most of the season, and all of the second half that they are preparing for L.A.B.

I'm thinking there may be value on the trade market for his $4M fractionally guaranteed deal for next year. Teams are desperate to shed payroll. Good players making the MLE will be available. If there are no takers, the Spurs will likely waive him, with perhaps an option to re-sign for one year at the MIN. If not, they put the couple million towards Gooden's deal.

[exstatic]

I don't understand how Pop could just give up on Bowen like that.

He's 37. It's not "giving up", it's the realization that the end of Bruce's road is close enough to touch.

[silverblackfan]

I think the opposite. I think Bruce is going to be back in the starting line up real soon. Pop has got his players as much playing time as he could without losing touch of #2. Given the injuries and some fortunate play from Hill and Mason, the Spurs have managed to survive. Now it is going to be a mini-push for the playoffs that will start with Bruce back in his normal role.
I mean come on, do you really think Bruce has completely lost all quickness, 3 point clutch shooting, defensive rotation knowledge and leadership in less than one season from guarding Kobe Bryant? Let's get rational people and STEP AWAY FROM THE LEDGE!

[exstatic]

We let Pops Mensah Bonsu leave for nothing. This guy was easily a 20-10 per night guy at 6'10.

Oh, really? Is that why he's putting up a mind blowing 6/6 for Toronto? There are maybe 4-5 guys in the NBA every year that put up 20/10, but s like you think some d-league wonder is just going to waltz in and drop those numbers. Putz.

[exstatic]

i think the opposite. I think bruce is going to be back in the starting line up real soon. Pop has got his players as much playing time as he could without losing touch of #2. Given the injuries and some fortunate play from hill and mason, the spurs have managed to survive. Now it is going to be a mini-push for the playoffs that will start with bruce back in his normal role.
I mean come on, do you really think bruce has completely lost all quickness, 3 point clutch shooting, defensive rotation knowledge and leadership in less than one season from guarding kobe bryant? Let's get rational people and step away from the ledge!

put down the crack pipe.

[manufor3]

Oh, really? Is that why he's putting up a mind blowing 6/6 for Toronto? There are maybe 4-5 guys in the NBA every year that put up 20/10, but s like you think some d-league wonder is just going to waltz in and drop those numbers. Putz.

[raspsa]

I still think Bowen and Hill are going tobe playing the fireman's role. They may have limited minutes but they will be a defensive option that Pop will call upon.

[Mark in Austin]

Was it ever determined if Bruce is being rested because he has a nagging injury too? One the Spurs want to keep quiet?

[Amuseddaysleeper]

People may eyeroll a bit on this, but I really believe something may have happened between Pop and Bruce behind closed doors. For all the talk about Pop sacrificing defense for offense, there is just no way he leaves Bruce to rot on the bench like this. Bruce may be near the end of his career but he's still easily the best perimeter defender we have (the second best of which, Mr. George Hill is also struggling for playing time).

I know it sounds crazy but SA has always been good at keeping any problems behind closed doors should they ever arise. Maybe Bruce was irritated with his inexplicable DNP's and got upset.


I just refuse to believe Pop has gotten his head so far up his ass that he has forgotten what got him those rings in the first place.

The Spurs really really need to go at least 7-1 the rest of the way to have any momentum going into the playoffs or else they will be a first round casualty.

[timvp]

couple million towards Gooden's deal.

There's still a chance for him to improve but so far his at ude and fit on the team is that of the bigman version of Ron Mercer.