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It sucks to think we could be 24 hours away from Bowen's Spurs career being over
Bruuuuce – opening farewell
Buck Harvey
For old times, Bruce Bowen should bump into Josh Howard's wobbly ankle.
Bowen should do this, naturally, with arms spread, with the wide-eyed look of an innocent. Then he should bump into Dirk Nowitzki, J.J. Barea and anyone else who passes by.
For old times, Bowen should also walk out for the tip tonight for the first time in the AT&T Center since Nov. 28. He should start, just as he did every night for the previous seven years, just as he did for three championships.
Because this may be the last time.
Nothing is certain now, including the length of the series. As it was in 2006 against the Mavericks, Bowen might be back for a Game 7.
Summer decisions are as sketchy. The Spurs have yet to begin discussions on what to do with the roster and, with Bowen, there are several options.
They could keep him, and that would be easy enough. He's under contract next season.
But his salary is only partially guaranteed. The Spurs can buy him out for half of the $4 million he is due, then pursue someone else with the savings. Or they could trade him this summer, or they could trade him next season.
They already tried to trade him this season, and for a reason. Bowen might not be playing at all against Dallas if Manu Ginobili were healthy.
So the Spurs will evaluate, and they will repeat what they said last summer. They need to get younger, right?
That makes sense, except for this — Bowen seemingly never gets old. Earlier this month, NBA TV showed consecutive Spurs' closeout games from their championship years, and the 2003 game was striking.
Tony Parker looked like a baby and Tim Duncan like an MVP. Bowen looked the same. While other players have gone through unmistakable stages, Bowen's differences were subtle. He's lost a step, but it's difficult to see.
That's Bowen, ever the non-traditionalist. He's never been much of a rebounder, and he's never averaged double figures in scoring. Yet he deserves to have his number retired.
His defensive stats have never impressed, either. Jason Kidd, for example, has averaged almost 150 steals a season for his career; Bowen has never had more than 84 in any season in San Antonio.
Still, he chased scorers, and he irritated them. And when he sat down this season, the Spurs changed.
Sometimes they were better for it. Sometimes Roger Mason Jr. and others scored as Bowen rarely could.
But Saturday showed again what the Spurs once were with him. Inserted into the starting lineup to defend Barea, Bowen competed and brought playoff-tested toughness.
Afterward, as he left the locker room, he was asked if there was an adjustment since he had started for the first time in 70 games. He shrugged.
“I'd done it so many times,” he said.
If Bowen has complained this season, he's done it privately. But that doesn't mean he's been happy. He always defended his turf with a lot of pride, and he thinks he can still play. Bowen has told friends he will try to play elsewhere next season if the Spurs don't want him anymore.
He's also told people he will come back here to live, no matter how this ends for him. He's found a home.
So tonight means something to him, and to the franchise. If this is his last game in a Spurs uniform, it's the opening farewell to an era. Bowen will be the first of the core that won three les to leave.
That's why he should start as he did 500 consecutive times for the Spurs, and why he should have a chance to be what he was, and why Howard's ankle should be on alert.
For old times.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/s..._farewell.html
It sucks to think we could be 24 hours away from Bowen's Spurs career being over
What a great article by Harvey... i think Bruce has another run with us... but after seeing how Pop handled the situation this year i wouldn't be suprised if he ends up playing two more seasons somewhere else either... it's granted nbr 12 is being retired...
His career may or may not be over tomorrow, but one thing's for sure: his jersey will hang in the rafters, with all of the Spurs greats, forever.It sucks to think we could be 24 hours away from Bowen's Spurs career being over
i gotta give him props. even though he's had a few questionable plays in his career, he was still the heart and soul of a championship team, pretty classy guy, played great defense. I even admired him a little bit and watched him when i was in high school to better my own defense as a basketball player.
Even as a Mavfan i'll be sad to see him retire
To me, it doesn't make much sense to let Bowen go this offseason. Yeah, he's old but he doesn't have much NBA mileage on his tires. He's not the defense beast he used to be but he's still by far the best perimeter defender on this team. The Spurs would have had absolutely zero chances of beating the Mavs without Bowen on their roster.
Compared to Finley, Bowen looks like a spry 25-year-old. Pop should have forced Finley into retirement, not Bowen ... but that's a topic of a different thread.
$2 million for a game-changing defensive player who is a proven clutch shooter in the playoffs? Unless the Spurs are going to start rebuilding with tons of youngsters and wait for 2010, letting go of Bowen would be a mistake.
Unfortunately, my guess is that Bowen won't be coming back.
hopefully Bruce is back for one more year, he has shown flashes of the old Bruce many times during the season. When he was put on Artest on the last home game against the Rockets that was some of the most physical defense anyone has played on Artest, he was just smothering the guy.
One more year with the big 3 all starting would be something I hope for next fall.
If the Spurs cut Bruce this summer then they might as well trade Manu to get younger too.It sucks to think we could be 24 hours away from Bowen's Spurs career being over
I hope someone from the media starts to grow some balls and ask Pop why the he benched Bowen this year despite his decent showing this season. Just to end the speculations once and for all. I would love to hear his explanation.
I'm aware that he has 4 rings and is a future HOFer so who am I to question his methods, right? But I think the Spurs fans deserve to know why he's moving away from his winning formula.
Cue the troll reply: Cut him so he can stick his foot underneath a Spur shooting a jumpshooter.
If the Spurs cut him or let him go (hope not!), where would bruce possibly end up?
If you watched the Spurs last season the answer is right before you. They needed to score more points because their offense last year put too much pressure on their defense. Every bucket was a pain in the ass for the Spurs to get, more strain on Timmy in the post.
This is my personal belief as to why they went with a more offensive unit this year.
What put pressure on the Spurs was sitting Bowen and letting Udoka and Ginobili take turns guarding Kobe.
the only ones who showed up for that series was Tony/Timmy/Barry, almost like this years playoffs.
Bowen is underated. Always been. And now even Pop "I preach defense" does it.
Lame.
I thought they addressed that problem with Mason.
I definitely understand cutting his minutes, but he had DNP-CDs and was out of the rotation while Finley who didn't provide enough offense to compensate for his atrocious defense played 30+mins.
I wish he would retire with the Spurs. He was a vital cog for the Spurs' 3 most recent rings.
I have vivid memories of Game 1, 3rd quarter when Udoka subbed for Bowen.
Kobe's eyes lit like a child at FAO Schwarz with mommy and daddy's credit card
I hope Finley goes before Bowen.
So Pop threw Bowen under the bus for Finley to continue starting and more offense from Mason and Bonner types??But Saturday showed again what the Spurs once were with him. Inserted into the starting lineup to defend Barea, Bowen competed and brought playoff-tested toughness.
Afterward, as he left the locker room, he was asked if there was an adjustment since he had started for the first time in 70 games. He shrugged.
“I'd done it so many times,” he said.
If Bowen has complained this season, he's done it privately. But that doesn't mean he's been happy. He always defended his turf with a lot of pride, and he thinks he can still play. Bowen has told friends he will try to play elsewhere next season if the Spurs don't want him anymore.
If Bowen is gone next year I'm going to be pissed. Tim and Manu won't want to do any more new HEB commercials if it's just them.
I don't wanna see Bowen go...at all. He truly defines the meaning to be a Spur. Without him...it just wont be the same.
Exactly. Up 20, 6 minutes left in the third, Bowen picks up only his third foul and Pop pulls a Pop and inexplicably yanks him from the game. As soon as it happened anyone with a clue knew it was terrible and the Lakers would mount a charge right then.
gee..this article makes me sad...
Truth be told, the Big 3 is actually a Big 4. Without him, we don't win the last 3 rings.
Bowen is as irreplaceable as TD, TP or Manu. Players like him don't come around too often.
When it happens, Bruce's press conference to announce his retirement should be immediately followed by the press conference to announce his jersey-retiring ceremony.
The offense drought is not just Bruce's fault. Compared to some other players like Bonner, Udoka, Bowen at least contributed at one end on the court.
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