Bowen retiring from NBA

[21_Blessings]

One of the dirtiest players to ever lace em up. Without Tim Duncan Bowen would have been out of the NBA years ago. Good riddance.

[coyotes_geek]

Bruce's Hall-of-Fame Credentials:

3 rings
15th all-time in playoff threes; 168
5 times 1st team all-Defense (of 17 in NBA history)
3 times 2nd team all-Defense (of 17 to make the all-Defensive team 8 times)
6 seasons playing all 82 games
5 consecutive seasons starting 82 games
8 seasons missing zero games due to injury
7 consecutive seasons not missing a start to injury
held Kobe to zero free throws made in back-to-back games in '08 WCFs (1 attempt)
held Kobe to one free throw made in three games (2 attempts)
held Kobe to only 10 FTs made in 5 games (11 attempts)
one of thee greatest man-to-man defensers in NBA history
Spurs were in top 5 in Defensive rating all 8 years w/ Bowen, with 7 in top 3, 5 in top 2, and 3 in 1st, according to Basketball Reference.com
Tim Duncan's best friend

I love Bruce and everything he's done for the team and the community, but no. Bruce Bowen does not belong in the hall of fame. Sorry to be a buzzkill.

[SA210]

Phew

Now LeBron can win the championshp

[duncan228]

To Bruce Bowen.

I've followed this team forever, but have seen them only once live. I'm so glad I got to see Bowen play. It was amazing to watch him in person, without having to depend on the cameras. He was a pest, and I mean that in the best way. Defense brings home Championships, and Bowen was one of the best. I wish him the best in whatever he persues.

[velik_m]

This has been an all-around crappy day.

[21_Blessings]

held Kobe to zero free throws made in back-to-back games in '08 WCFs (1 attempt)
held Kobe to one free throw made in three games (2 attempts)
held Kobe to only 10 FTs made in 5 games (11 attempts)

Kobe shat on Bowen that entire series. Haha, yeah it was Bowen that "held" Kobe to no free throws, not the refs. Good one.

[Galileo]

I love Bruce and everything he's done for the team and the community, but no. Bruce Bowen does not belong in the hall of fame. Sorry to be a buzzkill.

why not?

Is not defense just as important as offense in basketball?

Some think it more important.

[lefty]

Didn't get the frontpage on ESPN



Surprise surprise ...................................

[Muser]

[Spurminator]

I'm trying to balance my sense of gra ude and admiration for Bowen with my frustration with the fact that he is retiring without having been recognized as the best defensive player in the game.

Congrats to Bruce on a great and inspirational career.

[peacemaker885]

To Bruce Bowen.

I've followed this team forever, but have seen them only once live. I'm so glad I got to see Bowen play. It was amazing to watch him in person, without having to depend on the cameras. He was a pest, and I mean that in the best way. Defense brings home Championships, and Bowen was one of the best. I wish him the best in whatever he persues.

Same here. Good luck Bruce! You will always be one our best defenders ever!

[coyotes_geek]

why not?

Is not defense just as important as offense in basketball?

Some think it more important.

Defense is important. Bruce still isn't a HOF player.

[Mel_13]

will Bowen make the Hall?

No, unless years down the road defensive players are put in.

I love Bruce and everything he's done for the team and the community, but no. Bruce Bowen does not belong in the hall of fame. Sorry to be a buzzkill.

why not?

You've already answered your own question.

[Dex]

Per Manu's Facebook:

Brucey, thanks for 7 wonderful seasons (w/3 rings included!). U r gonna be missed, amigo! But in some way, glad you are not gonna be chasing me everywhere playing for another team! ;-). All the best for u and ur great fam!

I believe we're all secretly thinking the same thing.

Thanks for everything, Bruce. Your contributions and efforts will always be remembered, and it must be nice going out as one of the most beloved players for any city. San Antonio thanks you, and #12 has a spot waiting in the rafters.

[SKINNYPIMP210]

Per Manu's Facebook:



I believe we're all secretly thinking the same thing.

Thanks for everything, Bruce. Your contributions and efforts will always be remembered, and it must be nice going out as one of the most beloved players for any city. San Antonio thanks you, and #12 has a spot waiting in the rafters.

[urunobili]

[duncan228]

The Express-News Bowen Slideshow.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/slidesho...en_090309.html

[baseline bum]

Without Pamela Mackey Kobe would have been out of the NBA years ago. Good riddance.

fify

[all_heart]

Thanks Bruce.. for being a great Spur and all your hard work. You'll be missed out there.

[duncan228]

Bruce Bowen Announces Retirement
by Ryne Nelson
SLAM

Give Bruce Bowen credit for getting it right. Somehow, someway, Bruce Bowen managed to capture every basketball fan’s attention despite entering the League as an undrafted swingman with less offensive game than Cookie Monster (and that’s no disrespect to the furry dude).

Bowen won three les. He played in 500 consecutive games. He earned eight straight All-Defensive First and Second Team nominations. DPOY runner-up twice. But, most of all, we watched the Spurs because of him.

Yeah, we watched to see Ginobili breaking ankles (and his own included), Tony Parker slicing through the lane like a knife through aged brie, and that dude called Tim kissing the glass. But Bruce Bowen was the reason we paid close attention. He was the reason many hated (and loved) the Spurs. Bruce Bowen, in many people’s eyes, embodied the hard-working, stop at nothing, come outta nowhere success story that the Spurs executed so well.

Now the 38-year-old is calling it a career. From the San Antonio Express-News:

Bruce Bowen has known for some time that this day would come. And now that it’s here, he’s feeling surprisingly calm about it. The former Spurs great is retiring from the NBA.

“I’m very happy,” Bowen, 38, said this morning. “It hasn’t been difficult. I was content about it and understood it was going to happen.”

The Spurs still think they have what it takes to get another le, and, frankly, you can’t count them out as long as Duncan’s in-uniform and Gregg P is on the bench. But, without their Iron Man on defense, it’s going to be more of a struggle. Bowen’s been on the decline for the past couple years, and, despite solid playoff runs, the Spurs haven’t been able to claim the ultimate prize.

Some may have hated Bowen’s game, but all can appreciate his accomplishments — not only as a player, but for the Spurs organization and the San Antonio community. When we remember the Spurs dynasty, we’ll not only think about the Big Three, but also about Bruce B (sorry, but I had to claim the rhyme). And for everything he’s accomplished while in the silver and black, Bruce’s jersey deserves a spot among the AT&T Center rafters.

[Spursfan092120]

Kobe shat on Bowen that entire series. Haha, yeah it was Bowen that "held" Kobe to no free throws, not the refs. Good one.

Go away, troll

[Crookshanks]

Man - it's going to be wierd not hearing Bill Schoening say "his spot, his shot" anymore.

Bruce has always been one of my favorite players and he will be sorely missed. I hope Pop makes the young guys watch tape of Bruce over and over and over so they can see how real defense is played.

[spurschick]

to Bruce Bowen.

[lurker23]

to Bruce Bowen. I'll never forget how you embodied the defense-first at ude, nor your contributions to the community. My favorite memory will probably continue to be the 2007 NBA Finals, where you could easily argue that Bruce deserved the MVP.

Oh, and you definitely retire #12. This season, please.

[Spurs Brazil]

THANK YOU BRUCE BOWEN

You were fantastic in those 8 seasons in San Antonio. Playing hard every night, playing defense every night and also making a lot of clutch shots in the playoffs

I hope the Spurs retire his jersey next season

Thanks Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuce!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!