EN: Bruce Bowen on Kawhi, Kobe and dealing with Pop

[Dex]

Good interview from a Spurs great, even if it is one EN.

Bowen is now well removed from his playing days, five years since his retirement in 2009 and embarked on a second career as an NBA analyst. The ex-stopper — one of seven Spurs players to have their number retired — took some time out from his recent trip to Argentina, where he participated in the NBA’s global 3X initiative, to speak with the Express-News on a variety of topics, including Kawhi Leonard, Kobe Bryant, James Harden (gulp), his aforementioned reputation and his relationship with Gregg Popovich.

Read more: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...ling-with-pop/

Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuce

[lefty]

Michael Redd?



And at the James Harden part; no mercy
Rockettes

[spurraider21]

michael redd was one of my favorite players when he was up and coming. he was a decent ray allen replacement in milwaukee for a little while

[SpurPadre]

This article only further reinforces my hatred of ray allen. I don't want that piece of on this team. him.

[Solid D]

Michael Redd?

I remember why Redd kept Bowen on his toes. Michael Redd had an awesome mid-range game. That meant that Bruce had to stay in front of Redd the whole time. Bruce was good at funneling players into the bigs baseline. Pop demands that no dribbler gets to the middle in the lane. Bruce honored that principle.

Guys like Redd, Mo Williams and Kobe Bryant were compe ive, could shoot from the arc & perimeter; they could drive the lane; and they would shoot with great touch and accuracy from 10-15 feet. Mid-range means no help from the bigs, just yet.

The Bucks often had the Spurs number when Redd and Williams were there because they were good mid-range shooters.

[KL2]

Only player I ever remember breaking Bowen's ankles was Baron Davis, did it like twice.

[Seventyniner]

The Bucks often had the Spurs number when Redd and Williams were there because they were good mid-range shooters.

The same was true for the Cassell/Allen/Big Dog era Bucks.

With the increased use of advanced stats and the supposedly smarter teams ignoring the mid-range J on both ends, the next metagame move just might be to stock up on elite mid-range shooters.

[z0sa]

I remember why Redd kept Bowen on his toes. Michael Redd had an awesome mid-range game. That meant that Bruce had to stay in front of Redd the whole time. Bruce was good at funneling players into the bigs baseline. Pop demands that no dribbler gets to the middle in the lane. Bruce honored that principle.

Guys like Redd, Mo Williams and Kobe Bryant were compe ive, could shoot from the arc & perimeter; they could drive the lane; and they would shoot with great touch and accuracy from 10-15 feet. Mid-range means no help from the bigs, just yet.

The Bucks often had the Spurs number when Redd and Williams were there because they were good mid-range shooters.

Solid post.

[Mikeanaro]

Nice article.

[dougp]

Do you have any go-to Tim or Pop stories?

Tim thinks he’s a comedian. One time I was preoccupied, and he comes up to me and says, “Did you know a carrot only crunches so many times before you have to swallow?” I just looked at him like, “Right now? In the middle of the game?” I knew he was trying to get my mind off a bad call or something, and it worked. But that was the best he could do? He’s really not as funny as he thinks he is. (Laughed)

OK, that is hilarious.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Solid post.

Solid, indeed.

[Sean Cagney]

M

I remember why Redd kept Bowen on his toes. Michael Redd had an awesome mid-range game. That meant that Bruce had to stay in front of Redd the whole time. Bruce was good at funneling players into the bigs baseline. Pop demands that no dribbler gets to the middle in the lane. Bruce honored that principle.

Guys like Redd, Mo Williams and Kobe Bryant were compe ive, could shoot from the arc & perimeter; they could drive the lane; and they would shoot with great touch and accuracy from 10-15 feet. Mid-range means no help from the bigs, just yet.

The Bucks often had the Spurs number when Redd and Williams were there because they were good mid-range shooters.

Mo was not there during that little run they won a few in a row over the Spurs in the early 00's, that would be Redd, Allen and Cassell who were there during that run they won like 5 or near 6 in a row, then in 03 we swept them and that was a wrap after that. I remember it well, but Williams was NOT there.

Okay I researched they were 5-3 vs the Bucks when Mo was there and lost one by two points in OT, so they were compe ive but not a real fit like the 00-02 Bucks who won like 5 or 6 in a row against the Spurs.

Great post there though, the Bucks used to give them but not as much when Williams was there it was mostly the 00-02 era when they gave them if you go back and look at it.

The same was true for the Cassell/Allen/Big Dog era Bucks.

With the increased use of advanced stats and the supposedly smarter teams ignoring the mid-range J on both ends, the next metagame move just might be to stock up on elite mid-range shooters.

It was the Cassell/Allen and Big Dog Bucks that gave them , after that in 02 the Spurs swept them and since then have rarely dropped two games in the season to them when thats all they meet! Infact they have a better record easily since the 03 Season. Mo Was not there during 00-02 years, it was namely those Bucks that gave the Spurs fits.


Great post buy him but the Mo Era was not the fit era, it was 00-02 when they had 6 straight or near it vs the Spurs, they were a thorn in their side then.

[Spursfanfromafar]

Great read. Good interview. Bruce and his footwork was like what Zach Lowe called it so well for Kawhi, the best for an "imitator". The best wing defenders are one who are at lock step with the shooting guards/wings that they defend. And who imitate the opposing player's footwork like a mirror.

Bruce was one among those. Kawhi does a great job as well.

[PÒÓCH]

Eddie Haskell (the notorious posterior-smoocher from Leave It To Beaver)

[Solid D]

M
Mo was not there during that little run they won a few in a row over the Spurs in the early 00's, that would be Redd, Allen and Cassell who were there during that run they won like 5 or near 6 in a row, then in 03 we swept them and that was a wrap after that. I remember it well, but Williams was NOT there.

Okay I researched they were 5-3 vs the Bucks when Mo was there and lost one by two points in OT, so they were compe ive but not a real fit like the 00-02 Bucks who won like 5 or 6 in a row against the Spurs.

Great post there though, the Bucks used to give them but not as much when Williams was there it was mostly the 00-02 era when they gave them if you go back and look at it.It was the Cassell/Allen and Big Dog Bucks that gave them , after that in 02 the Spurs swept them and since then have rarely dropped two games in the season to them when thats all they meet! Infact they have a better record easily since the 03 Season. Mo Was not there during 00-02 years, it was namely those Bucks that gave the Spurs fits.


Great post buy him but the Mo Era was not the fit era, it was 00-02 when they had 6 straight or near it vs the Spurs, they were a thorn in their side then.

Well, the Bucks beat the Spurs 3 straight times (2006 and 2007) with Michael Redd and Mo Williams. Then in 2008, the Spurs almost lost to them again (96-94) when the Bucks won only 22 games all year and the Bucks outscored the Spurs in 3 of the 4 quarters of that game. So the Bucks still "often had the Spurs' number" with Redd and Williams.

[SpurSwag]

I really loved michael redd, wish he had stayed healthy. His game would have aged well.

[lefty]

I remember why Redd kept Bowen on his toes. Michael Redd had an awesome mid-range game. That meant that Bruce had to stay in front of Redd the whole time. Bruce was good at funneling players into the bigs baseline. Pop demands that no dribbler gets to the middle in the lane. Bruce honored that principle.

Guys like Redd, Mo Williams and Kobe Bryant were compe ive, could shoot from the arc & perimeter; they could drive the lane; and they would shoot with great touch and accuracy from 10-15 feet. Mid-range means no help from the bigs, just yet.

The Bucks often had the Spurs number when Redd and Williams were there because they were good mid-range shooters.

Interesting

Redd's shooting form was weird ... but hey, it worked !


And he is a lefty, so....

[Sean Cagney]

Well, the Bucks beat the Spurs 3 straight times (2006 and 2007) with Michael Redd and Mo Williams. Then in 2008, the Spurs almost lost to them again (96-94) when the Bucks won only 22 games all year and the Bucks outscored the Spurs in 3 of the 4 quarters of that game. So the Bucks still "often had the Spurs' number" with Redd and Williams.

5-3 record but for such a bad team in a ways correct being 22 wins u said.

[UZER]

Only player I ever remember breaking Bowen's ankles was Baron Davis, did it like twice.

That's only because Bruce didn't break his first by stepping under him...Heyyo!

[Darius McCrary]

On Kobe:
"When we started, there was a mutual disgust with each other. That disgust turned into respect real quick, because it was more about, he’s a compe or, I’m a compe or, and we’re competing. In that moment, you’d be like, wow, this is fun. But if I came out to be friends with guys, that’s something I wasn’t going to do. I’d see guys be buddy-buddy on the floor, and that was not me. I’m not out there trying to be your friend, because I know I’m not part of your circle. So for me, I’m not bringing friendships out on the floor. I’m bringing a compe ive nature."

Bruce is the GOAT

[Killakobe81]

On Kobe:
"When we started, there was a mutual disgust with each other. That disgust turned into respect real quick, because it was more about, he’s a compe or, I’m a compe or, and we’re competing. In that moment, you’d be like, wow, this is fun. But if I came out to be friends with guys, that’s something I wasn’t going to do. I’d see guys be buddy-buddy on the floor, and that was not me. I’m not out there trying to be your friend, because I know I’m not part of your circle. So for me, I’m not bringing friendships out on the floor. I’m bringing a compe ive nature."

Bruce is the GOAT

Great article. Tremendous respect shown by Bowen. Kobe thinks of him highly as well.

[Killakobe81]

One of the last truly great defenders only Tony Allen is close but Kiwi is getting there.

[Obstructed_View]

Great article. Tremendous respect shown by Bowen. Kobe thinks of him highly as well.

Kobe always wanted to beat the best players, and he always had respect for guys that competed. It's what always made him better than guys like Ray Allen and Vince Carter.