Pistons notebook: Hamilton says Bowen gets away with a lot
It took him awhile, but Pistons guard Richard Hamilton finally made some public complaints about Bruce Bowen's defensive style.
Stopping just short of calling Bowen a dirty player, the Pistons' leading scorer during the regular season and playoffs complained that the Spurs' designated defensive stopper "gets away with so much stuff, it's crazy." It's a familiar refrain to the Spurs, who have heard other scorers offer similar complaints this season.
"You go out there to play basketball, man," Hamilton said Wednesday, "and he's hitting you and holding you, hitting you with hips, tripping you, doing all those things. But if he gets away with it, it's cool. I don't have a problem with it. I just think there are certain times the ref has to call it."
Hamilton said one of those times came in the first period of the Pistons' 96-79 victory over the Spurs in Game 3 on Tuesday.
"I pump-faked him, got him off his feet and jumped into him," Hamilton said. "That's an automatic call and they didn't call it."
Hamilton said that play and others convinced him to stop trying to draw contact from Bowen and just shoot.
"Sometimes I get the ball and try to make a play, try to get a foul and contact and things like that," Hamilton said. "(The officials) weren't giving me that call, so I had to go to Plan B and that's when I don't try to force the contact and just shoot it."
The strategy apparently worked because Hamilton led the Pistons with 24 points in Game 3 after averaging 14 in the first two games.
Hamilton said he also benefited from running Bowen into screens.
"I'm doing everything possible to frustrate him because he's trying to frustrate me," Hamilton said. "I figured that it didn't work to choppy-fight him, hand fight him. Naw, run him off screens. Let my bigs handle him. I tell them, 'Keep hitting him. Keep hitting him.'"
Said Bowen: "Give credit where credit is due. They did a good job of executing that."
New-look Prince: Hamilton isn't the only Pistons player who tried something different after the Spurs swept the two games in San Antonio.
Frustrated by the Spurs' tendency to double-team him down low, forward Tayshaun Prince said he looked to pass first rather than shoot in Game 3.
"They are coming right away (with the double-teams)," Prince said. "It's not going to be easy for me on the block where I like it best, so I have to do other things. I got guys involved passing the ball last night, sharing the ball, getting down in transition to make things happen."
The result? Prince registered five assists after going without one in Game 2.
McDyess on roll: Leading up to the Finals, much was made about how the Spurs' depth was superior to the Pistons. But even though the Spurs do have more contributors, a big series from Antonio McDyess has somewhat neutralized that advantage, particularly in the frontcourt.
McDyess came off the bench to record 12 points and nine rebounds in Game 3, which was his second consecutive strong outing.
"With Rasheed (Wallace) and Ben (Wallace) and McDyess, I think we're as deep as any team in the league at the four and five positions," Pistons coach Larry Brown said. "In Game 2, even though our team got beat, McDyess got a lot of confidence in that game, and I think it carried over (Tuesday) night."
No nail-biters? Although the outcome of the NBA Finals is still in doubt, that hasn't been the case for any of the games thus far in the closing minutes. Each of the first three games was decided by at least 15 points.
Brown said it's only a matter of time before the Pistons and Spurs play a game that goes down to the final few possessions.
"Usually you do expect games with the two teams that are left to be real compe ive," Brown said. "I certainly felt (Tuesday) night was compe ive. As a coach, you never feel like the game is over. But I would think that if we can play with the same kind of energy we did this last game that hopefully the games will be decided at the end."
Tom Orsborn, Mike Finger
......hmmn.
that's it guys!
the team Sportsmanship Award in the playoffs still belongs to the Phoenix Suns particularly MVP Steve Nash.
god detroit are such god damned pussies!!!!!
hamilton does that same exact , how many replays have htey shown and he runs up close to his man and grabs his arms and backs away quickkly then quickly goes closer and grabs arms and hands again
damn i cant wait for tommorow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ggrrrrrrrrrrrrr." It's a familiar refrain to the Spurs, who have heard other scorers offer similar complaints this season.
"You go out there to play basketball, man," Hamilton said Wednesday
"I pump-faked him, got him off his feet and jumped into him,"
Self-indictment.
RIP was one of my best players of the league before all of this he's saying..
He's turning into Vince Carter, and Ray Allen..
.
He's lost my respect.
Sense,
Im sure Rip will lose sleep over that.
Not....................
"But if he gets away with it, it's cool. I don't have a problem with it."
Rip is just saying what everyone else Bruce Bowen has said about his defense. If enough players say the same thing, don't you think it carries some weight?
Sure, Rip has started to do similar things on defense. When you see a player get away with a lot on defense, you tend to try to do the same physical type of things also.
Bruce is an EXCELLENT defender. It does not mean that he doesn't have some dirty tricks up his sleeve when guarding opponents. And, of course he gets the benefit of the doubt sometimes because of his reputation on defense. Ben Wallace gets away with more contact than the average player when he goes for blocks because of his reputation. It's quite similar with Bruce.
I don't see what was so wrong with what Rip Hamilton said. He was just expressing his opinion. Again, people get so riled up, but isn't he allowed to express an opinion?
So he gets away with a lot. Tell me something we all don't know.
I bet yah the assholes who called him offering advice is gayallen and pansy vince.
BB should come out next time and punch him in the nose and break it again freakin pussy player
What's wrong with some of you people???
That statement is almost as disturbing as the "KILL AMARE" thread during the Phoenix series.
Support your team all you want, but it is just basketball, you know.
and what's wrong with you Detroit Piston fan?
"KILL AMARE" simply means "STOP AMARE" not take his breath.
Support your team but don't try to stop us from talking about all the trash you guys say to our players ..this IS a Spurs forum. O!!!!!!!
If you can't take it, then shut up!
BTW, what a convenient time for Rip to talk like that - just after they won over us. I bet he'd keep that to himself if we won the last 3 games.
worth a wait, Rip?
Ladies and gentlemen, we have another pussy in a series. Damn! Looks like Carmelo is the only humble victim thus far.
I've got a few buddies who play professional ball in leagues ranging from the NBA to Italy and to Brazil and all of them say that if they could get away with biting your arm, they would do so. EVERYBODY plays hard in the NBA and tries to survive any way they can and most players will create contact and scratch and trip, not trying to injure anyone, but trying any way to get an edge. Don't believe the hype. Hamilton, like Allen and others, are just trying to protect some sort of self-endowed image as a star player. In summary, props to Bowen for being the hard ass defender he is, and STFU up to those who cry in the media.
Can somebody please make a Richard Hamilton mug superimposed on a baby shot for us here? Thx!
I dont really think he is complaining. He just said that he wasnt getting the calls, so he had to go to Plan B. He also gave Bruce some credit, he said Bruce was frustrating him, and he was going to try to do the same. He also said its cool with him if he gets away with it, he doesnt have a problem with that.
You Spurs fans that are talking trash should read what is written before you go running your mouths.
Are you sure? I actually remember reading the word "DEAD" as well as "KILL" in that thread.
And, does "break Rip Hamilton's nose" simply mean "make him miss shots"???
Ummmmm ok ...
I agree, it did not seem like Rip was complaining about Bowen, but as all Pistons do, he was complaining about the officials. Geez man, they even won the game, and they are complaining. Has anyone ever seen a team complain more about the officials more than Troit has? Troit is an amazing TEAM, and I was cheering for them in the East until I saw them complain after EVERY whistle in the Heat series. And they have not stopped! When was the last time you saw a Piston player throw up their hand after a foul was called acknowledging it was the right call and the foul was on them?
Prediction: Bruce will be in foul trouble the entire game in Game 4
Heed your own advice, pussy. I just lost all respect for Rip. What a chump."You go out there to play basketball, man," Hamilton said Wednesday
WHen we get through with these crybabies, the championship DVD should be called The League Pussy Tour and have 'Melo, Karl, Allen, MicMillan, Larry Brown, and Rip Hamilton on the cover.
You don't think Rip is complaining about the officiating and Bowen? Can you read?If that's not complaining, I don't know what is.I just think there are certain times the ref has to call it."
I'm sure Bavetta will accomodate his ass tonight.
The only "weight" I've seen it carry in these playoffs is that when someone is being sufficated by Bowen and then complains in the media about it, the next game Bruce is in foul trouble from the get-go on stupid, ticky-tack fouls. WITHOUT FAIL, it's happened every series.
So, yes, I think Rip joins the ranks of all of those pussies trying to protect their self-proclaimed s om because they can't deal with an above-average defender making them look mediocre. He needs to just STFU and play.
I think it was Hitler (or some other infamous character in world history) that said "If you say it enough times, it becomes true".
IOW, RIP can be feeding off of what people like Ray Allen have been saying even though it's not true. He's hoping by adding fuel to the fire, it will make the refs call the game more anti-Bruce.
Guess what?
It worked for Ray Allen as the refs flagged Bruce early in often in Game #3. Too bad teams such as the Sonics and Pistons have to rely on being pussies in order to bait the refs into giving them a game.
Spurswoman, good point about the refs. I'll throw my big screen twelve stories off my balcony into my condo's swimming pool if I see Bruce (and Nazr) getting called for those ticky tack fouls tonight. Good thing I have sliding doors so the TV will fit right through.
The way I see it is Bowen might get away with a few calls but so does RIP. I have seen RIP get real close to Bowen and push him and run the other way for the open jumper. I have also seen him push his arm back and so forth. So really they are both getting away with calls. But for the most part Bowen doesn't hit him on purpose. RIP is coming through and Bowen cuts him off making RIP run into him. I like it when RIP said " I will let my bigs take care of him". RIP should be man enough to say I will lose him. Someone like Kobe would of said "I got Bowen leave me to him". RIP is a good player but if he is complaining about Bowen then he also needs to look at himself in the mirror.
If he doesn't have a problem with it then why would he bring it up?
Grrrrr. Rip just hit one of my great pet peeves, whether in sports or anywhere in life. "I'm not complaining but...." and then proceeds to complain! Translation: "I don't want to be perceived as a mega-pussy like Ray Allen, but I need the same ref help he got."
We all know people like that in real life, and they bug the out of me. "You know boss, I'm not complaining, but I hate my coworkers and I wish you paid me more."
I still respect RIP as a player. I sure do but I have lost a little of respect for his comments. Before the series he was giving all the praise in the world to Bowen. Now he is complaining. Come on RIP just play the game.
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