Spurs-Mavs notebook: Bowen tops coaches' votes for All-Defensive team
Web Posted: 05/12/2006 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
Bruce Bowen learned earlier this week that he was the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year runner-up for the second year in a row. Had the league's coaches voted for the award, he probably would have won.
Bowen was named to the All-Defensive first team for the third consecutive season Thursday. The 55 points he received in the coaches' balloting was the most of any player.
Bowen and Detroit center Ben Wallace, who was named the Defensive Player of the Year on Monday, each received 26 of a possible 29 first-place votes. Bowen had one more second-place vote than Wallace.
Unlike the Defensive Player of the Year award, which is decided by a 124-person media panel, the league's head coaches select the All-Defensive teams. They can't vote for their own players.
Bowen also was named to the All-Defensive second team for three years from 2001-04. Scottie Pippen (1990-2000) and John Havlicek (1969-76) are the only swingmen to be on an All-Defensive team for more than six consecutive seasons.
"As the years have gone by, people have realized he has accepted that role and loves that challenge every night," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Bowen. "It's a good example of somebody who wasn't ever really thought of as that good a player, so to speak, who figured out what he could do well, and then becoming the best at it. I'm thrilled for him."
Tim Duncan was named to the All-Defensive second team, the ninth consecutive season he has made one of the teams.
Utah's Andrei Kirilenko, Sacramento's Ron Artest and the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant and New Jersey's Jason Kidd, who tied for the final spot, joined Bowen and Wallace on the first team. Detroit's Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince, Minnesota's Kevin Garnett and Denver's Marcus Camby joined Duncan on the second team.
Tony Parker received one first-place vote while Manu Ginobili was given three second-place votes.
Healing process: After playing Tuesday with a strained right hip and contusions to both thighs, Parker said he hopes to be "close to 100 percent" by Saturday. That's good news.
"I was playing on one leg last game," Parker said. "So hopefully, I can have two legs."
Parker has worn protective thigh pads but said they don't always help.
"The only spot where I don't have pads," he said, "that's where they hit me."
Parker also had trouble with the pad he wore over his left quadriceps Tuesday because it slipped once he began sweating.
Getting back: The Spurs used a lot of Thursday's practice to work on their transition defense.
They gave up 19 fast-break points Tuesday, including 13 in the first half, while struggling to get back against Dallas' built-for-speed lineup.
"During the series, we're going to probably find a balance, where they're probably going to run a little less or we're going to get back better," Ginobili said. "We talk about transition defense a lot, and we didn't do it."
Caught by surprise: Parker said the Spurs were surprised at how effective Devin Harris was Tuesday — which was a surprise in itself considering the Mavericks' young point guard scored 20 fourth-quarter points against them Nov.5.
Harris had 20 points Tuesday, repeatedly getting into the lane off middle pick-and-rolls.
"We weren't thinking he was going to attack the rim like that," Parker said. "We were more focused on Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry and Josh Howard. Devin Harris definitely hurt us, so we're going to have to pay a little more attention to him."
Van Horn returning? Mavericks forward Keith Van Horn, who has missed almost six weeks with a broken hand, could play as early as Saturday, Dallas coach Avery Johnson said. That's good news.
Van Horn participated in parts of Thursday's workout and is expected to go through an even bigger test today.
"He went through some light contact stuff (Thursday) but nothing major," Johnson said. "He'll get a full go in (today's) practice."
Slow on the trigger: Johnson said he considered starting Harris before Game1 of the series with the Spurs but decided against it. Because the lineup featuring Adrian Griffin swept Memphis in the first round, Johnson said it deserved a chance against the Spurs.
"We just wanted to give it one more chance to see if we were wrong about it," Johnson said.
I did get a kick out of him trying to pull that pad up while he was on the court. Hope that poor baby's feeling better tomorrow night.Parker has worn protective thigh pads but said they don't always help.
"The only spot where I don't have pads," he said, "that's where they hit me."
Parker also had trouble with the pad he wore over his left quadriceps Tuesday because it slipped once he began sweating.
Hope he brings back the same explosiveness he's had the whole season. Harris will be rendered useless because of this. Harris may be a poor man's TP but he's not as dynamic. Once tp shuts down his drives with his speed, the rookie's bench minutes will be adding rapidly.Healing process: After playing Tuesday with a strained right hip and contusions to both thighs, Parker said he hopes to be "close to 100 percent" by Saturday. That's good news.
Van Horn returning? Mavericks forward Keith Van Horn, who has missed almost six weeks with a broken hand, could play as early as Saturday, Dallas coach Avery Johnson said. That's good news.He was my mvp for the memphis series.
i don't think harris will be rendered useless, but we will have more of an answer for his presence if tp is healthy.
It's an exagerration. He will be less effective. yes.
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