Spurs Bowen Fires Back

[spursfan101]

On a side note, why wasn't Mavs owner Cuban fined when he told his players to throw the ball at Bruce Bowen's face??  He told the players he would pay their fine for them.


Bruce Bowen has had a belly-full of it.

Mavericks coach Don Nelson's outbursts -- first in post-game interviews Friday, then in Sunday's Dallas Morning News -- accused the San Antonio Spurs forward of dirty play. It's the third time this season an opponent has made such remarks.

"It's really motivated me to the point where (if) you thought I was tenacious before, it's going to a whole new level. Because that's the only way I can get my piece out," Bowen said in a telephone interview Monday night.

Nelson told the Morning News he was disappointed Bowen wasn't suspended for what the coach believes was a dirty play.

"You can put me down now as one of the many who have called him dirty," Nelson told the newspaper. "I've never cast an aspersion toward Bruce Bowen -- but he's a dirty player. And I'll remember it. I'm shocked he wasn't suspended."

Both Bowen and Michael Finley were called for fouls after exchanging elbows in the Spurs' 113-100 win over Dallas. Finley and Nelson were ejected for arguing the call.

Earlier this season, Vince Carter and Ray Allen each said that Bowen was deliberately playing outside the rules.

Monday, Bowen fired back. He said that Finley initiated the contact that led to his forearm jab into Finley's chest.

"I got it on tape," Bowen said. "Everyone thinks I hauled off and hit him. But I wouldn't say that to you if I didn't have it on tape. ... In hindsight, was it right for me to retaliate? No. But when you throw the first punch, I'm gonna hit you back. It's just making me go to a whole different level."

Bowen said that he is concerned officials will assume the worst about him after the public criticism.

"It makes me want to say to the officials, 'If you heard what's going on, that's not the case and that's not what's happening,' " he said. "After Vince said what he did, I decided I'm just gonna keep doing what I do. Now I'm going to take it to another level of intensity, moving my feet, showing my hands, so the officials can see what (the offensive players) are doing to draw a foul. Just like I'm back in high school ... show your hands."

Finley told the News on Monday that Bowen was fined an unspecified amount by the league, and the fine represented a modicum of justice.

"Obviously, the league saw what happened before my retaliation," Finley told the paper. "I'll turn the other cheek, for now."

David Aldridge is an NBA analyst for ESPN.


WAAAAAA!!!
 

[Lurker]

Obviously Bruce is getting into the minds of the NBA shooters.  Sounds like a very good situation heading into the playoffs.  Let them worry more about Bowen than about winning the game....sounds like some of PJ's special "zen magic".

 :ph34r:  

[Reality]

sounds like some of PJ's special "zen magic".

 :ph34r:

 :lol:

Did you hear Mr Zen Crappas comments after the obvious good technical call on Shraqs forearm cheapie to the head of an unsuspecting AK-47?

Compare the play with this:  "Bob Delaney's known to be very prejudiced against Shaquille. We know that, so we wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't a good call," Jackson said. "But I'm not going to make a comment on that right now."

Have popcorn and beer ready.

[SPURSX3]

Obviously Bruce is getting into the minds of the NBA shooters.  Sounds like a very good situation heading into the playoffs.  Let them worry more about Bowen than about winning the game....sounds like some of PJ's special "zen magic".

 :ph34r:

either that BB...oops, i mean lurker, or what may happen as well is bruce starts fouling out in the first quarter of games now.....lets hopes the refs dont jump the gun on him.

[WayOutWest]

What Bowen did to VC was dirty, no question but all those other plays are just tough defense.  Bowen's D is pure toughness and intensity, I've never seen him mix in cheap shots, except on VC, like Rodman, Mahorn or Lambier used to do, I'd love to have a guy like him on my team.

[jn]

:lol: Aren't you the same guy who posted Bowen's flying kick? :huh:  

[WayOutWest]

:lol: Aren't you the same guy who posted Bowen's flying kick? :huh:

Make that two dirty plays.    

[SPURSX3]

:lol: Aren't you the same guy who posted Bowen's flying kick? :huh:

Make that two dirty plays.  

if anybody should be crying about bowens d it should be kobe, he's not, therefore he is not a dirty player - nuff said.    

[jn]

Something tells me that Kobe jussstt miiight have some other things on his mind besides Bowen.   You know maybe now wouldn't be the best time for him to publicly whine about this, hmmm??  

[westkoast]

:lol: Aren't you the same guy who posted Bowen's flying kick? :huh:

Make that two dirty plays.  

if anybody should be crying about bowens d it should be kobe, he's not, therefore he is not a dirty player - nuff said.  

Whether the plays WoW mentioned was dirty or not I do not believe Bowen is a dirty player.

Bowen was playing Kobe very hard and getting away with quite a bit and I dont see Kobe complaining.  One thing people fail to realize is how much of an advantage the offensive player has now without the hand check.  Especially when the refs are calling guys like Bowen for wussy body fouls.  A good offensive player will beat a good defender more often than not......but jeez when you are not allowed to be at least a little bit physical they will blow by you.

[Guest_Randy]

:lol: Aren't you the same guy who posted Bowen's flying kick? :huh:

Make that two dirty plays.  

if anybody should be crying about bowens d it should be kobe, he's not, therefore he is not a dirty player - nuff said.  

Whether the plays WoW mentioned was dirty or not I do not believe Bowen is a dirty player.

Bowen was playing Kobe very hard and getting away with quite a bit and I dont see Kobe complaining.  One thing people fail to realize is how much of an advantage the offensive player has now without the hand check.  Especially when the refs are calling guys like Bowen for wussy body fouls.  A good offensive player will beat a good defender more often than not......but jeez when you are not allowed to be at least a little bit physical they will blow by you.

Whining doesn't help much -- and it's not like Kobe to whine about officiating -- that's Shaq and PJ's job respectfully -- and PJ has turned it into an art form.

Kobe realizes that it's Bowen's job to stop him and it's Kobe's job to prove to the world that Bowen can't stop him.  Bowen does about as good a job as anyone but he can't stop Kobe -- that's how Kobe gets back at people -- on the court.

Shaq likes to use the press -- and what he SHOULD do is get angry and take it out on the players on the other end.  When the other team is getting physical (with 2 and 3 players) stop trying to bull your way through and use your quickness -- when Shaq does this, he fouls the other players out -- but too many times he wants to take the easier (at least by his standards) and try and outmuscle 3 people -- he's strong but not that strong).

I think Bowen is dirty the same way I think that Rick Fox is dirty -- they will do anything to stop their man short of the ways of Rodman, Mahorn, Lambier (why do bad boys always come to mind when we talk about cheapshot artists).