I understand that JoMaL. What I am saying is it is not the same as dribbling a basketball. That was not a good analogy.
I know you understand, koast. The dribbling analogy was strictly regarding how basketball players, because of the work and effort they put into the mechanics of the game, tend to be better then the rest of us in anticipating where the ball is going, and where jumpers will land.
The last 2 times someone came down on Bowen's foot it is because he is trying to close out on them and gets too close. If you don't get close enough guys like Ray Allen drill shots. If you get too close you are bound to get yourself into trouble. I just don't see how Bowen could decide when to do it and when not to do. Or when he could 'get away' with it and not get away with. To me I don't see how you focus in on playing the game of basketball and at the same time know that. Does he have a dirty instinct?
Basically, yes, he has a dirty instinct. If you watch him, he gets in and often under his opponents regularly, with twisted ankles an occasional result. Years ago, I played against a guy like that. He regularly undercut me during games every time I went up around the basket. I finally came down full force on my left arm and hyper-extended it.
It only takes one time to get the right alignments to fall and get your opponent off the court.
I give him the benefit of the doubt because of who is complaining, replays, and the fact that if he was a real dirty player.... Why is he so selective who does it to? Why didn't he do it to Allen Iverson last series? Why didn't he do it to Dirk last year when they got eliminated? Why doesn't he do it to Kobe Bryant, Gilbert Arenas, Carmelo Anthony or Baron Davis? Those guys have success against him and have been shut down by him. He always guards the best scorers in the league night in and night out and only the whiners seem to complain. Things like this (calling someone dirty) stick in the NBA and when guys are frustrated it couldn't possibly be because they are not playing well...it is because he is 'cheap' or getting calls.
Not so fast. Kobe once went after Bowen in a regular season game. Iverson is simply too fast for Bowen, too little and tends to bounce back up after getting decked. What on earth was he doing guarding him, anyway? Physically, Nash isn't Arenas, or Anthony, or Baron Davis. If Bowen did some of this stuff against those guys, we would be reading an obit on Bowen now instead of what a dirty player he is. Think Bonzi Wells. Against certain opponents, Bowen doesn't seem to deter them much. This is, in fact, the best arguement against Bowen you could have come up with. Why doesn't he pick on all his opponents? Because he knows he would be overmatched against them, while he can bully guys like Ray Allen and Nash to distraction, or hopes to. He seems not to affect Nash as much as his antics would indicate he is trying to.
Does everyone seem to forget 10 or so years ago when John Stockton and Steve Kerr were doing moves like Manu, they were 'vet moves' and not 'dirty' (And it pains me to defend Manu right here just to put it out there). I've heard Marv Albert actually commend John Stockton for pulling a 'vet move' in the middle of a playoff game.
Um....yeah. Years back, when the Kings seemed to match up with the Jazz in every playoff, Bibby would be covered with scratch marks after playing against John Stockton. He would be oozing blood during post game interviews. Why do you think Webber put a shiver into Stockton early one series as he drove the lane and put Stockton ten feet sliding across the hardwood?
That is how you deal with it. That is what Phoenix must do as well regarding Bowen.
