Popovich says Bowen not answer for Spurs

[SAGA]

Web Posted: 02/07/2010 12:00 CST
Popovich says Bowen not answer for Spurs
Gregg Popovich calls defensive effort “a big disappointment.”

By Jeff McDonald - Express-News

LOS ANGELES — In Spurs coach Gregg Popovich's estimation, the biggest problem facing his team going forward is on defense.

Heading into Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Spurs were giving up 96.5 points per game, a Popovich-era record, and were tied for 13th in the NBA in field-goal defense (45.7 percent).

For a team that is typically one of the best defensive teams in the league, and began the season vowing to return to those heights, this season's futility has been a bitter pill to swallow.

“It's been a big disappointment this season that we have not jelled as a group, defensively,” Popovich said. “And it shows in our record.”

Popovich has only scant clues as to why the defensive slide that began two years ago has continued into this season. One explanation he does not buy — a lack of Bruce Bowen.

Bowen, an eight-time member of the NBA's All-Defensive team, retired last summer at age 38 after being dealt to Milwaukee.

“If Bruce was able to continue to do what he does, he'd be doing it for us or someone else right now,” Popovich said.

Even if the Spurs were able to somehow re-acquire a 2005 version of Bowen, Popovich said, it would make only a small dent in this team's defensive woes.

“Bruce was a great defender, but it's not just one guy that makes it,” Popovich said. “There's something called team defense, where five guys have to react appropriately. We just haven't reacted well.”

The Spurs turned in one of their best defensive efforts of the season against the Clippers.

A vote of confidence: Spurs center/forward Antonio McDyess was pleased to hear the news that Kim Hughes got the nod as Clippers interim coach after Mike Dunleavy stepped away from the bench.

Hughes, who was coaching his first game in that capacity Saturday, was an assistant in Denver during McDyess' second tour of duty there from 1998-2002.

“He's a good guy and a great big-man coach,” McDyess said.

Rookie advice: If there's one Spurs player who sympathizes with the plight of Clippers rookie Blake Griffin, it's McDyess.

McDyess suffered a debilitating fractured left patella during a preseason game in 2002, which caused him to miss that entire season. Griffin, the No. 1 pick in the draft, suffered the same injury in the same manner — attempting a preseason dunk — and will not play this season.

“It was frustrating,” McDyess said. “I think a lot of people would have given up. It takes a while to regain confidence in your knee and your playing ability.”


Popovich says Bowen not answer for Spurs

[Silver Samurai]

All the spurs have to play defense

[shelden]

“If Bruce was able to continue to do what he does, he'd be doing it for us or someone else right now,” Popovich said.
Even if the Spurs were able to somehow re-acquire a 2005 version of Bowen, Popovich said, it would make only a small dent in this team's defensive woes.
“Bruce was a great defender, but it's not just one guy that makes it,” Popovich said. “There's something called team defense, where five guys have to react appropriately. We just haven't reacted well.”

Bruce is one of my favorite Spurs, but this is True (note capital T). I miss Bruce, and maybe the team misses his defensive intensity and fire, but if he could still play, some other team would have snapped him up.

In the games I've watched this year, the Spurs have not shown that defensive will, that attitude that, "Ya know what? They are NOT going to score on this possession." Flashes, yes, but not consistently. That's what is so discouraging about this year's team.

[Grego]

He's probably help the attitude, but even last year, his abilities slowed. Maybe with all the talent this season, his presence might have worked better.

No guarantees though. Would be nice to have him as an assistant coach though.

[ProjectGSX]

Sounds like Pop is just trying to talk his team up. The last thing he wants to do is come out and say "we cant play defense anymore because we lost Bruce". That means the current team is hopeless.

Bottom line is the defense hasnt been the same since 2007 which just happens to be the last year Bruce played near 100%. The defense left when his step was lost.

[billsmith3503]

If we could get Five-OH the Iceman and Sean Elliott to come back....

[BehaviorDisorder]

Rather have bruce at 38 than Fin at 38.

Rather have bruce at 38 than jeff at 28.

[katyspursfan]

Originally Posted by billsmith3503

If we could get Five-OH the Iceman and Sean Elliott to come back....

This is a conversation about defense. Why bring up Ice?

[ProjectGSX]

Originally Posted by katyspursfan

This is a conversation about defense. Why bring up Ice?

I LOL'd.

[Brooklyn Dave]

Originally Posted by ProjectGSX

Sounds like Pop is just trying to talk his team up. The last thing he wants to do is come out and say "we cant play defense anymore because we lost Bruce". That means the current team is hopeless.

Bottom line is the defense hasnt been the same since 2007 which just happens to be the last year Bruce played near 100%. The defense left when his step was lost.

Bingo!!

The definitely need a Bruce like player on this team. Does one exist and can the Spurs get or create him now?

[ginopark]

Bruce might not be the total answer but would certainly be a big part of it. Bruce was the guy you put on the other teams best player or the player that was on fire. He could gaurd just about anybody from Steve Nash to Kobe to Dirk. Tim was the other big part of it in that he could shut down the best big.

The defensive system the Spurs use is great but similar to how the best offensive players can dominate a game, the best defensive players can as well. Bruce was widely recognized for being one of the best if not the best on the ball defender in the league.

[bossu]

I would love, LOVE to have Bruce Bowen come aboard as an assistant. It would be wonderful if he could pass on his 'tricks of-the trade' to guys like BLAAAAAIIR and George Hill. In Hill's case, complete his apprenticeship, since Ooey-Pooey only had a single season to play with Bruce.

Yet, I don't get the feeling that's something Bruce wants to do right now.

[SleepyAdamII]

Seeing as we have 1 legitimate shot blocking center, who doesn't play, I agree not having Bruce isn't the reason our defense sucks.

[The Augustus]

Originally Posted by BehaviorDisorder

Rather have bruce at 38 than Fin at 38.

Rather have bruce at 38 than jeff at 28.

Hopefully you don't mean that. As much as I loved and appreciated Bruce's strong work ethic and defense, his abilities took a huge slide after 2007.

[billsmith3503]

Originally Posted by The Augustus

Hopefully you don't mean that. As much as I loved and appreciated Bruce's strong work ethic and defense, his abilities took a huge slide after 2007.

Even at his advanced age, BB could always be relied on to give someone a good knee to the crotch or a thumb to the iris...

He compensated for his lack of skill with veteran techniques

[Jose_TheGenius]

i'd love to believe what Pop's saying, but his coaching lately makes me doubt he knows what the heck is going on.

small ball vs. Portland and the Lakers when they have legit 7 footers out there destroying guys like Blair as center and a SG/SF as a 4 is ridiculous.

he's trying lineups that might work well together but is not thinking of the competition. Blair should not, i repeat, should not be playing against teams with athletic 7 foot bigs, period. he's not altering shots nor is he rebounding against them. ditto for small ball against them unless we're up, not down because our defense is going to suck (which apparently he blames on the players, but not himself for putting those stupid lineups)

[fabio]

you heard it first here