Bruce Bowen’s DNP-CD

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Practically speaking, this is the second time this has happened since he joined the Spurs. The first occurrence came earlier this month in San Antonio’s March 14 win against Houston.  But statisticians everywhere will mark last night’s loss as the first DNP-CD of Bruce Bowen’s remarkable tenure in San Antonio. The defensive ace’s nightly routine as San Antonio’s pesty lock down artist is at an end.  As Coach Popovich creeps closer to setting a rotation, it appears that Ime Udoka will get minutes behind Michael Finley.

I’ll stop short of making bigger pronouncements. It was only one game. Popovich is certain to use Bowen as a spot defender between now and the time he retires.  But I have to say, Pop is taking a gamble. Udoka is a tough-nosed defender, but even at his best moments he is not a versatile, game changing defender like Bruce Bowen. Bowen is a special player in that way. Or, reading into Pop’s decision, Bowen was a special player in that way. But Udoka does do some things better than Bowen. His offense is more varied (and erratic), he can handle the ball, and his rebound rate is 10.6, making him one of the better rebounding small forwards in the league. Defensively, Udoka does a better job against balky players like Ron Artest. But unlike Bowen, Pop won’t call his number against Chris Paul–he’ll put George Hill into the game. If Sunday’s rotation more or less sticks for the postseason, Popovich’s gutsy decision to favor Udoka over Bowen will play a prominent role in determing San Antonio’s championship aspirations, for good or ill.

  • ThatBigGuy

    If Bowen is being phased out, a piece of my heart is being phased out as well. Here’s hoping he will be surgically inserted into a crucial late game situation a la the way Kerr was surgically inserted to hit a couple game winning free throws a few years ago. How great would that be for an ice cold Bowen to come in and lock down Kobe/Dirk/Chris Paul on the last play of a game?

    Udoka better step it up because he just replaced one of the most loved and integral parts of 3 championships.

    (Assuming Pop has decided Bowen is done.)

  • rou

    I thought it was weird that Bowen was not in guarding Paul at the end of that game. On that play where Paul got off the 3pt attempt, they were complaining because Parker had fouled him a few seconds earlier and they didn’t call it. I’m certain Bowen would have fouled him in such a way that there would have been no doubt :)
    I’m guessing since he hadn’t played all game, PoP didn’t want him out there cold.

  • http://www.48minutesofhell.com Timothy Varner

    Rou,

    The other (near) DNP-CD of the season came on March 14. The only thing that prevented a DNP in that came was Pop’s final possession defensive substitution of Bruce Bowen (ice cold off the bench). And Bowen played sturdy D on that play. I don’t think Pop would hesitate to bring Bowen off the bench if he thought it would help. Remember, too, that Bowen’s most effective D against the Hornets is usually against Peja. It may be that Pop did not use Bowen because there wasn’t a clear matchup to exploit—in the same way that he prefers Udoka on Artest when the Spurs play the Rockets.

  • Will

    Tim, there’s also the theory that since the Hornets are a very likely opponent in the playoffs (either in the 1st or 2nd round), Pop didn’t want to give them a taste of the defense he’s planning to use when the Spurs play them “for real”.

  • http://www.48minutesofhell.com Timothy Varner

    Will,

    I think there is something to that theory–in general, I think Pop plays possum against probable playoff opponents. See the LJ Ellis comment in the Other People post for more on this. But this isn’t a one game aberration. Pop has been slowly phasing Bowen out all season.

  • johnny

    My personal feeling would be for Pop to start Ime and Bruce. I feel that you start the game with those 2 you set the tone defensively. Also just because you start them does not mean that they play a long time. You bring in Finley after about 3-4 minutes and run a couple of screens for him etc. Also if you start both Ime and Bruce at the start of the game for a few minutes you run the offense through Tim and Tony and see who has there shot going that night Ime or Bruce to see who should get the bulk of the minutes for the rest of the night. I think if this strategy is done you are able to set defensive tone without sacraficing offensive punch.

  • agutierrez

    Ime and Bruce and offensive punch is an oxymoron.

  • http://khandorssportsblog.com/wordpress khandor

    Tim,

    One of the specific reasons that the Spurs lost to the Lakers last season was the ill-advised decision Pop made to give some of Bowen’s past MP to Udoka. Despite the fact that Ime can indeed hit an occasional shot that the Karate Kid cannot … it is simply a ridiculous decision by an otherwise first-rate coach to favour Udoka over Bowen, regardless what position either man is asked to check. BB isn’t as good as he once was … but, he is still a vastly superior player to IU; and, it isn’t even close. Basketball is played in three distinct phases [i.e. Defense, Offense and Rebounding] and Bowen totally out-classes Udoka in 2 of those 3. When considering that Udoka is far from being an offensive force, it’s a total brain cramp by Pop to go with anybody other than Mr. Bowen as his defensive/rebounding stopper alongside of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, when the chips are down.

    In addition, Pop also screwed last season when he went with Udoka over Brent Barry, another highly serviceable player. Every minute that Udoka played during last year’s post-season run by the Spurs could/would have been better utilised by either one of Bowen or Barry, who were far superior match-ups with the Lakers’ bench personnel.

    When Pop made the ill-fated decision to go “small” versus the Mavs a few seasons back and again last season when he chose Udoka over either Bowen or Barry for way too many minutes vs New Orleans and then the Lakers, the Spurs coach was primarily responsible for San Antonio being eliminated from the post-season.

    PS. That said … know, as well, that I think Gregg Popovich is one of the best coaches in the history of the NBA. No one’s perfect; and that includes Pop. :-)

  • http://www.48minutesofhell.com Timothy Varner

    Khandor,

    You’re a big Ime Udoka fan, I assume.

    Last season, I preferred Bowen and Barry to Udoka. I’d prefer Bowen to Udoka this year. But I think that the loss to the Lakers was because a) Ginobili was injured and b) L.A. is very good. I know you wouldn’t disagree–those two things are part of your roster of “specific reasons,” I trust. To my mind, those two reasons cast such a big shadow that all other considerations are pointless.

    Btw: going small against the Mavs did backfire; so did Pop’s insistence of playing Nick Van Exel over Beno. But a dumb Ginobili foul lost that series. It also cost the Spurs a 5th ring. You know San Antonio would have pounded Miami.

  • rubrdz

    I would us Bowen over Udoka any day. Who’s got the better stats on 3 pointers??

  • http://www.hornets247.com Ryan Schwan

    Not sure where you’re going with the line about Pop not sending Udoka in against Paul. After last season – and the playoffs, it became pretty clear that Bowen was completely unable to check Paul the way he can check Nash. Those first two blowouts came with Paul being chased by Bowen, and honestly, I thought Paul got more determined and nasty when he saw Bruce was trying to stop him.

    Bowen and Udoka can both stop Peja at about the same level, however. Imagine how dangerous my Hornets actually would be if they had a third scorer who could actually score when a defense pays attention to them.

  • http://www.48minutesofhell.com Timothy Varner

    Ryan,

    I’m basically saying the same thing as you, but with less Hornets love. Pop has played Bowen on Paul to limited results. Pop wouldn’t even attempt to guard Paul with Udoka. That’s a doomed experiment.

    George Hill and Tony Parker are Pop’s best bet against Paul.

  • speed

    I’m definitely not in favor of Ime seeing playing time over Bruce come playoffs unless it is against bulk 2s or 3s like Artest, as you mentioned, or if the Lakers decide to use Odom as a 3. Even though Bruce has lost a step, his lateral quickness is still at least even with Ime’s and his hand speed is far superior than Ime’s.