Bruce Bowen: How the West Was Won

Spurs fans will remember this week as well as any this off-season. Not only do we await David Robinson's well-deserved Hall of Fame induction next Friday, but also we remember Bruce Bowen, who announced his retirement yesterday. After twelve years in the NBA, and eight with the Spurs, Bowen has decided to retire "on his own terms," after being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, who subsequently bought-out his contract. Shaquille O'Neal took time out of his schedule of building a fort out of unused VHS copies of Kazaam to comment: "Tim Duncan owes him like I owe Derek Fisher." Not that Spurs fans should take advice from a former Burger King spokesman, but the Big Cuyahoga has a point. Bowen has meant as much as any player not named Duncan in the Spurs organization since he arrived.

True Spurs fans remember our 1999 Championship team as the best defensive team in NBA history. The hardened perimeter tandem of Sean Elliott and Mario "Junkyard Dog" Elie, and the interior dominance of David Robinson and Tim Duncan combined for a defense that allowed opponents to score 90 or more points only twice in the entire playoffs. But where would the Spurs go? Tim Duncan's injury in 2000 prevented a legitimate chance to defend the title. Mario Elie and Avery Johnson would depart, and though Sean Elliott returned from a kidney transplant, his knees did not.

After an utterly embarrassing sweep by the Lakers in 2001, the Spurs were missing the defensive stopper they used to have on the perimeter. Who could help contain Kobe Bryant? Enter: Bruce Bowen. The remarkable thing about Bowen is how much his defense improved each year. After a year with the team, Bowen was able to bother Kobe as well as anyone in the league. He would go on to have shut-down games against every scorer from Bryant to Zack Randolph. While his defense continued to mature, he began shooting corner 3's at a clip that earned him best percentage in the league before the 2003 season was over. Teams kept doubling Duncan, and Bowen kept making them pay. Combining both talents, he helped San Antonio finally get past LA in 2003. The series was a work of art for Bowen as he held Kobe in check for most of the series, including the crucial fourth quarter of a Game 6 closeout at Staples Center. What was not expected was Bowen's offensive explosion in Game 2 in which his seven 3's broke Sean Elliott's 1999 Playoff record.

There is no doubt Bruce Bowen played an enormous role in helping the Spurs get back to the NBA throne room. Almost anyone outside of San Antonio will probably say he was a dirty player, but he was not. Being the best perimeter defender in the league will undoubtedly annoy one's opponents, but Bowen can also be called something that Vince Quitter, Amare Stoudewhiner, Steve Gash, and Dirk Nonutski cannot - a Champion. In fact, Bowen's three rings are more than most franchises, including Houston, can call their own. Spurs fans saw Bowen shut down players in every position and hit big-time shots in the playoffs, and many feel his #12 deserves a place in the AT&T Center rafters. He helped bring us back, he helped us win, and his work ethic, defense, and humor will certainly be missed. San Antonio has a deep tradition of going out on one's own terms, and Bowen has picked the right time to retire. At 38 years old, let's just hope we don't see Bruce make a comeback with the Wizards in a couple years...