<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Gregg Popovich had heard enough. Tired of the disrespect that Bruce Bowen got from the media and the respect that was created in a small room somewhere in Indiana, the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs fired back. ?Bruce guards the best player on the other team almost every single night,? said Popovich on Ticket 760 Sports Radio Monday when talking about how Bowen compares with the winner of the Defensive Player of the Year award, the Indiana Pacers? Ron Artest. ?Artest doesn't do that. Artest just looks the part. He looks like a big, tough guy. He whacks and gets knocked out of the game once in a while.? To add fuel to the fire, Popovich was further incensed that the Pacers? campaign included stats that were devised by two unnamed assistant coaches who apparently chronicled all of Artest?s 8,000 defensive possessions of the season. The resulting stats, which Carlisle cited to the members of the media that he contacted, showed that Artest allows only 9.4 shots and 8.1 points per game. ?What a bunch of baloney,? said Popovich. ?Totally unsubstantiated stats put out by Indiana. The media bought it and then the NBA printed those stats. I am amazed by that.? </div> Full Story
I love to see a coach stand up for one of his players. I think Popovich is correct in that too much hype was gathered around stats that had no proof or backing. I find it real hard to believe that they actually looked at every single defensive possession. I'm not saying that Bowen is a better defensive player but I do think Artest gets more credit than he deserves. They are both good defensive players but I'd give the nod to Bowen until Artest proves he can guard a guy like Kobe Bryant.
I like what Gregg Popovich is doing. He's showing his loyalty towards his players. But in a sense. He can't say that. Ron Artest earned that Defensive Player of the Year award. If anything he's disrespecting Artest. I don't know. It might be jealousy. Since Artest gets more media attention which is why he got the award. Correct me if Im wrong but Artest held opposing SF's to 11.0 PPG. Which is pretty impressive. Gregg can't take away anything from him. He might probably gotten too much attention. But he I think Artest deserved it more than any other player in the league. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I'd give the nod to Bowen until Artest proves he can guard a guy like Kobe Bryant.</div> But just holding one player down such as Kobe dosen't give you a upper hand. Eric Snow usually holds Kobe down. Kobe even admitted it. But Ron held everyone down consistently. Just look at AllNet signature thats the attitude that got Ron Artest the Defensive Player honors.
this is interesting... <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">We went through a film the other day when they played the Lakers,? said Popovich. ?He guarded Kobe Bryant for six minutes and Reggie Miller guarded him the rest of the time. That?s not the Defensive Player of the Year to me but people don't look at it that way</div>
i didnt like the fact that coach carlisle had to make a pitch to the nba in gathering up that stat line about artest. i think a player should earn it on his own, w/o his franchise helping him. he didn't need for indy to get stats like that and release it, he was going to win it anyway, but i guess indy didn't feel confident enough in ron'ron's play alone to let him win it by himself. bowen plays good defense too, but artest was just better this year, eventhough he is in the east. can't really argue that artest didn't deserve the award, but i though big ben had a nice chance to win it again. i love how coach p defended his player. that shows a lot for chemestry and respect for player and coach. thats why sas are the best team in the league and have the best shot at winning the title back2back. coach p is probably also one of the most underrated coaches in the nba.
I never knew Pop cared much for awards in the first place. Maybe if his player was known more for his defence rather than dirtiness he would be considered. I guess the voters actually saw what Bowen does every night (hacking, slapping, putting a foot under shooters to twist their ankle...) and thought Artest actually guarded these guys cleanly. Either way I still believe Artest is the better defensive player and statistics do not lie in the first place. I don't think Carlisle is dumb enough to put out falsified stats out there. Pop is just being a little bit sensitive to the whole issue.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CourtVision:</div><div class="quote_post"> I guess the voters actually saw what Bowen does every night (hacking, slapping, putting a foot under shooters to twist their ankle...) and thought Artest actually guarded these guys cleanly. </div> If the coaches actually thought that he likely wouldn't of selected him for the first team. Bowen is a great defender and no matter what people say about him he gets the job done and sticks to players like glue and never takes a night off or decides not to guard the best swingmen for one second of each game. However I'm surprised Pop came out with this, very out of character from him.
Well, I would like to see the footage of Ron Artest only guarding Kobe for 6 minutes because I admitt didnt see that game but if its true then I agree with Greg Pop. Something like that does take away from Ron Artest. When I think of the best on-ball perimeter defenders, I think of Bruce Bowen, Ron Artest, Trenton Hassell, Doug Christie. And I have seen plenty of matchups with Bowen/Hassell/Christie vs Kobe. And they usually guard him for every minute that they are the court, so thats not a good look for Artest. But I will say this Ron Artest has been a great defender since he was with the Red Storm. And in college & in the games I have watched of him in the Pro's he has always guarded the opposing teams best perimeter wing players. And he has also guarded some of the best point guards in the NBA(key example he guarded Jason Kidd for the entire 1st round playoff series with the Nets in 2002). So Iam not really sure of the truth or circumstances behind Pop's comments about him not guarding the likes of Kobe. But I would love to see the footage from that game. Maybe Artest picked up 2 early fouls? And coach Rick Carlislie had to take Ron off Kobe because unlike Bowen, Artest is also a key part of the Pacers offense. The Pacers need Artest oon the offesive end. They cant afford for him to get into foul trouble. And what part of the game did artest spend those 6 minutes guarding Kobe? was it during the last 5 minutes of the game or the 1st 5 minutes? If it was the last 5 minutes during winning time then I wouldnt take anything away from Artest because He still guarding him during the most important time of the game.
I don't know about Artest dodging the job of guarding the toughest players on any roster. When he plays Toronto he always plays VC so I don't really know where that comes from. I think Henacy might have hit it on the head that Artest does have an offensive responsibility with the Pacers. Kobe does not guard the best players on each team every night because he is needed for offensive end as well (He has to keep out of foul trouble/save energy for the offensive end). I don't think people would vote him to be the Defensive player of the year if they thought he ducked out the better players. And I certainly don't think Artest is scared to defend these players either.
Quote: Originally Posted by CourtVision I guess the voters actually saw what Bowen does every night (hacking, slapping, putting a foot under shooters to twist their ankle...) and thought Artest actually guarded these guys cleanly. What Voter? The MEDIA The media doesn't put on a uniform! What ever news is going on will be reported by the Media. so it sound more then it really is. have you ever heard of the saying "what goes up must come down" that what happen to Vince Carter. he was just mad because he was shooting poorly against Bowen. Kobe Bryant, Peja Stojakovic, Sam Cassell, Michael Finley, Steve Nash, Steve Francis, are all in the playoff and are on good teams with great players not only that but Bowen play these guys four times a year. (Ron Artest play these guy twice) not like in the east where you have one player to stop (Tracy Mcgrady, Vince Carter, Allen Iverson and Lebron James) and these teams didn't even make the playoff. i don't want a player that his IQ reminds me of a little girl in the first grade and have a temper of a dog has not ate in a week. If you get into Artest mind he will brake.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Oneinpower:</div><div class="quote_post">What Voter? The MEDIA The media doesn't put on a uniform! What ever news is going on will be reported by the Media. so it sound more then it really is. </div> Actually a number of players that played Bowen have said that he is dirty and relayed their messages through the media. It's not the media that started that one. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">have you ever heard of the saying "what goes up must come down" that what happen to Vince Carter. he was just mad because he was shooting poorly against Bowen.</div> Actually I was watching the game and Carter was lighting him up. He had 22 points in 3 quarters before Bowen slipped his foot under him. I watched the replay and Bowen did slip his foot under him. Whether it was delibrate or not thats what he did. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Kobe Bryant, Peja Stojakovic, Sam Cassell, Michael Finley, Steve Nash, Steve Francis, are all in the playoff and are on good teams with great players not only that but Bowen play these guys four times a year. (Ron Artest play these guy twice) not like in the east where you have one player to stop (Tracy Mcgrady, Vince Carter, Allen Iverson and Lebron James) and these teams didn't even make the playoff.</div> I don't know where to start with this one. First of all you are naming Sam Cassell, Steve Nash and Steve Francis who are point guards. The last time I checked Bowen guarded shooting guards and small fowards. And the reason their teams made the playoffs is because...well they simply have better teams. You also forgot to mention (along with your list) Paul Pierce, Richard Hamilton, Dwayne Wade, Richard Jefferson, and Allan Houston to name a few. But just because a players team makes the playoffs, it does not make them that much more harder to guard. Its a team game. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">i don't want a player that his IQ reminds me of a little girl in the first grade and have a temper of a dog has not ate in a week. If you get into Artest mind he will <font color="red">brake</font>.</div> If you are talking about IQ's of a little girl....maybe you should check your own <font color="red">spelling</font><font color="black">....</font> I think Artest has improved his maturity this year and those comments are pretty much based on hearsay. He has shown himself to be under restraint most of this year (save for the bogus 1 game suspension in the playoffs...Damn Stu Jackson) and I think that is one of the reasons he was chosen for the award this year.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CourtVision:</div><div class="quote_post"> I don't know where to start with this one. First of all you are naming Sam Cassell, Steve Nash and Steve Francis who are point guards. The last time I checked Bowen guarded shooting guards and small fowards. And the reason their teams made the playoffs is because...well they simply have better teams. You also forgot to mention (along with your list) Paul Pierce, Richard Hamilton, Dwayne Wade, Richard Jefferson, and Allan Houston to name a few. But just because a players team makes the playoffs, it does not make them that much more harder to guard. Its a team game. </div> Actually, courtvision he is right Bruce Bowen does often guard those Point guards he listed. Actually he guards them more often then not. But I still get you point about the guard level in the East compared to the West. The Guard level in the East is more than comparable to that of the West. So both have difficult matchups from night to night.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Henacy:</div><div class="quote_post"> But I still get you point about the guard level in the East compared to the West. The Guard level in the East is more than comparable to that of the West. So both have difficult matchups from night to night.</div> I used to think that too but when you compare the rosters in terms of swingmen It is very close East McGrady Pierce Vince Redd Lebron Jefferson Jones Jamal Mashburn Hamilton Kittles Houston Stackhouse Prince Compared to the west Kobe Peja Carmelo Anthony Maggette Marion Richardson Finley Sprewell Johnson Mobley Ray Allen Mike Miller Bonzi Wells Wally Derek Anderson Fact is Bowen does indeed guard all 3 positions on the floor when needed, we will see him guard Kobe in the 2nd round and If Spurs get past L.A...he would likely end up guarding Peja who is a three guard or If the Wolves get through he will be guarding Sam Cassell for a large part of the series. So Pop is right in the sense of who he guards every night.
Actually a number of players that played Bowen have said that he is dirty and relayed their messages through the media. It's not the media that started that one. yes but your not listening, the Media voted for Artest not the players of the NBA? Quote: Originally Posted by CourtVision Actually I was watching the game and Carter was lighting him up. He had 22 points in 3 quarters before Bowen slipped his foot under him. I watched the replay and Bowen did slip his foot under him. Whether it was delibrate or not thats what he did. Vince was 8-20 and 3 turnovers. Wow! You have to shoot 20 shots to get 22 points Bruce only played 30 min that game so if you saw that game you know most of his shots that he made were on Manu and Hedo. you're wrong again. Quote: Originally Posted by CourtVision I don't know where to start with this one. First of all you are naming Sam Cassell, Steve Nash and Steve Francis who are point guards. The last time I checked Bowen guarded shooting guards and small fowards. And the reason their teams made the playoffs is because...well they simply have better teams. You also forgot to mention (along with your list) Paul Pierce, Richard Hamilton, Dwayne Wade, Richard Jefferson, and Allan Houston to name a few. But just because a players team makes the playoffs, it does not make them that much more harder to guard. Its a team game There again you don't watch the spur games unlike Artest, Bruce guard the 1's 2's and the 3's something that Ron can't do. (Parker will eat him alive) Quote: i don't want a player that his IQ reminds me of a little girl in the first grade and have a temper of a dog has not ate in a week. If you get into Artest mind he will brake. If you are talking about IQ's of a little girl....maybe you should check your own spelling.... What i meant if you get into his head he completly stops playing his game. I was just hoping you could read between the lines. I don't know if your part of the anti-Indy bias mainly due to the fact that Indy tried to campain their players "at that means O'Neal and Harrington" is ridiculous. Seriously at what point did they think just because they are in the East that they have the right to think that all their players in each position are better then any team out there. Do they think that there is a conspiracy out there that no small market team can win MVP and Coach of the year like Tim and Pop. Despite the facts we didn't campain our players like Indy did. Personally thier accomplishment in the east can not be overlooked but it was classless.
