Bowen helps push Cavaliers to brink of elimination

Jun 13, 2007 - 6:26 AM By Jeff Brewer PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CLEVELAND - With the all of the attention focused on the big three of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs forward Bruce Bowen delivered.

Bowen, who collected 13 points and nine rebounds, was relentless at both ends of the floor, earning praised from hard-nosed coach Gregg Popovich after the Spurs defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 75-72, on Tuesday to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven NBA Finals.

"What a yeoman effort on (Bowen's) part," Popovich said. "I just thought he was fantastic from beginning to end, and I think he really set the tone for our team."

A member of the All-Defensive first or second team the last seven seasons, Bowen outscored the Cavaliers from the arc - nailing four 3-pointers to three for Cleveland - and limited superstar LeBron James to 9-of-23 shooting on his way to 25 points.

"He did everything for us," said Spurs forward Tim Duncan about his unheralded teammate. "He sat down and defended for 44 minutes. He made some big shots for us, rebounded the ball, just an unbelievable effort on his part."

On a night when All-Star guard Manu Ginobili scored just three points, Bowen filled the void, coming up with some huge shots in a game void of offense.

"The most important thing to do is continue to have the confidence to shoot the ball," Bowen said. "If you ever lose confidence, and just want to be a one-dimensional player, stay defensive only, it's going to hurt the team more than anything else."

Bowen had scored a total of nine points in the first two games of the Finals.

But as expected, Bowen's most controversial play came on the defensive end. With the Spurs leading, 75-72, Popovich admitted Bowen "made a stab" at James before he attempted a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left.

"The plan was, if he has it and he's dribbling, then you have the opportunity (to foul), then you try to," Bowen said. "But he got the ball off so fast. I'm just trying to get off the floor so nothing can come about. Just get out of here with that victory."

As the final buzzer sounded, James pleaded for a whistle. However, after the game, the young superstar refused to dwell on the play, saying the contact was incidental.

"Bruce definitely kept them in the game in the first half, hitting three big threes, and defensively he's very good," said James, who would not talk much about the ending.

Bowen helped out immensely on the glass for the Spurs, who were outrebounded for the first time in the series, 48-41.

"His nine boards are as important as any points he scored because (the Cavaliers) are so good on the board and they hit the offensive board so hard," Popovich said.

The two teams combined for the second-lowest point total in NBA Final history (147), equaling the New York Knicks and Spurs in 1999. The record is 145 set in Syracuse and Ft. Wayne in Indianapolis in 1955.

"We've won ugly many times," Bowen said. "We'll take it because it's a W. It's great to be in this situation."