Bowen admits kick, denies intent
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
May. 12, 2007 12:00 AM
The San Antonio Spurs reacted to Suns center Amaré Stoudemire's accusations Thursday that forward Bruce Bowen and guard Manu Ginobili are dirty players.
Stoudemire mainly was upset about a Game 2, third-quarter play in which Bowen's leg thrust out to the back of Stoudemire's leg as he went up for a dunk.
"I saw the replay, and it's obvious I did clip him," Bowen told San Antonio reporters. "But to kick him, that wasn't the intention at all. It was an unfortunate situation, and I'm sorry he feels that way. But as far as me intentionally kicking him, that does nothing for me. I have a lot of respect for him, so I wouldn't do that.
"There was no intention. I think if I tried to do that again, I wouldn't be able to do it. It was just an unfortunate circumstance. I'm sorry it happened."
Asked if he expected Game 3 repercussions, Stoudemire said, "I really don't know, and I really don't care, to be honest with you."
Stoudemire said he did not get a call from NBA officials, who ruled that there was no proof of intent.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called the Bowen-Ginobili-Stoudemire story line "irrelevant."
Stoudemire was upset with Ginobili for wrapping his arm around his leg in Game 2 and when he kneed Stoudemire in the crotch on driving collision during the regular season.
"We try to play hard," Ginobili told San Antonio reporters. "I don't think anybody's dirty. I don't know why he said that. I don't really have anything to say about it. I just try to play hard and follow the game plan."
Asked if Stoudemire's comments might fuel the Spurs, Suns guard Steve Nash said, "I would think if you ask the Spurs, they're playing their best. What can they do? Reinvent themselves?"
Spurs forward Tim Duncan agreed when talking to San Antonio reporters. Initially, he said he had "so many reactions, but none worth saying."
"It's motivation in the same," he said. "But at this point in the playoffs, do you really need motivation? I don't think we do. He can continue to give us fuel if he wants to, but, honestly, we're not going to play any harder or any less because of what anybody says.
"For whatever reason, people don't expect people to play hard. It's not the regular season, and we're not going to let people walk through us and everything else. When you get to playing tough, people take it a different way. We're going to continue to play the way we play. I don't think we're in any way dirty, and we don't do anything to hurt anyone."
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
May. 12, 2007 12:00 AM
The San Antonio Spurs reacted to Suns center Amaré Stoudemire's accusations Thursday that forward Bruce Bowen and guard Manu Ginobili are dirty players.
Stoudemire mainly was upset about a Game 2, third-quarter play in which Bowen's leg thrust out to the back of Stoudemire's leg as he went up for a dunk.
"I saw the replay, and it's obvious I did clip him," Bowen told San Antonio reporters. "But to kick him, that wasn't the intention at all. It was an unfortunate situation, and I'm sorry he feels that way. But as far as me intentionally kicking him, that does nothing for me. I have a lot of respect for him, so I wouldn't do that.
"There was no intention. I think if I tried to do that again, I wouldn't be able to do it. It was just an unfortunate circumstance. I'm sorry it happened."
Asked if he expected Game 3 repercussions, Stoudemire said, "I really don't know, and I really don't care, to be honest with you."
Stoudemire said he did not get a call from NBA officials, who ruled that there was no proof of intent.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called the Bowen-Ginobili-Stoudemire story line "irrelevant."
Stoudemire was upset with Ginobili for wrapping his arm around his leg in Game 2 and when he kneed Stoudemire in the crotch on driving collision during the regular season.
"We try to play hard," Ginobili told San Antonio reporters. "I don't think anybody's dirty. I don't know why he said that. I don't really have anything to say about it. I just try to play hard and follow the game plan."
Asked if Stoudemire's comments might fuel the Spurs, Suns guard Steve Nash said, "I would think if you ask the Spurs, they're playing their best. What can they do? Reinvent themselves?"
Spurs forward Tim Duncan agreed when talking to San Antonio reporters. Initially, he said he had "so many reactions, but none worth saying."
"It's motivation in the same," he said. "But at this point in the playoffs, do you really need motivation? I don't think we do. He can continue to give us fuel if he wants to, but, honestly, we're not going to play any harder or any less because of what anybody says.
"For whatever reason, people don't expect people to play hard. It's not the regular season, and we're not going to let people walk through us and everything else. When you get to playing tough, people take it a different way. We're going to continue to play the way we play. I don't think we're in any way dirty, and we don't do anything to hurt anyone."
