Who respects how bowen plays defense?

Question

i dont. i really dont.

i think tayshuan and shane battier and posey are the three plays who play defense the right away, tough, but not dirty.

i dont like how raja plays defense too.

Answer 1

I respect him when he's respecting other players.  He is a man to man defender.  He's only downfall is when he crosses the line and plays dirty, but when he's not, then i offer him my respect.

Answer 2

Everyone plays dirty in organized basketball.  It's sad but true, believe me.  I really think that Bowen gets a lot more criticism than he really deserves.  People cite his knee to the groin against Nash in the playoffs last year as one of the dirtiest plays but I really don't think it was intentional, it was a normal move and Nash was just right up on him.  Anyways, I really do respect Bowen.  The way he plays defense is questionable but I'm a PG and believe me, I've gotten abused pretty bad by defenders as well, done the same too, I won't deny it.  Refs and fans don't see a lot of the cheap shots that guys do to each other, for example, I went up against a guy who would always ride my hip in the open floor and since the refs couldn't see between our bodies he would always jam his forearm into my ribs and stuff.  A lot of guys also will pinch any fat you have in your midsection and twist it really quick, anything to gain an advantage.  

Anyways, yeah, despite what it may look like, almost everyone plays defense with some dirty tactics, if refs saw everything and actually called everything, there would be fouls every second.  What I've found with Bowen is that he doesn't necessarily do too much more than anyone else dirty-wise, he is just better at disguising it than everyone else.  I respect Bowen as a player as much as anyone because he doesn't give a d**n about his reputation.  When people call him dirty he doesn't even take the time to defend himself because he knows that dirty or not, what he is doing is helping his team win and that's all he cares about.  A lot of athletes care about their reps more than winning and vice-versa, it's hard to say which one is the better mentality.  Being a nice guy and a good sport earns you respect and fans and makes you a good example, but as all those NBA playoff commercials said... "There's only one way to get the kind of respect that is undeniable: win."

Bowen is a flat-out winner, he doesn't care what other people think about him.  The way he plays D is questionable although really not as bad as a lot of people think if you really realize how dirty playing defense in general is, but his desire to win and be a champion is without question, that's why I respect him.

Answer 3

I would love to have Bruce Bowen on my team. Bowen plays great defense, he's physical and he likes to get into some players head. Most of the time what people are calling dirty are accidental, I do admit that he should have never kicked at Chris Paul. It's also better to have a player like Bowen then players who do not show a l**k of defense guys like Odom, Nash, Gasol, Yao, etc.....

Answer 4

Thank you for saying Tayshaun and Battier are good defenders. How the h**l Kobe can manage to stole the first team all defense spot from them.

BTW, i hate Bruce Bowen, so dirty. I hope some ganster guards like Baron Davis can purposely kick his knee when he puts that d**n feet on his landing area.

Answer 5

Bruce Bowen is the definition of hard-nosed defense.  I respect it because its effective and he's being a team player by doing so.  No one on the court works harder than Bruce Bowen, and if Kobe, Tmac and LeBron can the benefit of the doubt on calls because they are great offensive players, why shouldn't Bowen deserve the same for being a great  defensive player?  The other defenders you mentioned are all bigger and longer therefore they don't have to be as physical, where Bowen is smaller he has to bring it every night.

Answer 6

players of the 80's and mid 90's like Gerald Wilkins,

john starks, Gary Payton, the some of the Detroit bad boys pistons the way they played defense would make Bruce Bowen look like a good Samaritan and winning the Joe Dumars sportsman of the year award!!!

Answer 7

Oh jeez. Basketball is a dirty game. Dirty tactics are definantly a part of the game and more of a psychological thing than a physical thing.

Raja and Bowen are the dirty enforcers of their team. They EARN their money. I also like Tayshaun, Battier, and Posey, too. But I don't discriminate because some guys making $20 million a year can't get past the guys making $4 million. Earn your paycheck and ball in the hoop, superstar.

Answer 8

He could play less aggressive defense, but I respect him because he's a winner and he earns his money.

Answer 9

Not me.

Answer 10

I sure do respect him. He goes up against the other team's top scorer every night and the guy is a few years shy of 40. To say you don't like him just because people think he is a "dirty" player isn't fair. EVERY player if given the opportunity would take a cheap shot at another player. Whether it's Kobe and his "follow through" on his jumper or guys throwing forearms when they set screens, everyone takes shots at other players one way or another.

Answer 11

See what Geoff B said.

Bruce Bowen is great, I play just like him.

Answer 12

The problem with Bowen's defense is not everyone in the league is making him pay for how he plays.  The only way to get back at a player like that is to bust his ***, otherwise you can only watch and respect his game.  He's in his upper 30's and is still getting under skins of the best wing players in the NBA.  No doubt he gets dirty,  but there will always be players like him to make the competition fierce and tough.