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San Antonio Spurs 103, Atlanta Hawks 88
Atlanta, GA Nov. 13 / Brett Dvorak --
His calling card is defense, but if left open, he can burn you. Just ask the Atlanta Hawks, who saw it first hand tonight.
Bruce Bowen scored fourteen of his regular season career high 22 points in the third quarter as the Spurs blow out the Hawks
103-88.
As a member of the NBA's first team all defensive unit, Bruce Bowen makes his living shutting down the opponents best
player, but the ever rebuilding Hawks don’t really have one of those yet, so tonight Bowen was able to give his
ever-improving offense a work out. Nursing a nine-point halftime lead the Spurs were allowing the hometown Hawks to stay
just close enough to make things interesting. A strong start to the third quarter was a must.
After exchanging baskets, Bowen was fouled by Hawks center Jason Collier, and made one of two free throws. He was just
getting started though because on the Spurs ensuing possession, Manu Ginobili found Bowen open in the corner for the first
of a trio of three pointers. Bowen’s ten points were part of a 17-2 run that gave the Spurs a 61-39 lead.
Hawks coach Mike Woodson was so disgusted by the play of his starters; he went deep into his bench. Former Spur Kevin Willis
came in and gave the Hawks some much needed, low post offense that they were desperately. Seven points from the
nineteen-year veteran opened up the outside game allowing rookies Josh Childress and Royal Ivey the opportunity for open
looks. The Hawks ended the quarter on a 6-0 run that cut the Spurs lead to 77-60 heading to the final quarter.
Each of their past two trips to Atlanta, the Spurs have been heavy favorites to win, only to come out flat, fall way behind
and lose, so when Antoine Walker started the fourth quarter by nailing an off balance jumper, the Spurs knew the final
twelve minutes would be a battle. Walker, a player who has never met a shot he didn’t take, was beginning to heat up. His
first three pointer of the night completed a 17-4 run that cut what was once a twenty-four point lead down to ten (81-71)
with just under nine minutes to play.
How would the Spurs respond? Would it be Tim Duncan in the low post? Or would it be Manu Ginobili making a highlight reel
shot? Or maybe even Tony Parker going to the teardrop? Nope, it would be the rookie Beno Udrih nailing a three pointer from
the wing. Udrih’s second three pointer of the night would be the final dagger from the Spurs on a night full of them.
Coming off a hard fought win the night before against the Miami Heat, it was understandable that the Spurs starters would be
a little sluggish at the start of tonight’s game against one of the lesser teams in the Eastern Conference. The Spurs
reserves stepped up and scored eleven points in the opening quarter with Udrih and Brent Barry scoring four apiece. Atlanta
on the other hand struggled to find any offensive rhythm, using all twelve players in the quarter as the Spurs jumped to a
24-18 lead after the first quarter.
"If you want to be the best, you have to respect all the teams you play against and understand it really doesn't matter who
you play," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "I think we did that fairly well tonight."
Duncan was his usual self, notching his fifth double double in as many games before the first half ended (13 points & 11
rebounds). San Antonio used a balance offensive attack to go on a 12-4 run as the half was winding down, giving the men in
black their first double digit lead of the night (44-33). Nine Spurs scored in the half, with one noticeable exception.
Coming off a spectacular twenty-nine-point performance against the Heat, Ginobili was held scoreless in the opening half,
but the Spurs still led 44-35 at the break.
For the Hawks it became a matter of picking your poison. After watching Bowen’s third quarter explosion, Hawks defenders
were quick to find Bowen on the floor, but in doing so they left another long-range gunner open. Brent Barry, playing
against his brother Jon, got the better of this match up, scoring seven of his 13 points in the third quarter including an
emphatic dunk over Al Harrington.
Bowen’s final points of the night came on his fifth three pointer, another one from the corner that extended the Spurs lead
back to twenty (103-83). A frustrated Walker didn’t expect Bowen to be able to do so much damage. "Nobody expected Bruce
Bowen to be five-for-five from the 3s.”
“It was nothing special,” commented Bowen on his career night. “It was just a matter of getting opportunities and trying to
take advantage of them.”
That he did, and then some. Bowen made seven of ten from the floor for his 22 points, and he wasn’t even the high scorer
for the Spurs. Someone named Duncan had a very, very quiet 26 points and 18 rebounds. If someone in Atlanta scores 26 points
and grabs 18 rebounds, and no one sees it (11,326 at Phillips Arena), did it really happen? “It's tough sometimes (when
playing before small crowds), you don't have that energy from the crowd," Duncan said.
Joining them in double figures was Barry (13 points) and Nesterovic (10 points and 11 rebounds). Ginobili equaled a career
high with nine assists to go along with his nine points. The Hawks on the other hand didn’t have much as Walker scored
fourteen of his team high 23 points in the final quarter.
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