Bruce Bowen Knees Steve Nash in the Groin

Yep, Bruce kneed Nash on purpose. And he got called for the foul. End of story! Everyone who is screaming that he get a suspension on this play is ridiculous! As you state, Bowen is not necessarily attempting to hurt people (and I firmly believe he is NOT trying to hurt another player), but he is definitely attempting to intimidate. And what is wrong with that? I always hear Barkley and other commentators talk about players that continually drive to the basket. They always say give that player one hard foul and that will make them think twice before driving to the basket again. That's called intimidation! And it looks like Bruce is succeeding in getting into the heads of the Phoenix Suns! Kuddos to Steve Nash for being the class act that he is and not trying to blame this win on the officials (unlike his coach and teammates!)

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Bruce Bowen is a dirty player and should be held accountable for his actions. We do not need this in the playoffs. Of course Steve,the classiest player in the NBA didn't say anything and I saw how upset the coach was at the interview after the game. He can't say anything because he will be fined. There were many fouls on Steve that were not called. Lets hope the next game and with better (we hope) officials will get it right.

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the spurs might be dirty, but the suns would be wise to stop obsessing about it and just worry about playing better basketball. from the sounds of it, it sure seems like the spurs are in their heads

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Bell needs to take care of this piece of sh-t!

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Speaking of shots to the groin, anybody catch Hinrich trying to punch Murray in the balls with his left hand as Murray dunked on him in the third quarter? It was pretty obvious.

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If you think this is intentional then my friend I'd like to let you know that you are an IDIOT, all players do this, the only difference is that nash was was right up on him.Do I think he should have stepped in? No but, we are not in the game they are. Let me ask you this did Steve Nash say anything regarding this play---um no dont be stupid!!! maybe you should be looking at Stoudemire for being dirty. Why you ask, maybe you had your eyes closed the whole game while he was pushing players to try and get boards. For example the play when he pushed Horry down, but Horry got called for the foul for holding, but that's just a natural reaction when you're falling. Maybe you're just a suns fan which is not a bad thing but sometimes this can cloud your judgement. Me personally I am both a Spurs and a Suns fan they are my top two faves but more than that i'm a fan of the game. You need to realize that if you are going to call Bowen dirty for that then you must do the same with Marion for poking at ginobli's eye. Ahh didn't like that one did you, same thing IT WAS ACCIDENTAL!!!THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK next time.

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LOL Oscar you need a new pair of glasses. Horry got caught on national TV pulling Stoudemire to the floor. Ginugly holding Stoudemire's leg (while looking up his shorts no doubt) in game 1 like a little baby trying to draw a fake foul on Stoudemire. But his ploy worked on his behalf anyway because the "hired" ref called Bell's ball out of bounds right in front of the play.
I love how you guys make excuses for your dirty team. I guess if you didn't you wouldn't be a fan of the Spurs. Horry, Ginugly, Bowen are the most despicably dirty players on your team and the NBA. Duncan, is like a giraffe, just funny to watch and he lights up his only expression when he's finally caught fouling. He's easy to ignore that would be called regular stuff to have to deal with in another team. The only bright star on your team is Parker. Poor Parker.
Dirty teams don't win championships. The NBA would have a total walk-out of fans. I'd be the first in line.

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How does Kobe get suspended for his questionable shooting motion, but Bowen, after two incidents in this series alone, not get suspended? If Kobe's follow-through was deemed intentional, Bowen's should definitely be considered to be done on purpose. He should get at least a one game suspension.

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This was def. a cheap shot by Bowen. however, he playes like this all the time, so Im not sure if you can look at it and make a big deal out of it.

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I get very angry when people say Ginobli flops. He has to fall when he is IN EVERY GAME injured!!! And I mean arms around his neck in a choke-hold, and on and on. Every game he gets beat up.
If the Spurs are playing dirty, so be it. It's time they stepped up and stopped taking a physical beating. BTW, Duncan is the classiest player I've seen. No emotion? He is a professional player so what's wrong with his not cussing, jumping up and down, swinging, etc? He's doing HIS JOB!

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OOOOOHHHHH PLEAAAAZE!!
Everyone talked about the Spurs being soft and now that they are playing the other dirty teams, they have to play equally.
Bowen kneed Nash. Inadvertently or not, it's done.
Now, let's get over it and play ball just the way the opposing teams plays.

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Yeah San Antonio has gotten in Phoenix's head..and so have the refs..Shame on our local journalist here in Phoenix for saying Poor Play was the cause..Nash was slapped about 3 times in the 4th quarter..that takes Momentum from your team when you keep getting no calls..Yeah if Stat was out there more then 20 minutes, the Suns take this game..Diaw was doing good at first with Stat out but disappeared when double teams came at him, Suns were settling for too many outside shots, Marion missed about 4 or 5 layups so yeah it was poor play but the poor play was a result of the no-calls, I'm hoping the Suns get the calls tommorrow night and the refs let them play a 2 out of 3 series without the BS calls...

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Even though the officiating was a disgrace, the Suns have to somehow play though it or they're in big trouble. No matter how unfair the calls are going, if San Antonio wins, nobody (except us Suns fans) will care. Even though it kills momentum, etc., the Suns have to show they can win in spite of hard play by S.A. and poor officiating.

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You are both right Martin and Fdanasayers. The Suns need to rise above it all and play "Suns game". It seems whenever it's a slower tempo...they get into these situations. Nash was going full speed too late in the game when Bowen took a cheap shot. The Suns didn't have to wait that late to make a run.
They do their best keeping the pace up all 4 quarters. Most teams can't keep this pace...the Suns can. So what if the game gets them a 40 point lead...keep going and don't look back and do it 3 more times to end this series. Our Good guys will finish first.

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You know, reading the comments this posting has generated reminds me of why I love playoff sports. I wonder how many of you whining about this have actually stepped on a court.

I agree that Bowen uses what he has to make plays. I think that you'll notice, if you actually play a game, that this kind of thing happens at every level. From the hardtop to the hardwood, shady little things like this take place.

Stop and consider this: the greatest players in the history of the game were no angels, but most of them were and are remembered as such. Let's start right at the top; the pinnacle of all that is professional basketball in the entire world, Michael Jordan. His body of work includes jersey tugging, pushing, grabbing, dancing and acting. One of his most famous shots, and it gets replayed over and over, is of Mike shoving a player one-handed to get a clear shot and win the game.

Let's look at another all-star who actually played in that game. John Stockton is considered by many to be one of the greatest point guards to ever step on a basketball court. Many also consider him one of the dirtiest. Same kind of stuff as Jordan only the grabbing and pushing is even more evident in hi career.

I saw the play with Nash and Bowen during the course of watching the game. I've seen it dozens of times since. Did Bowen foul Nash? Absolutely. Did he intentionally foul him? Maybe. But was it to try and hurt him? Absolutely not. Bowen does use what he has to get in your head. I'll guarantee you, the league has looked at his tactics for years. He's one of the league's lockdown players.

So stop whining. Stop complaining. The Spurs and the Suns are my two favorite teams in the NBA. So this is the pinnacle of my season. So in my estimation, the Suns need to step up and get Bowen out of their heads and play basketball. That's the only thing that will redeem them. Even if Bowen were fined or even suspended, the damage is done. But the Suns have to deal with the Spurs as they are. And crying about it won't make it any easier. You think that the Lakers weren't upset about Nash and all he did?

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the precedent has already been set in the nba for players with track records (re: kobe's elbows) and disciplinary action against them. i would not be surprised if bowen draws a suspension from the league for his knee, inadvertent or not.

he needs to clean up his act. a game 4 suspension should do just that. (at least temporarily)

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I almost hate to dignify this drivel with a response, but I've been reading this garbage all day, and I'm pretty sick of it.

Have any of you ever played basketball? I've been around the sport for 30 years, both as a player and as a coach, and the "incident" you are all whining about is not only a perfectly normal part of the game. Nash was crowding the offensive man, and Bowen made a standard pivot move to clear space. The call -- offensive foul -- was correct because Nash held his position, but there was nothing "dirty" about the play. Unfortunate for Nash that he was clipped in a delicate area, but again, part of the game.

Basketball is not a non-contact sport. It's not for the soft or the timid, and physical play is part of the game.

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LOL Tim....you may have been around for 30 years but the fact that no one here has ever heard of you proves exactly why...you don't know jack!!! Whether legal or not it is a dirty play! You mean to tell me that Bowen didn't think he might knee him in the groin? You mean to tell me that his "foot defense" by where he places his feet under players when they go up in the air isn't with the intention that they will land on his foot and twist an ankle (which has happened many times) isn't dirty? You can be dirty and do it legally. That is why there are rules numb nuts...because at some point someone was using that to their advantage putting the other team or player at a disadvantage or risk of injury. Why do you think leg whipping was banned in the NFL? Because it was hurting players...sure legal at some point but extremely dirty and thus became banned. If this was the first time Bowen had pulled some sh*T like this I would say fine...get over it, but he has a huge reputation for being like this....do the research...there have been many...MANY players who have said very negative things about his play. Dirty is someone who takes advantage of the vulnerability other players put themselves in. When a player leaves the floor for a jumpshot or dunk and you take advantage of their vulnerability to take a cheap shot at them.....that is dirty....everyone in the NBA will say that...except you of course! That is what Bowen is notorious for...Case in point the game where Vince Carter wanted to beat the living P*ss outta him for taking him down after he took a jumpshot. He is dirty and everyone knows it...except you of course...because you are oh so wise and have been around for 30 years.

Maybe if you would grow a brain and realize that players can be dirty and stay within the rules you might have more of a future in the sport you have been around for 30 years....as what???? a towel boy? LOL

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I refuse to try and tell these spurs fans something they have seen all their life. My question is where is the commissioner whrn he is needed? JES

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I love physical play. Especially playoff physical play. Nash's bloody nose and Ginobli's eye are good examples of clean plays. In both instances the other player was going for the ball. But how can anyone defend Bowen's kick to Amare's achilles or his knee to Nash's groin as just incidences in contact sports? Amare had beaten Bowen already on that dunk. That was just a cheap shot. Even before the league decided to cleaned up the rough play (from the days of the Bad Boys and the 90's Knicks), the hard playoff fouls "usually" came to stop the offense from getting easy dunks and layups. Oakley was not a dirty player. Malone was not a dirty player (remember though the League had him stop his kick on his jumper). Heck, Mahorn was not a dirty player in those days. Good hard fouls and intimidation are part of playoff basketball. BUT Bowen's kick was late. Whether it was out of frustration or not, it was intentional. And it was not professional. Who suffers more? Suns without Amare (in this series) or Spurs without Bowen? Now the knee to Nash's groin. Nash had him boxed. He could have gone right or held the ball above Nash (he was looking to pass anyway). If it was the first time Bowen did that- it probably shouldn't have gotten this attention. The League should have acted on the kick. Suspending Bowen for the knee to the groin sets a bad precedent (if you look at it as an isolated incident). Go Suns!

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