Bruce

Bowen

Wow. Must have been a slow week in the West, or else the voters were just so shocked to see Bowen displaying any offense that they were overcome. In three Spurs’ victories, Bowen averaged 17.3 points and dropped 10 3-pointers while shooting 55.9 percent, but none of his other stats stood out (2.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals, no blocks). In reality, this award came down to one high-profile game; Bowen scored a career-high 24 last Tuesday while holding Kobe Bryant to 17. It’s not enough reason to pick him up.

Bowen would have made $4 million in the final season of a three-year, $11.5 million contract he signed in July 2002. His decision gives the Spurs close to $15 in salary cap room to play with. The team still could re-sign him.

Bowen is expected to be one of the eight players the Spurs protect in the expansion draft. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Rasho Nesterovic, Devin Brown (whose second-year team option will be picked up) and Hedo Turkoglu (a restricted free agent) are the others. Malik Rose will be exposed, but his big contract should result in him staying in San Antonio. Robert Horry’s $5 million option won’t be picked up, but he might be re-signed to a smaller contract after the expansion draft.

He’s played less minutes in the exhibition season than any other player and Shane Battier appears to have a better shot at making the team. According to the San Antonio Express-News, before Sunday’s game, one USA Basketball official conceded Bowen would have a “difficult time” making the active roster. Coach Mike Krzyzewski has 14 players on his roster and needs to cut it to 12 by Saturday’s opener against Puerto Rico.

Bowen was a defensive specialist, but it’s been widely speculated for a few days that he would be the one to go. The 12 players that will suit up this weekend are: Carmelo Anthony, Shane Battier, Chris Bosh, Elton Brand, Kirk Hinrich, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Antawn Jamison, Joe Johnson, Brad Miller, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade. There are concerns about outside shooting with that bunch, but they’re hoping to get by with solid defense and fundamentally sound play.

He didn’t feel like he was given an opportunity to show his skills and was perplexed that he was not assigned to guard Puerto Rico’s Carlos Arroyo, their best player. “I’m not bitter or mad at anyone,” he said. “I just wish I would have gotten a better opportunity to show I could be on the team.”

He didn’t score more than eight points in any of the Spurs’ first five games.

He also held Kobe Bryant to 17 points and just 5-of-16 shooting in the best game of his career.

So did Nazr Mohammed.

This is somewhat of a fluke as he’s primarily a defensive specialist.