NBA FINALS: PISTONS v SPURS

June 12, 2005

Bruce Bowen

BRUCE BOWEN: It's always fun when shots are going in for you. But just being in this Finals right now and being able to have a game like this tonight where, you know, we did a great job shooting the 3 ball, and it's The Finals, what else could you ask for.

BRUCE BOWEN: It's a situation of I've had many obstacles in my life, and I have no time to cry for myself or worry or complain. I'm on the court. I'm an NBA player. That's enough incentive for me. I appreciate the time that I'm out there and I really appreciate the time that I'm here. So to take all of that into account, I'm giving one 110 percent. I can rest later.

BRUCE BOWEN: I really don't pay attention to what they are doing. I really try to focus in on doing a good job of getting a hand up on each and every shot. Now, if that player happens to take a quick shot, you know, so be it. I want to make sure I get a hand out, because once they make one shot, that just sets them up for their next shot and the next shot after that. They are so accustomed to getting in rhythms, I try to make sure I can keep them from getting into a rhythm.

BRUCE BOWEN: No extra than I normally do. I always shoot early in the morning game day, and no, I have the same routine. I did it tonight, or this morning, and that's what I do. It's a matter of, you know, I had a bad night the other night, and I think the true character of anybody is shown, you know, the way they come back from situations like that.

BRUCE BOWEN: Well, it's not making it easy. It's definitely far from easy. In those situations, you have to fall back on all of the things you have preached throughout the whole season, and that's playing the game for the full 48 minutes. We understand that and we went through a spell there where we handled their run a little bit and we knew we had another one, another one in us. It's a matter of fighting through those situations and hoping it passes a lot quicker than it may have tonight.

BRUCE BOWEN: It's a challenge but I think you have to really focus in on the fact that you have to be more cautious there. You can't afford to go one on three in certain situations or take quick shots on the road, because you don't have your fans to give you that energy, if you get down a little bit. You have to really value each possession and pay attention to everything that you guys have prepared for.

BRUCE BOWEN: I understand that. It's been that way this whole year. I understand that I'm the anchor of our D, and it's kind of weird, but you know, pretty much everyone accepts that. They kind of feed off of me. Sometimes, you know, you watch some of those old games where Magic Johnson made an incredible pass and next thing you know Cooper is making an incredible pass and Worthy and so forth. That's part of this game. It's contagious. Going there, it's going to be difficult, we understand that. We really have to many come out with the mindset that, hey, we can't cut steps, we have to pay attention to detail and really execute the game plan the coaches have for us.