Game 4 showed that Brent Barry is a crucial part of the Spurs team.
Bruce Bowen has defended Kobe Bryant as well as anyone ever has throughout the series. Without him, I think the series may have been over by now.
The Spurs have the best ever power forward in Tim Duncan. The electrifying Manu Ginobili comes of the bench and almost always makes an impact. Then, there’s one of the top young point guards in Tony Parker.
They are the Spurs' Big Three, but there is also the Little Two that they couldn’t do without.
This series in particular has been a good one on the offensive end for Bruce Bowen. Not known for his scoring, Bowen has been shooting 54 percent from beyond the arc, making the majority of the open shots he’s given in the corner when Duncan is double-teamed.
But his defense on Kobe Bryant has been amazing. Bryant is still averaging 26.8 points per game this series and shooting 53 percent, but Bowen is doing exactly what Coach Gregg Popovich has asked of him.
Keep Kobe Bryant off the free-throw line.
Bowen has done just that, with Bryant taking just six free throws the whole series. Compare this to the 96 free throws he took against the Jazz in six games, and it shows how well Bowen has defended him this series.
The Spurs would struggle to contain Bryant without Bowen. Who else in the Spurs lineup could defend Bryant half as well as Bowen has?
Then there is Brent Barry. With Robert Horry playing so poorly this series, Barry has had to pick up his slack, and so far has done a good job. He has played exceptionally well against the Lakers in the playoffs, averaging nine points and two assists per game. He is known around the league as good three point shooter, and has lived up to his reputation by shooting 44 percent from three.
His best game this postseason, and perhaps his best-ever playoff performance was his 23-point effort in Game 4. He also grabbed five rebounds and two steals.
Barry doesn’t produce these numbers often, but the Spurs can always depend on him to make a big play.
Take late in Game 3, for example. Jordan Farmar sank a three to get the Lakers back within nine and give them some hope of mounting a late comeback. Barry got rid of that thought and drained a three on the next play to push the lead back to 12. The Lakers never got back within nine and seemingly gave up after Barry’s three-pointer.
Everyone talks about Duncan, Ginobili and Parker, but the rest of the team barely gets a mention. Barry and Bowen are getting old and won’t be around much longer. I think people will notice how much they impacted the game when they have gone.
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