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Spurs 116, Timberwolves 100: March 21, 2012
Spurs’ Manu Ginobili (20) cringes after a play against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs’ Tim Duncan (21) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves’ Kevin Love (42) at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs’ Tim Duncan (21) dunks against Minnesota Timberwolves’ Wesley Johnson (04) at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs’ Stephen Jackson (03) dunks against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs’ Tony Parker (09) drives to the goal against Minnesota Timberwolves’ Wesley Johnson (04) at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs’ Tony Parker (09) walks to the locker room followed by team trainer Will Sevening (right) after reports stated Parker had tightness in his left hamstring in the second quarter of the Spurs game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Former Spurs Bruce Bowen smiles at fans during a Spurs game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Bowen was honored during a jersey retirement ceremony. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs’ Stephen Jackson (03) lines up a three-pointer against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs’ Danny Green (04) dunks against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Former Spurs Bruce Bowen laughs while attending a Spurs game against the Minnesota Timberwolves’ at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Bowen was honored during a jersey retirement ceremony. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs’ Manu Ginobili (20) loses control of the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves’ Kevin Love (42) at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs’ Tiago Splitter (22) gets a shot blocked by Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Tolliver (44) at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs’ James Anderson (25) goes up for a shot against Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Tolliver (44) at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs’ Manu Ginobili (20) drives to the basket against Minnesota Timberwolves’ Kevin Love (42) at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard (02), Gary Neal (14), Stephen Jackson (03) and Danny Green (04) take the court in the second half of play against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs’ Stephen Jackson (03) gestures after making a three-pointer against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs’ Stephen Jackson (03) lines up a free throw against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs’ Gary Neal (14) attempts a shot against Minnesota Timberwolves’ Jose Barea (11) and Anthony Tolliver (44) at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Silverdancers sport tops with former Spurs Bruce Bowen name and number during the Spurs game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Bowen was honored during a jersey retirement ceremony after the game. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard (02) goes up for a shot against Minnesota Timberwolves’ Derrick Williams (07) at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
Former Spurs Bruce Bowen (left) gets a kiss from his youngest son, Ozmel, while attending a Spurs game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Mar. 21, 2012. Bowen is being honored during a jersey retirement ceremony. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)
By Jeff McDonald
The man of the hour sat in the front row, bowtie and all. A banner emblazoned with his jersey number hung in the rafters overhead, obscured by a black curtain.
The stage was set for quite a party Wednesday night at the ATT Center.
All the Spurs had to do, before they could retire Bruce Bowen’s No. 12 for all eternity, was beat the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“I’m not going to lie, it makes the mood better,” said Stephen Jackson, newly returned to the Spurs roster. “If we had lost, some people would have left.”
Instead, the latest collection of Spurs started Bruce Bowen Night off right, albeit not precisely in the manner befitting the celebration of a defensive standout, routing Minnesota 116-100.
The Spurs had six players in double figures — none of them named Tony Parker or Manu Ginobili — and led wire-to-wire in sending the Timberwolves to their 15th consecutive loss in San Antonio.
Tim Duncan had 21 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Spurs, and did not play after the third quarter.
? The only hiccup: Parker, the Spurs’ All-Star point guard, left before halftime with a tight left hamstring and did not return.
His status for Friday’s game against Dallas, the start of the Spurs’ first back-to-back-to-back of the season, is in doubt — but only officially.
“If I was a betting man, I’d say he’ll be back,” said Gary Neal, who would start for Parker otherwise.
The Spurs (30-14) didn’t exactly miss their leading scorer Wednesday.
Neal, Kawhi Leonard and Jackson each chipped in 16 points. Danny Green scored 14, and Tiago Splitter had 11.
For Jackson, it was quite a homecoming to the ATT Center. Playing at home for the first time since last week’s trade that brought him back to the Spurs, Jackson hit his first four shots, finishing 6 of 9, and 3 of 4 from 3-point range.
“We won, and that’s what I’m all about,” Jackson said after his first home game at the ATT Center since the 2003 NBA Finals. “I’m glad to be on a team that wins.”
The Spurs outrebounded the Timberwolves 56-41, including a 17-9 edge on the offensive glass, after being annihilated on the boards in two losses in Minnesota.
It did not help Minnesota’s cause to be without 6-foot-11 center Nikola Pekovic, who was sidelined with an ankle injury.
“He’s the guy we can throw it to and know we can get easy buckets and keep the other team off the glass,” Minnesota’s Kevin Love said.
Speaking of Love, the Spurs did a half-decent job defending the All-Star forward, who finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds after averaging 21 and 15.5 against them in two previous meetings.
Often, the Spurs used alternating small forwards, Jackson and Leonard, to deny Love the ball in the post.
“He’s murdered us twice already,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “I thought the guys were really focused on that.”
Once the Spurs had dispensed with the business at hand, it was time to honor Bowen, who retired in 2009 an eight-time member of the NBA All-Defensive team and three-time league champion.
Unlike the last jersey retirement the Timberwolves were on hand for — Chris Mullin’s on Monday at Golden State — there were no boos from the crowd. Only the familiar chants of “Bruuuuuuce!”
Bowen became the seventh Spurs player to have his jersey retired, joining David Robinson, George Gervin, James Silas, Sean Elliott, Avery Johnson and Johnny Moore.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had anything bestowed on me quite as special as this,” said Bowen, who teared up during the ceremony.
By beating the Timberwolves, the current Spurs did their part to make the night a little more special. But only a little.
“It’s one of those nights that’s beyond the game,” Ginobili said. “What Bruce accomplished, and what he meant to this city, is beyond one game against the Timberwolves.”
jmcdonald@express-news.net
Twitter: @JMcDonald_SAEN