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Bruce Bowen’s jersey retirement luncheon
Former Spur Bruce Bowen speaks to the media before his jersey retirement luncheon at the ATT Center on Monday, March 19, 2012. Bowen’s jersey will be retired as part of Wednesday’s game at the arena against the Timberwolves. (Bob Owen / San Antonio Express-News)
Bruce Bowen’s No. 12 jersey hangs at the ATT Center during his jersey retirement luncheon on Monday, March 19, 2012. Bowen’s jersey will be retired as part of Wednesday’s game at the arena against the Timberwolves. (Bob Owen / San Antonio Express-News)
Former Spur Bruce Bowen (left) and current Spur Tim Duncan share a moment at Bowen’s jersey retirement luncheon at the ATT Center on Monday, March 19, 2012. Bowen’s jersey will be retired as part of Wednesday’s game at the arena against the Timberwolves. (Bob Owen / San Antonio Express-News)
Spur Tony Parker (center) shares a laugh with teammates Tiago Splitter (left) and Tim Duncan (right) at Bruce Bowen’s jersey retirement luncheon at the ATT Center on Monday, March 19, 2012. Bowen’s jersey will be retired as part of Wednesday’s game at the arena against the Timberwolves. (Bob Owen / San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich (from left) and players Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili tell stories about former teammate Bruce Bowen at his jersey retirement luncheon at the ATT Center on Monday, March 19, 2012. Bowen’s jersey will be retired as part of Wednesday’s game at the arena against the Timberwolves. (Bob Owen / San Antonio Express-News)
Retired Spurs forward Bruce Bowen is introduced by fellow Spurs great Sean Elliott at a luncheon honoring Bowen at the ATT Center on Monday, March 19, 2012. Bowen’s jersey will be retired as part of Wednesday’s game at the arena against the Timberwolves. (Bob Owen / San Antonio Express-News)
Former Spurs players Danny Ferry (right) and Sean Marks chat during the jersey retirement luncheon for Bruce Bowen at the ATT Center on Monday, March 19, 2012. Bowen’s jersey will be retired as part of Wednesday’s game at the arena against the Timberwolves. (Bob Owen / San Antonio Express-News)
As deftly as Gregg Popovich has managed the minutes of his players in the compressed, 66-game post-lockout schedule — only Tony Parker and Tim Duncan average as many as 28 minutes per game — the Spurs coach is mindful of the grind that awaits his team in the final six weeks.
Wednesday’s game against the Timberwolves at the ATT Center will begin a stretch of six games in eight nights, including the final three on the road.
Awaiting in mid-April: Eight games in 11 days.
Thus, the three-day break in the schedule that arrived after Saturday’s loss in Dallas was welcomed by everyone, especially Parker, the only Spurs player averaging more than 30 minutes (34.5).
“Definitely, it’s going to help recharge the battery,” said Parker, who admitted fatigue played a role Saturday when he was held to 13 points, his lowest output in March. “I think it was catching up with me because it was a hard game against Oklahoma City (on Friday).
“These three days are definitely going to help me be ready for the big stretch coming up for us.
“Back-to-back-to-back, six games in eight days. That’s a lot of games coming up, so these three days are perfect.”
Aware that Parker didn’t seem as sharp Saturday as he has been most of the season, Popovich promised to guard against overworking him.
“We’ll watch that,” he said. “He’s strong, he’s in great shape, he’s more focused than ever. It’s his best year, and he’s had some good ones.
“We want him to keep that level of energy and focus, and we certainly don’t want to start overplaying him to win a game here and there, that’s for sure.”
Retirement lunch: After an early practice Monday morning, the entire Spurs roster bussed to the ATT Center for a luncheon honoring Bruce Bowen, whose No. 12 will be retired in conjunction with Wednesday’s game.
Bowen, who won three championships with the Spurs before retiring in the summer of 2009, called the impending honor the most special one ever bestowed on him.
“Someone asked me, ‘What if you’re inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame?’” Bowen, 40, said before the luncheon. “It wouldn’t surpass this. This is something that comes from the organization and people you were around for quite some time.”
Considered the premier wing defender of his time, Bowen was named to eight consecutive All-Defensive teams, including five straight first-team mentions between 2002-03 and 2007-08.
Those who played with Bowen consider his inclusion in the ATT Center rafters to be a no-brainer. He will join George Gervin, David Robinson, James Silas, Johnny Moore, Avery Johnson and Sean Elliott as players similarly honored.
“He’s not the type of player who normally gets his jersey retired,” said Manu Ginobili, who played alongside Bowen for seven seasons. “But what he’s done in this franchise was big. It’s very well-deserved.”
mikemonroe@express-news.net