Spurs notebook: NBA warns Bowen to watch his step when he guards shooters Web Posted: 11/15/2006 12:20 AM CST Johnny Ludden Express-News Staff Writer HOUSTON — When Bruce Bowen's phone rang Sunday afternoon, he didn't need to look at caller ID to know who was on the other end of the line: Stu Jackson, the NBA's executive vice president of basketball operations — otherwise known as the league's czar of discipline. "With him," Bowen said, "I have a bat line." Jackson told Bowen he wasn't going to be fined for last week's play involving New York's Steve Francis. But he told Bowen a foul should have been called and he warned Bowen to watch his feet in the future. Francis sprained his left ankle when he landed on Bowen's foot. The incident drew greater attention when the teams played again Saturday and Knicks coach Isiah Thomas accused Bowen of stepping under players — a complaint Bowen has heard a handful of times in recent seasons. The league has instructed officials this season to make sure players are allowed to "alight" or land after they shoot. Jackson "said because of the things that have happened with me, I really need to be aware of the space I'm giving guys to come down," Bowen said. "I said, 'So, if they come down close to me, is that still an infraction on my behalf?' He said no, but it's a foul if they come down on top of you. "I have no problem with that, but my only concern is if somebody comes close. What if somebody says, 'Owww!' Now do I get a foul?" Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy said he doesn't think the plays in question were committed with malice. "If he says that's unintentional, who am I to question him?" Van Gundy said. "Some players, any time a guy competes hard against him, the first word they use is 'dirty'. Because you know they don't want to put as much effort into the game as a guy who competes hard. "John Stockton, I always heard, was dirty. And I thought he just out-competes people. You have the little whiners who are running for cover anytime the game gets tough." Rockets guard Tracy McGrady also said he has never had a problem facing Bowen. "I always accepted the challenge of going up against him because he is the best perimeter (defender) in this league," McGrady said. Looking out for the big men: While the league has cracked down on perimeter contact by defenders, Van Gundy thinks something needs to be done about the punishment big men are taking under the basket. He wasn't happy when a foul wasn't called after Rockets center Yao Ming was hit in the head Sunday in Miami. "If we're really concerned about injury prevention," Van Gundy said, "I don't think 'alighting' is the only thing we should be concerned with. Full-force swings to the head are also something." Thomas misquoted: During its investigation of Bowen and Thomas, the league determined the Knicks coach was misquoted by New York's Newsday newspaper when discussing how he would deal with a player who stepped under him. The paper reported Thomas as saying, "I'd beat the (expletive) out of somebody. Really, I would (expletive) murder them." A league official, however, said transcripts showed Thomas to have said, "I'd beat the (expletive) out of somebody. That's (expletive) murder." Fighting words: Van Gundy was talking to reporters outside Houston's locker room early Tuesday evening when he heard someone yell "Bull... !" He turned to see Spurs coach Gregg Popovich smiling at him from down the hall. "Watch out," Van Gundy yelled back. "I'll fight you." Retorted Popovich: "You stay on your own bench." -- --

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