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NewsletterNov. 23, 2002: Bowen's bucket at buzzer stuns Suns
With his team suddenly trailing with 0.6 seconds remaining, Denver Nuggets coach Jeff Bzdelik stood on the sideline and frantically signaled for a timeout.
The Phoenix Suns had just taken a one-point lead on a flying putback-dunk by Shawn Marion, and Bzdelik wanted to move the ball to halfcourt in an attempt to draw up a play that might help the Nuggets pull a rabbit out of the hat.
Donnell Harvey and Ryan Bowen had their own magic act planned.
On Nov. 23, 2002, Bowen ran a fly pattern down the middle of the court and converted Harvey’s one-hand pass for a layup at the buzzer to give the Nuggets a memorable 80-79 victory at America West Arena.
The play withstood a lengthy video review and still stands as one of the most memorable Denver highlights in the past 10 years.
“I still have never forgotten that game,” Bzdelik said Tuesday. “I’d like to say that was a decoy timeout that was part of the plan, but I’d be lying. Fortunately my players were smart enough to offset me calling for the timeout.”
Bzdelik, now the men’s basketball coach at Wake Forest University, uses that play as a teaching point for young players. The natural reaction for a team that scores in the final seconds is to relax in anticipation of a timeout, allowing for a quick counterattack.
“The defensive team is programmed to exhale,” Bzdelik said. “That’s what mostly happens. The lesson to be learned to teach my team to look down the court to explore any kind of situation when the opposing team does relax, exhale, celebrate, begin to walk off the court or spectate.”
The Phoenix win was the second of three consecutive victories for a young Nuggets team that won 17 games in 2002-03. Bzdelik was a first-year head coach in charge of roster that included seven rookies.
“I have a tremendous pride in that team,” Bzdelik said. “We lost 28 games by single digits (and 17 by six points or less). That team overachieved with its ability to play hard and be competitive.
“I remember Reggie Miller and John Stockton coming up to me and saying, ‘Coach, those guys played so hard, they have my respect.’ To lose 28 games by single digits when totally out manned in experience and talent, it’s a credit to those young men.”
