Former Spurs forward Bruce Bowen to attend NBA Finals viewing parties in PH

FILE – Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers posts up Bruce Bowen #12 of the San Antonio Spurs in the first quarter of Game Four of the Western Conference Finals during the 2008 NBA Playoffs on May 27, 2008 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. Stephen Dunn/Getty Images/AFP

Three-time NBA champion Bruce Bowen will be in Manila to be with Filipino basketball fans in a couple of NBA Finals viewing parties as announced by NBA Philippines.

Bowen, who spent his best years as a vital piece of the San Antonio Spurs’ championship runs in 2003, 2005 and 2007, will be at Eastwood City Mall Activity Center on June 1 to watch Game 1 of the Finals before attending the Game 2 viewing party at Buffalo Wild Wings in Glorietta 2 on June 4.

“I look forward to visiting the Philippines to enjoy the NBA Finals alongside Filipino fans,” said Bowen.  “I’ve heard so much about the Philippines and their basketball fandom, and I can’t wait to experience it for myself.”

Bowen is also scheduled to conduct a basketball clinic with 40 boys and girls at Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Engineering on June 2.

The 46-year-old Bowen is best known for his tenacious defense. He went undrafted in 1993 before finding himself in the NBA in 1997 as a member of the Miami Heat.

He bounced around and finally found a home in San Antonio where he became a five-time All-Defensive First Team member.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are the first team to make the NBA Finals this year after outlasting the Boston Celtics on the road in Game 7 while the top-seeded Houston Rockets and the defending champions Golden State Warriors dispute the last slot on Tuesday (Manila time) also in Game 7.