Bowen will have help. The Spurs were the NBA’s No. 1 team in the regular season in fewest points allowed. They have an imposing big man in the paint in Tim Duncan, an excellent shot-blocker who deters opponents from driving to the hoop. They have Manu Ginobili, who is a frenetic presence; Ginobili slaps at the basketball when it’s in an opponent’s hands almost as often as he dribbles it when it’s in his.

That shutdown defensive mentality, imposed on them by head coach Gregg Popovich, is why the Spurs are again in the championship hunt.

But Bowen is a specialist. While he is more than capable of popping the occasional back-breaking three-pointer when left open, he’s still in the league because of his devotion to stopping a single opposing player.

While he is now considered one of the most valuable men of his craft in basketball, it wasn’t always the case. Bowen was not drafted out of Cal State Fullerton in 1993, and had to pay his dues in outposts in the French League and the CBA before hooking on with the Miami Heat in 1996. From there he skipped around from Boston to Philadelphia and back to Miami before finally landing in San Antonio as a free agent in the summer of 2001.

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It takes some players a while before they find their niche, and Bowen wound up on a team that provided the perfect showcase for his talents. He didn’t have to worry about scoring — he has never averaged in double figures in his 11 NBA seasons even though he has consistently averaged about 30 minutes a game in San Antonio — and he could develop into a star in his own right on the defensive end.

If he can get a grip on LeBron, prevent him from having one of those nights that keeps the ESPN talking heads reminding us that we’ll remember this forever, then he’ll cement his defensive legacy. After all, a 36-year-old defensive specialist has only so much shelf life.

Bowen and the Spurs are hoping it lasts at least a couple of weeks longer, until LeBron James goes home frustrated.