Sacramento (23-28) at Portland (28-24)

[_SRV_]

Artest is a big risk to re-sign, and no-one can guarantee him being stable, the people change argument doesn't hold water, because even with the Kings there were rumors of a locker room melt down during crises and he's had his fair share of out-of-the-blue comments, that he usually backs from later and we learned to ignore, this I believe is a thing the Maloofs and Petrie should take care of when discussing a new contract.
But one thing I will never agree with, is saying this team plays better w/o him, Ron Artest is playing at a superstar level if you account for both sides of the court, him and Miller are the MVPs of this team (Miller being the only decent big man we have), if it's strictly basketball discussion, Ron Artest ranks very high in this league, don't listen to what other fans will tell you.

[pillwenney]

Artest is a big risk to re-sign, and no-one can guarantee him being stable, the people change argument doesn't hold water, because even with the Kings there were rumors of a locker room melt down during crises and he's had his fair share of out-of-the-blue comments, that he usually backs from later and we learned to ignore, this I believe is a thing the Maloofs and Petrie should take care of when discussing a new contract.
But one thing I will never agree with, is saying this team plays better w/o him, Ron Artest is playing at a superstar level if you account for both sides of the court, him and Miller are the MVPs of this team (Miller being the only decent big man we have), if it's strictly basketball discussion, Ron Artest ranks very high in this league, don't listen to what other fans will tell you.

I agree with part of this, but I just think that it depends on how you define stable. Will Ron say a lot of dumb things and do things on the court that make you wonder what the hell is going through his mind? Sure. But that stuff doesn't really involve that big of a risk. The big risk would be if he were to do something like charge the stands again. I just think he has grown up enough to not do that ever again. He'll always be Ron Artest, but he's still not the same guy he was in Indiana.

But I definitely agree that the team plays better with him, without question. He's our most consistent scoring option at the end of games (being our only current post scorer and all), and the havoc he creates defensively is just amazing. Salmons is a very good individual defender, but he doesn't make the huge plays that Ron consistently makes defensively.

[_SRV_]

This stuff is what makes Ron Ron, he is labeled crazy because he does this stuff, him going out to the stands in Auburn Hills was just a result of his persona and not a momentary total lapse of reason, same goes for his out of the blue trade request from Indy.
If you say Ron Artest will still be Ron Artest what makes you think he'll never rebel again? Scratch that, what did he do in his period with the Kings to tell you he won't do explode again?
I want Ron to re-sign with the Kings, and I wish he won't explode, and w/o any freaky accidents I don't think he will, but I have seen nothing to tell me he won't clock the next guy that will throw a cup of beer at him at staples center when we'll be blowing out the Lakers 2 years from now .

[pillwenney]

This stuff is what makes Ron Ron, he is labeled crazy because he does this stuff, him going out to the stands in Auburn Hills was just a result of his persona and not a momentary total lapse of reason, same goes for his out of the blue trade request from Indy.
If you say Ron Artest will still be Ron Artest what makes you think he'll never rebel again? Scratch that, what did he do in his period with the Kings to tell you he won't do explode again?
I want Ron to re-sign with the Kings, and I wish he won't explode, and w/o any freaky accidents I don't think he will, but I have seen nothing to tell me he won't clock the next guy that will throw a cup of beer at him at staples center when we'll be blowing out the Lakers 2 years from now .

Ummm....not explode again? It's pretty simple really. Instead of flipping off crowds now or running into the stands, Ron gets his crazies out by beating his chest and yelling "basketball" while running down the court.

And I'm totally fine with that.

[_SRV_]

I hope you're right, but I still have my doubts, and I'm not just fine with him beating his chest and yelling basketball, I freaking love it.

[Smills91]

-= original quote snipped =-




Ummm....not explode again? It's pretty simple really. Instead of flipping off crowds now or running into the stands, Ron gets his crazies out by beating his chest and yelling "basketball" while running down the court.

And I'm totally fine with that.

And it's wildly entertaining.

[Cruel_Ruin]

-= original quote snipped =-


Someone posted it youtube for ya. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzsArsp3KPw

[RIPskaterdude]

Funny thing is...like 1/4 of those clips is against the Lakers