Artest to the bench

[LamarMatic7]

I just hate the fact that he's been missing his open shots all season long and vs Boston he decides to start taking fade-aways and contested shots. Of course he misses all of them.

[H00PDREAMS]

Okay then who guards the Pierces and LBJ's of the NBA? Walton?

[joelafan]

I just hate the fact that he's been missing his open shots all season long and vs Boston he decides to start taking fade-aways and contested shots. Of course he misses all of them.

yea......I had thread eariler trade ron artest? And it looks more evident.. I let the first 2 months slide since he help win game 7 but this getting a little out of hand.

[Kilroy]

I don't know if anyone else sees this, but I think Artest's struggles also have to do with the fact that expectations are higher this year and with Barnes in the mix, the pressure is a little greater...

I think last year everyone told him 'all you have to do is defend your guy' and let him make mistakes as long as he did this. But they expected him to come into this season with a greater understanding of the system and expected him to settle into an expanded role and when he showed he wasn't going to be able to do that, they reduced his minutes. I think Phil expected a lot more out of Ron and now when he doesn't do what he's supposed to on the court, Phil pulls him.

I think it's all just taken Ron out of his game. He seems kind of confused out there.

[joelafan]

I don't know if anyone else sees this, but I think Artest's struggles also have to do with the fact that expectations are higher this year and with Barnes in the mix, the pressure is a little greater...

I think last year everyone told him 'all you have to do is defend your guy' and let him make mistakes as long as he did this. But they expected him to come into this season with a greater understanding of the system and expected him to settle into an expanded role and when he showed he wasn't going to be able to do that, they reduced his minutes. I think Phil expected a lot more out of Ron and now when he doesn't do what he's supposed to on the court, Phil pulls him.

I think it's all just taken Ron out of his game. He seems kind of confused out there.

Thats a good point and in his 2nd season we did /do expect more for him. He isnt making chump change to play crappy.. And i still get around the fact he doesnt know the offense going into his 2nd year.Stop rapping and talking about your football dreams and do your job ron. Dam.

[J Rob]

I think Artest's problems on the court don't have anything to do with basketball...he's always been a fairly unskilled basketball player...I think the problem is entirely based on his psychological "health".

As sad as it is to say, the more tame he has become in his personal life, the worse he has played on the court.

I'm starting to believe that Ron was one of those guys who needed the crazy to be a great player...without it he's just a very mediocre player.

Think about Ron in Houston when he played the Lakers...he was still a relatively unskilled player but he could put up 17 points a game, lock down wing players, get after loose balls, and try to intimidate opponents.

Ron is so subdued now that he gets abused most nights on both ends of the floor and doesn't really seem to be affected by it.

Is it me, or does he have an eerily similar look to Mike Tyson once he lost that air of crazy invincibility.

[Pablo Escobar]

Okay then who guards the Pierces and LBJ's of the NBA? Walton?

LUUUUUUUUUKE