Artest wasn't hogging the ball. He was simply doing what it takes to help the team win. He was the best playmaker on the Kings and was making plays.
Maybe I'm just a glass is half full type of guy or I'm very gullible but I believe everything Ron Artest said when he will listen to Rick Adelman and do exactly what is asked of him. This is a make or break year for Artest and he has opportunity of a LIFE TIME. I doubt he squanders this chance away and what do you mean by saying "us Pacers fans can educate you." Does that mean you live in Indy and your 2nd fav team is the Pacers? Cause then I don't blame you for holding a grudge. Artest may have had a couple minor bumps in Sacramento but he has kept his nose relatively clean. Things will work out regardless of his ego or not because there's just way too much on the line. I like to compare this situation to when Sheed was traded from the Blazers to the Pistons.
coach already said....or somebody i read already said that will be his hat trick of the game at the end of 4th quarter crunch time
I see Shane better coming off the bench. Remember last year when it seemed like only two of our starters could score(Yao & Tracy). This is when Chuck was still in the line up, Shane wasn't aggressive on the offensive end and Rafer was throwing up bricks. IMO we need all the fire power in the first unit as we can get. Shane is solid anywhere and time he plays. If he can be part of the glue that keeps the second unit together and running smoothly, that would be great. With the second unit he can be more aggressive too look for his shot instead of deferring to Yao or Tracy. Scola IMO, keeps the starting P.F. spot. He's gonna be so much better this year, as he got his feet wet last year. Are You Ready? Rockets 08'-09'!!!!
everyone who said scola and artest would start...are CORRECT! -Artest is way too good to be placed on the bench. -One of our main problems last year was definitely size when Yao was out. We're gonna need more inside post presence. Not to mention Battier likes to play more on the perimeter. Scola is a low post player with size which is what we need since we already have tmac and raefer on the outside and ocasionally artest. With this starting lineup, I think we become more balanced and we cover more ground.
I would love to see Ron Artest comes off the bench in scoring purposes... Yao and TMac will have the ball most of the time in the starting unit... Shane is a good spot up shooter and doesn't take a lot of shots, if Artest can be our 6th man, he'll have the ball more than he is in the starting unit... IMO
scola will start. Its not about chemistry, its about skills. We have the same conversation last season, about hayes and scola, and this is pretty much the same thing, offense over defense. Starting 5 is very important, as it will effect the tempo of the whole game. I say start the best 5 players you got.
It makes no sense to discuss the lineup right now. man,it's true that the six guys all have the ability to be lineups and it'll always be a pity to keep one of them on the bench.In stead of trading one of them ,i think oganizing them well is a good option for rick. Rick may change our lineups according to our rivals.For instance,when facing lakers,whose lineups will be bry/lamar/pau/andre/fisher.The lakers' lineup will be huge in size,then we should offer our big lineups that include tmac/ron/shane/scola/yao.Then when facing the teams whose lineups are smaller or those whose pgs are good at sealing,rick should assign rafer as lineup ,together with tmac,shane....as our former lineups.The benchoff artest will contribute more to our team then.After all,tmac is a good play maker but not a good ball dribbler,so rafer should be lineup when facing pgs who are stealers. Further more,if we want to use the same lineups through the season,then i have another idea. Lay tmac on the bench.you know ,tmac has acted as benchups for some games in the past season.We all saw that we are better when one of tmac and yao was on the court while the other was on bench than when both of them were on court.In my opinion,rockets should not have even one minute when both tmac and yao are off the court.Say,atleast one of them should be on court through out the game.I think tmac will do better as a benchup ,as manu does in spurs.Artest will not be satisfied to be benchups,and his tough defence will be more effecient when he is lineup,just like shane battier.
Both. Don't laugh. I wasn't one of those Pacers fans that hated the Bulls. I hated the "Bad Boy" Pistons passionately and was grateful when the Bulls finally knocked those clowns off. I also appreciated greatness while it was happening. Still, when the Bulls beat us in '98 I was heartbroken. That was really tough to take.
For the best starting 5, Artest would be the starter over Shane for a line-up Alston, T-Mac, Artest, Scola and Yao, that way no one will play out of their natural position. What worries me with that line-up is that Shane will be the 6th man, a position that (almost always) requires great scoring ability (see the 6th man of the year list kindly provided a few posts up: Manu, Jamison, Barbosa, etc.). Another option, endorsed by Mr. Hollinger himself, is to start Artest at the 4 and have Scola (better offensive player than Battier) coming off the bench. The idea may seem unsavory at first, especially with Artest's height of 6'7" taken into consideration. But I think it's really plausible. Though short for a 4, Artest is listed at an impressive 246 lbs and is a solid rebounder, and we all know about his defensive tenacity. This is the most likely starting line-up when the season begins IMO. We'll have to see how Artest fits in as a starting 4 though. Having Artest coming off the bench, now that's a novel concept, but just like Manu shone in SA, Artest may be a fantastic fit for that role (he obviously will also close the game along with battier). There's instant offense and a great closer in Artest the Super Sub, but are we utilizing him to his fullest potential? My 2 cents. I am as curious about the starting 5 as the next person on this BBS.
Do you remember what happened when Scola got inserted into the starting lineup alongside Yao? There is no way in hell Scola is coming off the bench unless he stinks up the court for an extended period of time. Battier is great but Artest is gonna be taking his place in the starting lineup.
Right now, Rockets, Bulls, Pacers. Rockets by a country mile. I've been in Houston for over 22 years now and I liked them well before I came here. I've been fed up with the Pacers for a while and the Bulls pushed me over the edge last season. This coming season, I probably won't follow either team very closely. Clowns like "Joking" Noah, Tyrus Thomas, Larry Hughes and a GM like Paxson have seriously turned me off. Right now, I'm leaning another direction for my #2 team.
Ron has to start even though I don't care much for Super Shane off the bench. Ron has to start because the first time the team loses two games in a row or maybe before that you will hear Ron talk about how he needs to be a starter. He is in Houston win but as soon as the going gets tough (and it always does) he is going to revert to the guy who no teams wants after half a season. What troubles me is that I really think this squad needs instant offense of the bench and not instant intangibles. As great as Shane is his offense is anything but a "shot in the arm" like this team has always needed thanks to it's half court, methodical offense. However, I think keeping Ron Ron happy is now issue #1 for this team's success so the rest needs to come after that is accomplished. The answer? I say you start Yao, Scola, Ron, Tmac and Rafer with Shane as the first guy off the pine. I say let Tmac sit first and slide Ron to SG and bring Shane in at SF. Of course, Tmac comes back later and Ron can sit going into the second half. Come second half you play who is contributing the most with a great possibility of all three on the court at the same time. Ron is happy, Tmac gets rested early so he doesn't get tired in the 4th and this team wins 60 games hopefully.
Larry Hughes is the chucker of chuckers. A couple of questions: What is your issue with Paxson? How do you feel about Ben Gordon? Hypothetically, as a person that follows the Bulls, how would you feel about Gordon becoming a Rocket?
What about Barry providing some of that instant O? He won't create his own shot but he is an offensive weapon. Optimistically, Brooks may be able to be an offensive spark as well. I agree that bringing a guy like Battier off the bench as your 6th man is not the norm. The coaching staff will have to figure out what to do with this whole Artest vs Battier deal.
considering the chemistry we had last season, I think we should put Ron on the bench first, as season passes by, let Shane sits to be the 6th person. Louis should be the started PF, while Ron and Shane are SF, I don't think these three should be put together for a vote.
