http://ken-berger.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/11838893/19717327 NEW YORK – Ron Artest is always good for a laugh, even the night after the Lakers lost to the Cavs for the second time this season. But in this case, he has a point. Asked before the Lakers played the Knicks Friday night if the Cavs would be a playoff team without LeBron, Artest didn’t hesitate. “Actually I thought about that [Thursday],” Artest said. “If you take LeBron off that team, no. They’re not. They’re nothing. Not that they’re nothing, they’re still human beings. But you take him off that team, no. I guess that’s why they got me, to take him out of the game. [Thursday] it didn’t work. They got us this year, so all we can do is move on from that and see what happens in the playoffs.” Artest, who is from Queensbridge – a rough neighborhood just across the East River from Manhattan – always attracts a crowd of reporters when he plays at the Garden. He still represents one of many might-have-beens for the Knicks after the team passed on the former St. John’s star in the 1999 draft, when they picked Frederic Weis instead. “No disrespect to Cleveland, but we need some star power here in New York,” Artest said. “We need some legit star power, so I can come down and beat up on ‘em. We still need some star power here in New York. We need one of those big-time players to come here and get a great team, and when the Lakers play the Knicks, we beat ‘em by like 40 or 50 points. It would be great hopefully one day to see a New York-L.A. championship. I don’t have any power to do that, but it would be nice.” Don't blame me, Cavs fans. I don't make the news. I merely report it.
thats not even close to being true, brooks are off a lot of nights and we still manage to win games..
its funny how if you take the best player or two best players off each team they would not even be close to the rockets.
Though still potentially a playoff team - at least in the hunt, in the West. Their bench would likely be even more exposed, but Lamar, Ron and Bynum would all play bigger roles, and all can, really. The Cavs...not so much. This is why I think Lebron could have legitimately won the MVP every year since and including the year they made the Finals. His teams do more, with less.
The Lakers without Kobe could possibly still make the 8th seed in the West. There is too much talent on that team. (I'm not taking anything away from Kobe though) While the Cavs without LBJ would just be pure garbage. There is no real talent on that team.
Not very perceptive DD, the Lakers would probably manage a .500 record without Kobe... In actuality, Kobe is nothing without Gasol. You give LeBron the Lakers supporting cast minus Gasol... Still highly competitive for a championship!
Without Kobe I don't see the Lakers making the playoffs. Lamar Odom has motivation issues at times and that is on a Championship Contending team. Bynum struggles to play with Pau. Artest would probably try to do way too much without Kobe Pau would be their number 1 option. I like him better as the 2nd best player on a team. Fisher is well Fisher.
