There was some clamoring statistics on the Rocket's performance with and without Artest. The sample was over the last 25 games. 1. Winning 5-5 (.500) without Artest vs. 8-7 (.533) with Artest. There really isn't much of a difference here. 2. Offense We score 0.9 more ppg with Artest but shoot 3.2% worse. 3. Defense There is practically no difference in ppg; the other team shoots 0.4% worse when Artest plays in the game. 4. Artest's FG% Despite some woeful games, he is 84/200 = 42% in FG% which isn't fantastic but it isn't horrible either. 5. Artest's +/- His +/- is +2.4 per game which is again slightly positive. Overall, the Rockets appear to be about the same whether Artest plays or not. I claim that TMac's play is really the confounding factor. For reference, compare this with TMac who has definitely hurt the Rockets with his recent play: http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=162444 Without Artest <TABLE><TR><TD><B>Date</B></TD><TD><B>Opponent</B></TD><TD><B>Points For</B></TD><TD><B>Points Against</B></TD><TD><B>Win</B></TD><TD><B>Game</B></TD><TD><B>FG%</B></TD><TD><B>Opp FG%</TD></TR><TR><TD>12/26/2008</TD><TD>New Orleans</TD><TD>79</TD><TD>88</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>36.1</TD><TD>44.6</TD></TR><TR><TD>1/3/2009</TD><TD>Atlanta</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>103</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>48.1</TD><TD>58.9</TD></TR><TR><TD>1/6/2009</TD><TD>Philadelphia</TD><TD>96</TD><TD>104</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>42.5</TD><TD>56.2</TD></TR><TR><TD>1/9/2009</TD><TD>Oklahoma City</TD><TD>98</TD><TD>96</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>45.9</TD><TD>48.1</TD></TR><TR><TD>1/10/2009</TD><TD>New York</TD><TD>96</TD><TD>76</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>42.4</TD><TD>35.4</TD></TR><TR><TD>1/13/2009</TD><TD>Lakers</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>105</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>53</TD><TD>50.6</TD></TR><TR><TD>1/17/2009</TD><TD>Miami</TD><TD>93</TD><TD>86</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>56.5</TD><TD>40</TD></TR><TR><TD>1/19/2009</TD><TD>Denver</TD><TD>115</TD><TD>113</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>51.1</TD><TD>54.5</TD></TR><TR><TD>1/21/2009</TD><TD>Utah</TD><TD>108</TD><TD>99</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>46.1</TD><TD>43.5</TD></TR><TR><TD>1/23/2009</TD><TD>Indiana</TD><TD>107</TD><TD>102</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>43</TD><TD>39.3</TD></TR><TR><TD><B>Cumulative</B></TD><TD><B></B></TD><TD><B>99.2</B></TD><TD><B>97.2</B></TD><TD><B>5</B></TD><TD><B>10</B></TD><TD><B>46.5</B></TD><TD><B>47.1</B></TD></TR></TABLE> With Artest <TABLE><TR><TD><B>Date</B></TD><TD><B>Opponent</B></TD><TD><B>Points For</B></TD><TD><B>Points Against</B></TD><TD><B>Win</B></TD><TD><B>Game</B></TD><TD><B>FG%</B></TD><TD><B>Opp FG%</B></TD><TD><B>Artest FGM</B></TD><TD><B>Artest FGA</B></TD><TD><B>Artest</B></TD></TR><TR><TD>12/23/2008</TD><TD>Cleveland</TD><TD>90</TD><TD>99</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>43.1</TD><TD>48.7</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>14</TD><TD>-14</TD></TR><TR><TD>12/27/2008</TD><TD>Utah</TD><TD>120</TD><TD>115</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>39.2</TD><TD>49</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>18</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>12/29/2008</TD><TD>Washington</TD><TD>87</TD><TD>89</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>40</TD><TD>46.2</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>-4</TD></TR><TR><TD>12/31/2008</TD><TD>Milwaukee</TD><TD>85</TD><TD>81</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>41.1</TD><TD>45.1</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>10</TD></TR><TR><TD>1/2/2009</TD><TD>Toronto</TD><TD>73</TD><TD>94</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>34.1</TD><TD>48.2</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>-11</TD></TR><TR><TD>1/7/2009</TD><TD>Boston</TD><TD>89</TD><TD>85</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>48.6</TD><TD>42.9</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>13</TD><TD>12</TD></TR><TR><TD>1/25/2009</TD><TD>Detroit</TD><TD>108</TD><TD>105</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>52.7</TD><TD>56.4</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>1/26/2009</TD><TD>New York</TD><TD>98</TD><TD>104</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>38.9</TD><TD>47.4</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>-5</TD></TR><TR><TD>1/28/2009</TD><TD>Philadelphia</TD><TD>93</TD><TD>95</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>41.1</TD><TD>45.7</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>-8</TD></TR><TR><TD>1/31/2009</TD><TD>Golden State</TD><TD>110</TD><TD>93</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>47.6</TD><TD>42</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TD>2/3/2009</TD><TD>Chicago</TD><TD>107</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>44</TD><TD>42.4</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>2/4/2009</TD><TD>Memphis</TD><TD>93</TD><TD>104</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>39.8</TD><TD>53.3</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>-2</TD></TR><TR><TD>2/7/2009</TD><TD>Minnesota</TD><TD>107</TD><TD>90</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>49.4</TD><TD>39.8</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>27</TD></TR><TR><TD>2/9/2009</TD><TD>Milwaukee</TD><TD>112</TD><TD>124</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>42.5</TD><TD>52.8</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>-3</TD></TR><TR><TD>2/11/2009</TD><TD>Sacramento</TD><TD>94</TD><TD>82</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>47.1</TD><TD>44.7</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>7</TD></TR><TR><TD><B>Cumulative</B></TD><TD><B></B></TD><TD><B>98.3</B></TD><TD><B>97.2</B></TD><TD><B>8</B></TD><TD><B>15</B></TD><TD><B>43.3</B></TD><TD><B>46.9</B></TD><TD><B>84</B></TD><TD><B>200</B></TD><TD><B>2.4</B></TD></TR></TABLE>
We really don't have enough games for that to be meaningful. For what it is worth, in my sample Artest has only played 4 games without TMac (the Rockets are 4-0) and TMac has only played 3 games without Artest (the Rockets are 1-2).
So if our offense is shooting worse, but scoring more...then we are getting to the line more often when he plays. Drawing fouls, getting the other players in foul trouble, getting free points...thats very important come playoff time.
I don't mind to post it again: Arest's game WITHOUT Tmac since Dec: W Clippers 5-15 3-6 W Warriors 9-21 4-9 W Hawks 5-10 2-4 W Jazz 7-18 3-6 W Celtics 7-13 2-4 W Warriors 10-17 4-6 45.7% FG, 51.4% 3PTs Rockets won all.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3339/gamelog;_ylt=AkQKYDjF0phqE0GLUXh8bvpgPKB4 GS = Games Started
Yeah, I mentioned this already. Artest works well with Yao. For whatever reason, he doesn't click with TMac.
The Rockets started the season 10-5 with Tracy,Ron, and Yao starting. They scored 94ppg on 43% fg and gave up 90ppg on 43% shooting. I don't know where you got your numbers from.
I counted when GS & W were together, counted 17 twice. 26 games he's started which means Rockets are 17-9 Artest starting 8-6 Artest off the bench 6-7 without Artest