Only 2 games, but there are something interesting on Rox team. I'd like to call it Ron's halo. i find several changes of TMac. TMac's willing to drive more and his FTA is up to 7 (5.4 last year) while his 3PA is down to 1.5 (4.5 last year). His steal is up to 2.5 (1.03 last year). The halo effect on TMac seems positive. Ron is inspiring TMac and even whipping TMac up.
Too early to say IMO.. I remember last year when Tmac attacked alot during early of the season but then reverted back to his jumpshooting self after some time.
I can tell you that just watching Ron start the games the way he does by making steals, going to the floor with Josh Howard, it fires me up as a fan. It has to have the same effect on the Rockets. I see this in Yao and Mac. They have more intensity than they had before Ron arrived. The thing is we have other players like Scola, Hayes, and Battier that display a similar tenacity but they don't inspire the rest of the team the way Ron does. He's a star in the NBA and when he gets after it on the court even Yao and Mac must stand up and take notice.
It's only two games. However, the refs seem to be going easy on the ticky tack fouls on Yao. The refs are so intent on controlling Artest that they don't care about the touch fouls from Yao. Yao is able to be more aggressive with his moves and can stay in games longer without worrying about foul trouble.
I'm not trying to compare the teams, but I think Artest's impact on the Rockets is similar to KG's impact on the Celtics.
Us nerds call it "Command Aura". It definitely corrolates with the FTA of our team, since the NBA is such a reputation-driven league. This time when we see Utah the refs will have to call fouls on them as often as they called fouls against them when they played the Lakers. About damn time.
I just wish this would translate to our fan attendance at the Toyota Center. It makes me so mad that so many of the good seats are empty every game. I know a lot of that is due to the corporate handouts, but geez.
Do you guys think there will be a point we will start to alienate Tmac because Artest will take his role as the 2nd option and we trade Tmac? It think it's possible but later on in the season. Next year it will be Yao Artest combo w/ rest of the fillers.
If they don't at least get to the West's Finals, I think Artest will not resign with the Rockets. Houston won't be able to pay Artest the kind of money he will commend. He would take less to stay only to fulfill something. And if they can't do it this year, it's very likely they will never do it given how young and loaded the Lakers are.
artest plays with so much passion and intensity and it makes everyone else on the rockets want to step up and play harder as well.
