How is it that this guy can even write an article? From the ignorant use of the word "porous", to totally ignoring the fact that Houston acquired three second round draft picks WITHOUT having any picks to begin with, to the fact that NBA teams do not make moves just for the sake of making them, including the Rockets. For some teams, standing pat is the SMART thing to do. Seems he thinks that every NBA team is supposed to be signing some overpriced FA... Here is another reality: Ron Artest, though he did help the Rockets move on the the second round, only seemed to show up for Game 1. In Games 4 & 6, both wins, here are his lines: Game 4: 44 MIN 4-19 FG 0-6 3PT 10 REB 6 AST 1 STL 8 PTS **21% from the field and 0 for 6 from the three-point line in 44 minutes? Game 5: 44 MIN 6-17 FG 2-7 3PT 3 REB 3 AST 2 STL 14 PTS **36% from the field 29% from three, 3 rebounds in another 44 minutes. Game 2 resulted in an ejection, Game 3 he was pretty good, scoring 25 points, but on 40% shooting and had 4 turnovers and no steals. Game 5: 27% from field, 14% from three. Game 7: everyone was horrible. Games cannot always be judged on stats, but these speak volumes. I just don't think that the wins vs. LA came because of a huge contribution from Ron Artest. They came from a team effort headed by Aaron Brooks, Luis Scola and Shane Battier. I also don't believe that Artest showed tangible results on the floor to warrant the assertion that he "proved to be a better sidekick to Yao Ming than Tracy McGrady ever was". WTF? He was only a positive factor in Game 1. Bad shot selection and getting ejected cannot help the Rockets in the playoffs. Getting continued production from Brooks, Scola, Battier and Ariza with a healthy Yao and believe it or not, Tracy McGrady back will.
You mean brooks. Scola shot 42% vs La while they had no one who could keep brooks in front of the defense and out the paint. Scola rebounded well, but he sucked vs La minus a game.
can bleacherreport and trash of its ilk (JFro?? seriously?) be downgraded to hoopsworld insta-lock status? i really don't think the opinion of some idiot 15 year old with a keyboard merits a new thread every time one is dug up with pertinence to the houston rockets. i can just click on one of the many other threads on here if that's what i'm hunting for.
Seriously, I can't believe how many people are bashing us for letting Ron go and picking up Ariza. Is Ariza as good as Ron? Right now. probably not, but if we're rebuilding - which we are: then we essentially traded Ron for Ariza - who is much younger. I loved Ron as a Rocket, but if Yao ain't here and T-Mac ain't here then why hold onto Ron? Ron was brought here to be the third and final missing piece. IMO, this is a terrific "swap" by getting much younger, and giving up old for youth. Had Yao not been injured, I'd be pissed, but if we not contenders this year; which we're obviously not, then why not get younger?
I really can't believe anyone can say Artest is a better sidekick then T-mac? Its just a joke right? What has Artest done offensively????
Absolutely, Tmac has done more then Artest. Take out last years performance of Tmac, He has been the main option on offense which was complimented by Yao. The results did not net much in the playoffs but over all it was successful. The team had a winning percentage and not all teams can say that.
Tracy needs to have a hell of a return year. Ariza needs to step his game up as well. Brooks and Scola will develop too imo.
I disagree with the moron who wrote that article. Yes, we havent made any major moves or signed a big free agent. But people are forgetting the main thing, WE DIDNT MAKE A STUPID MOVE! Morey is very smart, and he knows that bad contracts have a lasting effect on a franchise. Sure we didnt do anything this offseason that would be considered major, but we didnt tie up our money on stupidity either. Morey is genious from that aspect because he gets it. With tmac's expiring contract still in our possession, we have become one of the few contenders for next offseasons free agency. Look guys, we all remember the days of Steve francis, mobley, moochie norris, kelvin cato, maurice taylor, etc. Those are the very definition of bad contracts, and it set us back a decade. Patience is the key. I am hoping that within the next 2-3 years, the rockets will once again be a championship contender because Morey gets it, and he will make only smart moves that help us now, and in the future. Daryl Morey = savior of the franchise!
deservedly so. it is not as moronic as the trade that brought Eddie Griffith, but it is a questionable move. can you say Ariza for Artest. the dizzying height of homerism
Agreed, the author of the article is very incompetent. The media will keep bashing the Rox until they win, and the second they start not winning again, the Rox-bashing will start up again. We're not losers this offseason, we're just patient, and that's what the author of the article doesn't comprehend. And "porous" to describe McGrady's shot selection? His shot selection is "full of holes"? heh heh heh heh heh heh
Well, we definitely should not be keeping Artest if Yao is gone, as you definitely do not want him being the number one option given his mental issues. So we had to let him go, and if you do, might as well grab a young talent who can shoot threes and can defend pretty well. Hardly a stupid move - Yao's injury just changed everything.
artest's tuff D made it possible for us to take the current champs to 7 artest's low shooting percentage and shooting as much as D wade *may* have cost'd us the chances of winning the series. D Morey seen what he brought to the table as a Rocket. Ron Artest is on D way to join the lakers Ariza may bring us his A game. I have nothing against Ron but lets be honest, he's getting old, getting slower, and the ceiling is getting lower for him by the minute. He does have great strength and can provide some veteran leadership. The lakers fans and Media can FRONT all they want about how it was a bad move for us but deep down inside, they know they want Ariza back. Too bad so sad.... "lets all jump on Ron Artest's bandwagon and go write another article"
the height of ignorance; deep inside Ariza regrets leaving away the team that help to develop his game. w no Kobe to warrant D-Teams, Ariza will have less open shots in the Rox system. as such, w the Rox, his offensive game will suffer thru a r****dation process
We got Ariza and there isnt anything LA can do about it. Get over it already. He was a young promising guy and Artest is old and declining. He fit us and Ron fit the Lakers win now mode. Ariza made a great choice if he wants a larger role and possible stardom because there is no way he gets stardom as long as Kobe is there. He took his first steps with Kobe and now away he takes another as a starter. By the end of this season LA could look totally stupid for taking Artest and Houston and Ariza smart. Thats just the nature of Artest and the NBA.
B4 end of training camp, Rox will come to the painful conclusion that Ariza can't create his own shots, he needs to be set up. with the realization, it is not out of the realm of possibility that Rox will trade him away before his contract ends. may end being another one of Rox's dumb trade / acquisitions. by the same token, Lakers opponents will find it difficult to operate against the Lakers D.
We didnt get him to be our number one offensive threat. We got him for his overall skills of running the break and hitting threes and defending. He is young and improving and what we needed. It wont be painful at all to get around 10 points a game and some great defense. It will be painful as a Lakers fan when it becomes painfully obvious you miss him though right aroun practice time when you start grimacing from his antics. Then when the banner isnt there at the end and Artest is traded it could be even worse. When he declines his value over 5 years could really be horrible in just as early as next year. Ariza makes perfect sense for us. although it is questionable why you win a Championship then get rid of one of your starters. That is the only questionable and almost guranteed horrible move if Artest does anything less than win another Championship for you it could be team disastrous in fact. Were as getting a young guy off of a team that won a Championship who is developing nicely could only be positive sense he wasnt paid that much for his youth and skills anyways.
