If it's been posted, please lock. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6281593.html Since moving back to the starting lineup with Tracy McGrady out for the year, Ron Artest has been much more effective and consistent than when he filled in for McGrady or Shane Battier. In the past five games, Artest has averaged 20.2 points and made 48.3 percent of his 3-pointers. “I’m back on my mojo,” he said. “I’m back in the situation I was in the last couple years. I have to believe they’re going to try to keep me out of the paint, to not give me open looks and to not give Yao (Ming) open looks. “It’s a great situation to be in when you’ve got a chance to win. That’s the only thing that’s going to define individuals: how the team does.” Counterattacking After the Portland Trail Blazers threw the predictable fronting defenses at Yao Ming down the stretch Tuesday, holding him without a shot or point in the final 5½ minutes, the Rockets went to work Wednesday on ways to take advantage of such defenses. “We talked about things we have to do and make sure we’re in the right spots,” coach Rick Adelman said. “If they take something away, you should have an answer for it. I said that was going to be a problem for us going like we are. In the past, we’ve gone to Tracy (McGrady). Now we have a different group. We have a young point guard (Aaron Brooks). We had Rafer (Alston) before, who knew what he was doing. It’s just repetition.” Brooks admitted he made a few mistakes on play calls but said other changes have been made. “I think we were a little selective in our play-calling,” he said. “That’s on my part. We have to find different ways to get Yao the ball. We didn’t do that last game, but we have some other stuff in mind. “We have to work on different ways to score in the fourth quarter.”
He shouldve been starting and shane shouldve been on the bench. It made to much sense and now he's starting again, he's doing what he do.
Artest has played much better of late, there is no question about it. He still occasionally makes some head scratching plays, but overall, he's been very solid.
One play I'd like to see is that baseline handoff to Brooks. Yao almost never hands the ball off to Brooks, Yao should hand the ball off every time to Brooks because his speed always gives him a step on the defender. Let Brooks make the decision to lay it up or bring it back out.
