It works if he is being defended by a bigger, slower player, or occasionally with a little luck. But how many times have you seen Artest pull that play and then a Garnett or Duncan comes over and either blocks the shot or forces him to shoot it WAY over them? It is a lower percentage play. Part of the problem with posting up and backing it in is our offense is too clogged up in the paint. He should not be down there.....period....if Yao is in the game, with one exception, that being when teams are doubling Yao from the front and back before he receives the ball. (When this happens, Yao should move out high and allow McGrady/Scola/Artest to create out of the post until the defense changes their strategy. However that double on Yao before he receives the ball is being played less this year than before.) Yao ALWAYS has the mismatch in the post. Everybody around Yao should be spacing the floor when he is in the game. Therefore, Artest should be playing from the perimeter. When Yao is out of the game, there has to be clarity of thought and movement from our low post players. If Artest is in there with Scola in a "smaller" lineup, then if Artest has the size mismatch, both of them guys have to realize it, Artest has to drop low, and Scola has to get outside and operate from 17 feet. Or if Artest is being defended by a bigger, slower, less athletic player, then receiving, turning, and facing, and making a move is acceptable.........as long as there isn't a better option on the floor. Dare I say, that perhaps Scola may have the mismatch on occasion and if so, then Artest should move outside and make his big, slow defender have to guard him out at the 3 point line again, and give Scola the same space to operate in the post that Yao should be given. Artest midrange game where he turns, faces, and goes to the offbalance jumper is NOT EFFICIENT. If he can turn it into a layup, well, that's a little better, he's got to the rim. But not that offbalance 8 foot and out crap he throws up way too often. Same thing with McGrady and Artest. If those guys are on the floor together, one of them should have the mismatch. They should both recognize who has the best mismatch and go to it. This will require both of these guys to put their egos aside and THINK about what is the most efficient option.
Artest has been terrible at posting up this year. He's too slow for him to post up, then face up and go in for a lay up
