Who are you Sam Jackson? Why are you yelling at us? <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mA9Ba1_fClo&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mA9Ba1_fClo&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> NSFW
It wasn't so long people were talking about Ariza as the new TMac, the most improved player of the year. blah blah, where are those people now? Even blind people can see Artest is a better player.
Artest is the better scorer, but I don't think he's obviously the better player. In a couple of years I think Ariza will develop into a greater defensive presence than Shane or Ron ever were.
I know this doesn't have anything to do with the thread but Mike Dunleavy admitted that Artest presented a matchup problem for them with Blake Griffin out. His size probably screwed up their defensive rotations quite a bit. It is not all about what numbers you produce.
It's the Clippers... a lot of things seems to screw up their defenive rotation quite a bit. Edit: For example, other things that screw up their defensive rotation quite a bit have included the following: Al Thornton Baron Davis Eric Gordon Zach Randolph
EVER WERE???? Ron in his prime was amongst the best perimeters defenders every and he has won a DPOY. No one has guarded Kobe better than Shane Battier. I highly doubt Ariza will ever reach that level. He may be good, but Ron and Shane are amongst the BEST of their generation.
Ariza is still working on his game. He needs time to work the kinks out. This is something he's never had the opportunity to do before. chill out.
Lakers aren't dumb, if they knew he was even half as good as Artest, they wouldn't have gambled their team chemistry on a hot headed 30 year old
Ariza will come around once he realizes he doesn't have try so hard. We don't need him to carry the team, just do his part. That can be said for the entire team.
So who is going to carry the team? Yao is down for the year. Cripple TMac? Ariza is a good piece you want to add to a championship contender, but an overpriced piece for a lottery contender.
We've played one game, and we already have threads with "ahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!" in the title... It's going to be a long year.
We signed him because Battier is getting older. Ariza is very long and lanky, ala Tayshan Prince who I absolutely love. There is no better teacher in the NBA for Ariza than Battier. We knew after Yao went down that our championship chances for this season are zero. This is a move for the future and I love it.
Artest is an erratic attention hog who seems to do more talking than actually showcasing his talents and skills. Ariza is a young developing player who has ball-hawking defense and is slowly starting to become an offensive weapon for the Houston Rockets. In other words... One is on the decline and the other has a potential to become a very good player in this league.
