The Pacers..Why People Dont Realize This?

[Shaver]

Re: The Pacers..Why People Dont Realize This?

Im sure Ben thought so too....Now he has all summer to think about it.

Artest should be FANTASTIC this year then... dude had almost a 12 month summer...

Yeah and Game 7 of the NBA FInals on their second consecutive trip there. Too bad his awful play ONLY took them that far...

[Kashanova]

Re: The Pacers..Why People Dont Realize This?

I think it's much harder to be a great outside defender then an inside defender like ben wallace. How many of artest kind are there? and How much of wallaces are there?And Big ben doesn't change the came that much look at him against shaq.

[Shaver]

Re: The Pacers..Why People Dont Realize This?

Ben didn't guard Shaq... SHeed did....

Plus, who defends Shaq effectively????

I would argue that the Pistons have the most success in terms of steals, forcing bad passes, and not allowing Shaq to hit the cutters.

When you're talking about Shaq, you can't stop him... the trick is stopping the high low game that he uses to get his team open for 3's. Pistons do that well.

[EZ Snappin]

Re: The Pacers..Why People Dont Realize This?

Since this has gone somewhat off topic I'll chime in on the Wallace/Artest defensive argument.

Ben is a decent one on one defender, and a great help defender (He can be so effective because he generally is on the weakest interior player, like Haslem v. Shaq, or Nazr v. Duncan). Sheed is the best one on one defender on the Pistons, and gets the tougher assignment.

Artest is a great one on one defender, and generally takes the best offensive player on the other team unless that player is a big. Artest's off ball defense is decent, and he can poach passing planes pretty well, but he generally has to stay with his man. If Artest was "locking up" the stiffs of the world ala Big Ben, maybe he would be as effective an off ball player.

It also helps that Detroit's defense is all about funneling the wing players into Ben's reach so he can help out. Makes him seem even better.

I think it is an apples/oranges thing. Artest is an elite wing defender, and there are few out there (maybe Bowen, perhaps a tier or too down we get up and comers like Iggy or Prince) that can do anything else. Artest can score as well, moreso than Wallace. But Ben is the premier interior help defender - an quicker Mutombo or stronger Ratliff.

I'd take either one as a defensive anchor - I'm a Celtics homer and for the last decade we haven't been able to stop a thing. Jasakevicius would be a stopper for the Celts! (though to completely go OT I have hope for Tony Allen )

[poster]

Re: The Pacers..Why People Dont Realize This?

Remember this quote..
"Artest finished the 2003-04 regular season ranked third in the league in steals (2.08 spg) and successfully held his defensive assignments, some of the league’s top players, to 8.1 points per game on 9.3 shots per game and .426 shooting."

I remember the last time you posted this, I posted how RIP averaged 23 a game in the 04 ECF against your boy. So your stat here means nothing cause the fingers were bare come the middle of June. Great defender, but failed when needed most.

[poster]

Re: The Pacers..Why People Dont Realize This?

Im sure Ben thought so too....Now he has all summer to think about it.

I know this is all in fun, but how could write something like this knowing he ended your team's season two years in a row. Some people have no shame.

[charles167]

Re: The Pacers..Why People Dont Realize This?

I remember the last time you posted this, I posted how RIP averaged 23 a game in the 04 ECF against your boy. So your stat here means nothing cause the fingers were bare come the middle of June. Great defender, but failed when needed most.

No one player can stop every body. I mean I will admit that RIP is too fast and runs off screens all day (ala Reggie Miller) to get open. He is a difficult matchup for any guy. But if out of the entire NBA you can only bring up one guy the he had trouble when is resume of defensive royalty includes; Kobe held to less than 33% shooting and T-Mac held to 13 pts....etc etc....

I think Artest shines here.

[charles167]

Re: The Pacers..Why People Dont Realize This?

I know this is all in fun, but how could write something like this knowing he ended your team's season two years in a row. Some people have no shame.

Well in all actuality Ben ended our season by hitting Artest with that cheap shot.

(waits on the Piston stans to show up)