Artest's comments are not as ignorant as you think

by Tom Martin on Apr 30, 2009 4:11 PM CDT in Random Commentary

Sound the alarm: Crazy Pills said that Brandon Roy is the best player that he's ever played against. The media has already proclaimed it to be "Ron-Ron's return." They've accused him of "disrespecting Kobe and LeBron" and asserted that he went out of his way to take pot shots at Charles Barkley. They've turned a cheap, minute-long interview during the middle of practice into an NBA civil war. Surprised? Neither am I.

Let's be serious for a second. First off, nobody cares about Charles Barkley right now. He's not on the court, he's in a chair, so people could care less what Ron has to say about Chuck. And in Ron's defense, what else would you expect Artest to do other than criticize Barkley's defense? He's a defensive-minded player, and Chuck's lack of defense was probably the first thing that popped into his head during the half second window that Craig Sager gave him to answer the question. So let's just forget about Barkley.

As for the Roy comment, I'm actually glad Ron said it. It's obvious that Kobe and LeBron are better players than Brandon, but that isn't what Artest meant by his comments. He didn't say, "Roy is better than LeBron and Kobe." He said, "[Roy] is the best player I've played against." There is a difference between the two statements, and the difference is Ron himself. He may prefer to play against LeBron and Kobe because he feels he matches up better with them. He may believe that Roy does some things on offense that make him harder to handle than Kobe or LeBron. That could certainly be a reason. But I think this is all about Ron's mindset heading into Game 6, and I love it.

Ron is always up for a challenge. He is always ready to challenge the best wing player that any team sports, and he never, ever backs down. I believe Ron is trying to get it in his head that Brandon Roy is the best player in the NBA, and not because it is true or not, but because it will challenge him to play his very best. Artest does not want to sell himself short; he wants to push himself to his highest ability, and if that means sounding idiotic on television, then so be it. He doesn't care what TNT or ESPN or anyone else thinks about him. He is focused on his opponent, and his opponent is Brandon Roy. For Ron to think anything less of Roy would make his job seem easier, and Artest doesn't want that. He doesn't want an excuse to give anything less than 100%, and by convincing himself that Brandon Roy is the best player out there, he knows that he will respond with the most effort possible.

Nobody should treat these comments as dumb or ignorant. Ron said what he said for a reason, and hopefully tonight will serve as his explanation.

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If Ron disrespected Roy by saying Kobe/Bron was better than him, might light a fire under Roy to play even better.

Nice mindgames by Ron. Assuming I’m not giving him too much credit.

by chrisjay84 on Apr 30, 2009 4:15 PM CDT reply actions

Ron- crazy pills

Crazy pills has to go off tonight in a big way to seal the deal for the rockets. The bench hasn’t done anything since game 1. why hasn’t Berry come in more often when Brooks looks gunshy?

by mutombo4life on Apr 30, 2009 4:18 PM CDT reply actions

No

Crazy Pills said that Brandon Roy is the best player that he’s ever played against

No, what he said was that Roy is the best player he’s ever played against AFTER that guy he went to school with in queensbridge who went to jail a few years back.

Never change, Ron Ron. Never change.

by Only_A_Lad on Apr 30, 2009 4:18 PM CDT reply actions

i thought he said that guy from QB USED to be the best he had ever played against UNTIL Roy.

Please, for the love of all that is holy, please stop using the following: "Book it.", "FTW", "Epic" & "Fail".

...no seriously--stop.

by nima on Apr 30, 2009 6:43 PM CDT up reply actions

regardless that doesn't take anything away from the kobe/lebron question

in fact it adds to it that theres some other dude out there better than them :)

Please, for the love of all that is holy, please stop using the following: "Book it.", "FTW", "Epic" & "Fail".

...no seriously--stop.

by nima on Apr 30, 2009 6:43 PM CDT up reply actions

I think its just some gamesmanship from Ron

Roy was the 3rd best SG in the league this year, but still a good bit behind #1 (Wade) and #2 (Kobe), on both ends of the floor.

by jksnake99 on Apr 30, 2009 4:36 PM CDT reply actions

I think Kobe's defense is a little overrated

In the Roy vs. Kobe match in early April, Roy outplayed him on both ends by a good bit. Obviously, Kobe is better, but it isn’t drastic.

I’m just glad to have the third best SG.

draft dejuan blair

Yao Ming: "Over time, [Oden] can even go beyond the Magic’s Howard."

Pelton: "Always love Hinrich’s D. Nobody on the Blazers (or most teams) gets into people like he does."

by Cablinasian on Apr 30, 2009 6:02 PM CDT up reply actions

I think these "controversial" comments ...

will dissolve the same way dampiers comment about tony parker did.
It’s only a little bit of mindgame, typically overblown in media reaction and less actual impact on the court.
Neither Roy nor Kobe/Bron(just in case) will play better/worse now against Houston.
And Ron will not play different defensively.

As for his hometown guy, its his opinion. You don’t have to be a prodigy to be the best player he ever played against. You just have to play better than everyone else he played against. ~~Once.~~ At 14-17. That’s doable.
It just sounds weird for consuments of the NBA product. ;)

The Charles Barkley Ancestors Count: 23 Grandmothers, 0 Mother

The Charles Barkley Playoff Ancestors Count: 3 Grandmothers , 0 Mother

"There were arms coming from everywhere, and I knew they weren’t going for the ball," Miller said. "I was just trying to get [the shot] up before they called some crap like ‘on the ground.’ "

by DOH on Apr 30, 2009 4:37 PM CDT reply actions

Roy is locked on, time for the CRAZY SHOW

by texasag on Apr 30, 2009 4:45 PM CDT reply actions

Ron is just Ron

This is from a chat today.

Jonathan Feigen: Ron just talks. There is no motive, no secret reason for the comment. He just says things. I asked him today what makes Roy better than Kobe, LeBron or Wade and he said, ’That was yesterday."

Artest has no rhyme or reason. Just gotta take his comments at face value and not go deeper than that. I think Kings fans grew accustomed to it.

Life is not by chance. Basketball is life.

by blzrfan on Apr 30, 2009 4:46 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs

Flatery is disarming,

I hope Roy doesn’t get owned.

ps.. I thought “but his defense is really suspect” was awesome.

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by TrentEdwardsHoF2018

by Screen Name on Apr 30, 2009 4:58 PM CDT reply actions

And if Roy blows up later on down the road

We will call Artest “The Oracle”

"We Believe" - Rudy Fernandez

by TheGreatMon on Apr 30, 2009 5:17 PM CDT reply actions

Hmmmm

Ron said what he said for a reason

I agree with everything you wrote except this sentence, unless ‘for a reason’ includes ‘because Ron is crazy and liable to say any damn thought that pops into his head.’

The whole exchange was frickin’ hilarious, though.

by samuelleejackson on Apr 30, 2009 5:20 PM CDT reply actions