…or so says Henry Abbott of TrueHoop.
It doesn’t happen all that often — thanks to Synergy Sports I just watched all 23 instances from the season’s first eight games. It’s ugly. Watch Ron ignore Bynum in the post, Kobe at the shoulder, and shooters on the wings to … dribble into three defenders and turn the ball over. Watch Ron catch the ball at the elbow, blow off an easy swing pass to an open shooter and dribble three times in a power-hunch, then pull up for a contested 3. Watch Ron decide late into his drive that he’d like to pass, only to leave the ball a yard behind a cutting Derek Fisher.
When he plays defense, he’s a force of nature built of size and strength. When he shoots open jumpers, he’s a professional built on long hours of practice. When he is isolated on the perimeter, he’s an adventurer built on hope.
The Lakers need Artest to play defense, rebound and score with open jumpers or on the block. They don’t need him to iso.
Photo from fOTOGLIF
After last week’s home loss to the Bulls sent the Cavs 3-3, it wasn’t clear how this team would respond having to play the next three games on the road. After a win against the Knicks, the Cavs upended the Magic in Orlando, and defeated the Heat, 111-104, last night in Miami. That’s an impressive stretch, for sure.