Metta World Peace Needs to Find Ron Artest

by Dave Wolf on Feb 9, 2012 9:21 PM PST

Metta World Peace is not a great basketball player. Ron Artest was a pit bull on defense who could score with the best of them. Metta is not very consistent and looks lost on the floor. If the Lakers are going to make a serious run this year we need to see less World Peace.

World Peace is currently averaging less than 5 points per game and less than 3 rebounds per game. More concerning, he is shooting 32% from the field and 17% for three. His free throw percentage has also dropped to 55% this season.

His defense has slipped as well, he used to be counted on to shut down the opponents best player. Now he has trouble staying with an average reserve. The Lakers need to put out a missing person report and find Ron Artest or the Lakers can't make a serious run this year.

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Are we watching the same games? MWP closed out the Denver game.

As well as tonight. He was a hound.

"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."

"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."

-Kobe Bryant

Chris Mortensen: "You know it's the 'Show-Me' State right Sam?"

"Pshh, 'Show Me.' (smirking) Yeah, I've heard that."

-Sam Bradford

by TrojanRam on Feb 9, 2012 9:31 PM PST reply actions

I guess not

I saw him shoot 1 for 6 and miss two free throws. Pau Gasol saved the day with the tip in and block on Allen.

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by Dave Wolf on Feb 9, 2012 9:36 PM PST reply actions

I didn't say his offense was good. But his defense is fine.

If Pierce makes the jumper there would be no putback for Pau to block.

Guess who challenged it?

"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."

"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."

-Kobe Bryant

Chris Mortensen: "You know it's the 'Show-Me' State right Sam?"

"Pshh, 'Show Me.' (smirking) Yeah, I've heard that."

-Sam Bradford

by TrojanRam on Feb 9, 2012 9:39 PM PST up reply actions

It wasn't good D

Pierce got a great look but just didn’t hit, he hit his last two shots before that one including a 3

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by Dave Wolf on Feb 9, 2012 9:56 PM PST up reply actions

Pierce went 7/18.

If you call a fade-away from 20 with a hand in your face a good look, then you must think Pierce is Kobe. Please re watch that play and tell me how MWP could have played better D without blocking it.

"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."

"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."

-Kobe Bryant

Chris Mortensen: "You know it's the 'Show-Me' State right Sam?"

"Pshh, 'Show Me.' (smirking) Yeah, I've heard that."

-Sam Bradford

by TrojanRam on Feb 9, 2012 10:06 PM PST up reply actions

What MWP will do:

is give you the occasional ill-advised 3, the occasional post play that leads to a double pass three, and the occasional “Ron Artest” performance that makes us think he’s back. And he will play the occasional lockdown “Pit-Bull” defense that we need.

What MWP will NOT do:
Play consistently well.

When you have a guy like Kobe Bean Bryant, Andrew Bynum, and Pau Gasol, Metta World Peace is the kind of glue guy that defines what Andrew Goudelock and Steve Blake do in this offense. We don’t need 20 ppg Ron Artest. We need the guy who will play with his head and give his 110% and play within his role.

"The only yardstick for success our society has is being a champion. No one remembers anything else." – John Madden

by bengalithugg13 on Feb 9, 2012 9:42 PM PST reply actions

I agree his offense is beyond terrible

but he’s our best defender and he changes games without scoring. He should start which is a smart choice by the coaching staff.

by nitotech on Feb 9, 2012 10:02 PM PST reply actions

His defense has been stellar this season.

Problem is, people only pay attention to his offense.

"If you have a debate with a scholar, you can win. If you have a debate with an ignorant person, you will definitely lose."

"You're welcome." -Kobe

by LakerAce on Feb 10, 2012 3:35 PM PST reply actions

Whoever made this Post likes to live in the past,

Lets face it people, there is no such thing as Ron Artest anymore. It’s like someone came and possessed his body and turned him into a bonafied scrub! Metta Word Peace has been awful this whole season. He plays like a D League player. Metta “thinks” that he plays good defense but the reality is that MWP has lost a step in quickness(ahem Dfish). He just tries to body on people and be physical with them. But on offense… oh man LOL. When MWP is in I don’t understand why the person guarding him wont just double on Kobe and make Kobe pass the ball to MWP. MWP is just a scrub these days, he cant shoot and thinks millions of the long jumpers, air ball his layups and dribbles like derpdy derp.

by infernoblitz on Feb 11, 2012 4:03 AM PST reply actions

? His defense has been good.

Game winning D at the buzzer versus Denver/Boston.

"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."

"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."

-Kobe Bryant

Chris Mortensen: "You know it's the 'Show-Me' State right Sam?"

"Pshh, 'Show Me.' (smirking) Yeah, I've heard that."

-Sam Bradford

by TrojanRam on Feb 12, 2012 1:11 AM PST up reply actions

so, you point out one instance in 28 games....

id agree that his defense has been good.

id rather have somebody (ebanks) who plays hard on defense and can hit more than 19% of their 3’s.

Yes, 19% from distance…..

"What we want to remember—what we will remember—is the indelible vision of Kobe, his arms outstretched, delirious with joy and disbelief, running after and grabbing hold of Lamar Odom’s floating downcourt pass, while all the purple and gold streamers in the world are raining down on the hardwood." - Brian Tung

by LakersFoEva on Feb 13, 2012 7:15 AM PST up reply actions

Ebanks doesn't have the experience/talent at defense. There's a good reason a defensive guru has him at the end of the bench.

If nothing else, I’ll take the defense. It’s the only thing that has kept this Lakers team competitive.

"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."

"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."

-Kobe Bryant

Chris Mortensen: "You know it's the 'Show-Me' State right Sam?"

"Pshh, 'Show Me.' (smirking) Yeah, I've heard that."

-Sam Bradford

by TrojanRam on Feb 14, 2012 11:07 PM PST up reply actions

its been competitive,

because we are basically playing 3 vs 5 on the offensive end when the starters are in the game. MWP and Fish are a huge liability on offense…..

by LakersFoEva on Feb 15, 2012 6:44 AM PST up reply actions

On offense I cant tell the difference between Artest and Luke Walton but defensively he will do the little things that dont show up on a stat sheet so the Lakers will just have to make due with that for now. Lakers are dead last at point production from the SF position and next to last at PG. That’s killing them.

by LakerKev on Feb 11, 2012 9:09 AM PST reply actions