Ron Artest: "We're the team to beat."

[SoCalSpursFan]

"I don't even think we're the underdogs any more," Artest said. "I think we're the team to beat, just by how we've been playing."


Here is the "Artest"icle (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060421/ap_on_sp_bk_ne/bkn_kings_prepare_1)


thoughts?


p.s. sorry if this was already posted.

[Darrin]

That's great. I think Ron Artest is of sound body and mind to make a judgement like that.

[circles_eternal]

hm.

[PM5K]

No matter how wrong players can be, they have to believe that they have a chance, and that they can win, and let's not forget, this team wen 25 and 14 with Ron Artest so they aren't likely to be a pushover like normal 1/8 matchups are...

[Darrin]

No matter how wrong players can be, they have to believe that they have a chance, and that they can win, and let's not forget, this team wen 25 and 14 with Ron Artest so they aren't likely to be a pushover like normal 1/8 matchups are...

Wasn't Denver like 20-4 headed into that series with San Antonio last season?

[T Park]

yuuup.

Denver was a bitch though.

[Darrin]

yuuup.

Denver was a bitch though.

The Spurs have a team on their hands, but I have a feeling the final scores are going to be on San Antonio's side.

[T Park]

I like it myself.

The years the Spurs have won, theyve faced a team that will bitch slap them in the face int eh opening round and push em around.

Seem to get the old juices flowing for the following rounds.


99 Minny

03 Phoenix

05 Denver

06 Sacramento :spin

[coachtf]

Sacto is going to give the Spurs all they can handle. This is going to be a series of adjustments right out of the gate and SA had better come strong from the jump.

As for Artest, at some point in this series he is going to show his ass and throw a cheap shot out of frustration (mark my words) and the Spurs have got to put this ass clown to rest early.

Sacto has a very solid coaching staff who makes great adjustments and they will try and create alot of mismatches which sometimes puts the other squad in foul trouble. SA has to be willing to get them out of their comfort zone and trap at the mid point and resist switching off of screens and picks.

This is going to be a tough series and some very nervous moments are ahead in my opinion.

Go Spurs Go!

[team-work]

ascending order in terms of difficulty to beat in 2006 Playoffs:

Kings < Suns < Dallas < Pistons

Sacromento, likes last year's Denver, is a streaking team at the end of regular season, so a good time for warming up.

I put Phoenix to be easier to beat than Dallas because they don't have Stoudemire and the 2-headed monster now becomes 1-headed (Nash only).

The Mavs will give much trouble to the Spurs if Nowitzki continues his MVP-like performance while Duncan is hampered by his PF.

Only after coming out of the WC do we need to worry about the Pistons.

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

I like it myself.

The years the Spurs have won, theyve faced a team that will bitch slap them in the face int eh opening round and push em around.

Seem to get the old juices flowing for the following rounds.


99 Minny

03 Phoenix

05 Denver

06 Sacramento :spin


the big differences for The Kings is that they have a proven backcourt defender who can shut down manu, they have many shooters on their team and they also have playoff experienced players.........

The nuggets last season were on a hot streak but didnt have anywhere near enough playoff experience and it showed with Melo letting bowen get the best of him in the majority of the series

i think the Kings will be a tougher series for the Spurs coz they have guys who have good playoff experience and also have a better range of offensive weapons........

its going to the series i will be following most closely (after Nugs/Clips of course)

[ambchang]

25 and 14 is projects to about 52 wins in a 82 game season, hardly a team that is elite material. The only reason people makes a big deal out of it is because the Spurs lost the last meeting at home. Given the Spurs are 63-19 overall in the season, I am pretty confident that the Spurs have a better record in the same time period Sac posted 25 and 14.

[NCaliSpurs]

The Spurs also kind of tanked it late in the season, almost giving up totally on b-2-b games.

[GrandeDavid]

Given that Artest is ringless, cancerous, a headcase and by far lacks the playoff and championship experience that Duncan, Manu, Tony, Horry etc. etc. possess, I tend to laugh off his "predictions". Instead, I'd call it...

(what's that idiot former Sonics center's name...the one who mouthed off last season against the Spurs in the conference semis???)

...oh its Big Snacks. Yeah, Artest's comments are no more credible than those of Big Snacks.

Having cracked Artest upside the head, I still cannot blame him for hyping himself and his team. Truth be told, that is a different Sacramento team since he's arrived. I think they will be a tough matchup, but they will not get past San Antonio. Sorry, ain't happenin'.

[boutons_]

The Spurs' biggest risk up to the Finals is the Spurs themselves, either their physical health or their mental health, just like last year. They didn't sweep and embarras the "hottest the team in the NBA" last season because they weren't fucking mentally ready to play the Nuggets. That was on Pop and the team leader(s).

All this respect and fear of the trophy-less Queens just because headcase plays for them is hilarious and silly.

Spurs will be in the Finals if they want it bad enough.

I wonder if "I'm too Hollywood-cool" Tony will show up at ATT for first game this year with Eva on his arm?

[Russ]

Artest is a double threat -- he's good enough to help his team win and he's dirty enough to injure the opponents even if they win.

Both things are of concern here, but I'm more concerned with the injury possibility.

[smeagol]

This sounds like the "I have no respect [for the Spurs]!" comment by JJ after SEA tied the series last year.

[pache100]

Ron Artest, aka Mr. Exploding Head http://i3.tinypic.com/w1ab8l.gif is a punk.

http://i3.tinypic.com/w1abg3.gif:madrun

[Lebowski Brickowski]

How brain-damaged does someone have to be to say that ANY team can be favored over the Spurs (except the Pistons, maybe)? If he honestly believes that I question his ability to read.

Hint, Ron: Spurs = Best record in the West. Kings = "We made it to the Playoffs!"

[CubanMustGo]

the big differences for The Kings is that they have a proven backcourt defender who can shut down manu, they have many shooters on their team and they also have playoff experienced players.........


(1) Great, their best defender will be on the Spurs' #3 scorer.
(2) Didn't Phoenix have many shooters on their team? We saw how well that worked last year.
(3) "playoff experienced" as in "been dere, lost dat."

[batman2883]

this is stupid its just like how jerome james said he didnt respect us we beat them, Kenyon martin said they would come into san antonio and win both games, they lost.....(they won one game, but still lost the series) every year we get no respect from over paid over appreciated players with no experience against us in the playoffs and every year we shut them the hell up by sending them home.....Ron Artest is going to find out just as kenyon and just as Jerome James did last year that talk is talk the Spurs just play

[RON ARTEST]

25 and 14 is projects to about 52 wins in a 82 game season, hardly a team that is elite material. The only reason people makes a big deal out of it is because the Spurs lost the last meeting at home. Given the Spurs are 63-19 overall in the season, I am pretty confident that the Spurs have a better record in the same time period Sac posted 25 and 14.
its actually 26-14.

[Rummpd]

Total championship Kings = 0 (unless I am mistaken)

Spurs Duncan 3
Horry a handful but I believe 6
Ginobili 2
Bowen 2
Parker 2
Barry 1
Beno 1
Nazr/Rasho at least 2

Spurs have at least 20 championship plus Pop with 3 = Gimme a break.

Kings good test but limit Bibby, Ginobili as productive as Artest in scoring, and that team will choke like a baby with a peanut down the larynx.

[Vashner]

Sweep Ez....

[JamStone]

Fucking Artest.

Nothing changes.

[cheguevara]

I was gonna post something and then I saw Batman's sig :wow

[SpursWoman]

Eh ... What is he supposed to say?


"Oh, we're just lucky to be here ... we'll never beat the Spurs, Pistons, et. al, but gosh darnit! We're gonna go down swinging!"


Let him talk his smack ... scoreboard is all that matters. :)

[batman2883]

I was gonna post something and then I saw Batman's sig :wow
IM GLAD YOU ENJOYED THAT CHE

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

People who think this is going to be an easy series are fucking homers. This series is going to be our second toughest series of the playoffs, should we make it to the Finals to play Detroit.

Everyone expecting a cakewalk needs to wake the fuck up, it ain't going to be that easy.

[genghisrex]

Somebody tell Ron that "team to beat" is not the same as "team that will be beaten." It's a common bumble for a blathering idiot.

:monkey