http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/118546.html
After rocky beginning, Artest again is a force
His high-energy play is giving the Kings a lift.
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 6:42 am PST Monday, February 5, 2007
It wasn't the Mohawk, because the revival began long before then.
It certainly wasn't the results, since the count for the Kings in January was five wins in 16 tries.
What was it, then, that turned around Ron Artest and has him producing on the floor while finally keeping the peace off it?
"At the end of the day," Artest said, "it's just basketball."
He's sticking with that for now, which is no guarantee that reason will win out every time but as good a sign as any for the Kings that maybe they can count on him again. Although the outcome of this season remains in question, Artest unmistakably has taken his offense to a higher level while defending with renewed energy and -- lo and behold -- disrupting opponents instead of the Kings.
Artest shot 50.4 percent from the field in January after shooting 37.6 percent through November and December. His long-range looks finally fell, too, as Artest hit 22 of 52 from beyond the three-point arc (42.3 percent) after hitting just 19 of his first 80 threes (23.8 percent). On the other end, he leads the league with 2.26 steals per game, and his average of 6.6 rebounds is second on the team.
"I'm just trying to not worry about (the losing)," Artest said. "I don't like to lose, but I just can't handle taking a beating. You keep getting beat up and taking a beating, but sometimes you've got to do it."
As in, deal with it as best you can.
"That's how I've been lately," he said. "I come in, do a job, and at the end of the day it's just basketball. Even when it's not going your way, if you just stay focused and stable and straight, things will go your way."
It worked Saturday, when Artest held Denver star Carmelo Anthony to a season-worst 7-for-25 shooting. Artest, meanwhile, had 21 points on 8-for-18 shooting, including 1 for 2 on three-pointers.
"Carmelo's a great player," said stand-in Kings coach Scott Brooks, who was a Nuggets assistant the past three seasons. "But what Ron did -- I mean I've seen (Anthony) in 250 games, a thousand practices, and he does not go 7 for 25 often."
While Artest already had been playing better midway through January, the fading issues of the past were, literally, being trimmed away. Days before facing Detroit in his first return to the Motor City since the brawl in 2004, he had the strange haircut courtesy of wannabe barber and one-time feuding teammate Mike Bibby. Artest said putting the Detroit visit behind him removed some pressure as well.
Health, interestingly, has had little to do with his improved play. Artest, who missed six games earlier this season with knee and back injuries, said he's not 100 percent. He played a part in two gruesome plays recently, too. An elbow from Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki on Jan. 27 jarred loose his front tooth and required a dental fix-up. Against Denver, Artest delivered an inadvertent forearm that split the lip of Nuggets point guard Steve Blake and left blood on the floor. Healthy or not, Artest clearly is going full speed again.
"I'm a little better (health-wise)," Artest said. "My back is still very sore. I was about to come out (against Denver) when I had a little spasm. But I can't really move like I want to. Hopefully my body will come back to life."
Just like his game.
"Sometimes you worry about things in the past, and then it just carries over into the next day," Artest said. "I'm trying not to let things carry over, but at the same time, if we lose too many games I can get pretty fed up pretty fast. Like (the Nuggets game). I'm not satisfied at all. We can do much better."
After rocky beginning, Artest again is a force
His high-energy play is giving the Kings a lift.
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 6:42 am PST Monday, February 5, 2007
It wasn't the Mohawk, because the revival began long before then.
It certainly wasn't the results, since the count for the Kings in January was five wins in 16 tries.
What was it, then, that turned around Ron Artest and has him producing on the floor while finally keeping the peace off it?
"At the end of the day," Artest said, "it's just basketball."
He's sticking with that for now, which is no guarantee that reason will win out every time but as good a sign as any for the Kings that maybe they can count on him again. Although the outcome of this season remains in question, Artest unmistakably has taken his offense to a higher level while defending with renewed energy and -- lo and behold -- disrupting opponents instead of the Kings.
Artest shot 50.4 percent from the field in January after shooting 37.6 percent through November and December. His long-range looks finally fell, too, as Artest hit 22 of 52 from beyond the three-point arc (42.3 percent) after hitting just 19 of his first 80 threes (23.8 percent). On the other end, he leads the league with 2.26 steals per game, and his average of 6.6 rebounds is second on the team.
"I'm just trying to not worry about (the losing)," Artest said. "I don't like to lose, but I just can't handle taking a beating. You keep getting beat up and taking a beating, but sometimes you've got to do it."
As in, deal with it as best you can.
"That's how I've been lately," he said. "I come in, do a job, and at the end of the day it's just basketball. Even when it's not going your way, if you just stay focused and stable and straight, things will go your way."
It worked Saturday, when Artest held Denver star Carmelo Anthony to a season-worst 7-for-25 shooting. Artest, meanwhile, had 21 points on 8-for-18 shooting, including 1 for 2 on three-pointers.
"Carmelo's a great player," said stand-in Kings coach Scott Brooks, who was a Nuggets assistant the past three seasons. "But what Ron did -- I mean I've seen (Anthony) in 250 games, a thousand practices, and he does not go 7 for 25 often."
While Artest already had been playing better midway through January, the fading issues of the past were, literally, being trimmed away. Days before facing Detroit in his first return to the Motor City since the brawl in 2004, he had the strange haircut courtesy of wannabe barber and one-time feuding teammate Mike Bibby. Artest said putting the Detroit visit behind him removed some pressure as well.
Health, interestingly, has had little to do with his improved play. Artest, who missed six games earlier this season with knee and back injuries, said he's not 100 percent. He played a part in two gruesome plays recently, too. An elbow from Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki on Jan. 27 jarred loose his front tooth and required a dental fix-up. Against Denver, Artest delivered an inadvertent forearm that split the lip of Nuggets point guard Steve Blake and left blood on the floor. Healthy or not, Artest clearly is going full speed again.
"I'm a little better (health-wise)," Artest said. "My back is still very sore. I was about to come out (against Denver) when I had a little spasm. But I can't really move like I want to. Hopefully my body will come back to life."
Just like his game.
"Sometimes you worry about things in the past, and then it just carries over into the next day," Artest said. "I'm trying not to let things carry over, but at the same time, if we lose too many games I can get pretty fed up pretty fast. Like (the Nuggets game). I'm not satisfied at all. We can do much better."
