Ron at the 4?

[HighFlyingMonkey]

I personally think that with our roster as it stands right now would be best suited with Ron starting the 4 spot. He said in a recent interview with the Bee he wouldn't mind it. Especially with the signing of Williams, we could see some very interesting frontcourt combinations since now we can play smallball with Williams at the C without opening up the lane for layups.

Our best lineup I think has been Bibby/Martin/Salmons/Artest/Brad, and then you have Douby/Garcia/SAR/Williams off the bench. Our PF/C spot can change to SAR/Brad if we're focusing on offense and want to slow the game down, or Williams/Brad if we want an offense/defense exchange, SAR/Williams if we're going for a faster lineup but want to have a post option to keep tempo from getting out of control, and Ron/Williams if you're going to just going for speed and tough D.

Of course, this all depends on Justin's contributions to see if he's NBA worthy or not, but I have a strong feeling he is. This gives Muss so many more options to compete with.

 

[Bricklayer]

Good way to Ron worn down, beat up, and waste his remarkable perimeter defensive skills (nor can Ron guard the other team's best perimeter guy anymore, since obviously none of the Bibby/Salmons/Martin trio could switch onto the PF). Its kind of the ultimate smallballing nightmare. Even ron;s improved rebounding this year (which has fallen way off after he made a point wiht it to start) would be weak for a PF. Why neuter your one guy who can most definitely handle his position defensively and turn a matchupo nightmare for other teams into a nightly one for us?

 

[bench_blob]

In a pinch against a small line-up, sure, but Ron is not a power forward.

You don't want Ron Artest playing post defense - even though he can -- you want him playing perimeter defense, playing the passing lanes, playing help defense, stuffing his man one-on-one....that's when he's at his best defensively.

Hopefully the career high can be the start of something, but not Ron playing power forward.

 

[SacKings384]

Good way to Ron worn down, beat up, and waste his remarkable perimeter defensive skills (nor can Ron guard the other team's best perimeter guy anymore, since obviously none of the Bibby/Salmons/Martin trio could switch onto the PF). Its kind of the ultimate smallballing nightmare. Even ron;s improved rebounding this year (which has fallen way off after he made a point wiht it to start) would be weak for a PF. Why neuter your one guy who can most definitely handle his position defensively and turn a matchupo nightmare for other teams into a nightly one for us?

Exactly... We take a great rebounder for a SF and turn him into a mediocre rebounder for a PF. Not only that you take a great perimeter defender and turn him into an undersized and relatively average 4 defender. It worked vs. Nelly ball. Don't think it will work vs. many others.

 

[nbrans]

I'd actually like to see more of this. In the past it would have been a waste, but Ron's perimeter defense has not been as fearsome this season as it has been in the past, and he's a matchup nightmare for power forwards trying to guard him. It all depends on the matchup though. With smaller power forwards (Udonis Haslem, Carlos Boozer) Ron can hold his own on defense and really take advantage of them from the post with his quickness and strength. Against taller power forwards (Duncan, KG) it would be pointless.

It all depends on the matchup, but for a lot of the season Bibby/Martin/Salmons/Artest/SAR has been the best lineup, and I don't think that's a coincidence.

 

[HighFlyingMonkey]

Good way to Ron worn down, beat up, and waste his remarkable perimeter defensive skills (nor can Ron guard the other team's best perimeter guy anymore, since obviously none of the Bibby/Salmons/Martin trio could switch onto the PF). Its kind of the ultimate smallballing nightmare. Even ron;s improved rebounding this year (which has fallen way off after he made a point wiht it to start) would be weak for a PF. Why neuter your one guy who can most definitely handle his position defensively and turn a matchupo nightmare for other teams into a nightly one for us?

I think you're always going to be at the mercy of matchups, but with Ron at the 4 you have your best team on the court. Ron's perimeter defense hasn't been the same this year, he's slowed down, whether it's the knees or the back or whatever.

Ron at the 4 is even more of a nightmare matchup than Ron at the 3. It all depends on the matchups though, but in crucial situations, I'd like to have our best team on the court.

Not to mention it actually gives us an identity on how we want to play the game. So far, all it's been is adapting to the opponent. **** that, make them adapt to us.

 

[beb0p]

God no! Anyone saw Ron played PF in the summer league? He made David Lee looked like the second coming of Yao Ming in the short minutes Artest was on the floor. If Artest cannot defend David Lee in the post, good luck against the other 20 or so real power forwards.

.

 

[tyrant]

i would give williams 15 minutes or so off the bench for the next couple games. if he performs well i'd really consider starting him over kenny thomas. and move brad to the pf position. bring rahim as the 2nd pf and thomas as the sf/pf. moving artest to the pf position wont do any good. we need him defensively on the perimeter. williams should help us inside

bibby/price
martin/garcia
artest/salmons
miller/shareef/ thomas
williams/shareef/thomas

 

[CruzDude]

Ron is always, almost, going to be defending the other teams hot scorer. Not PGs necessarily but the 2, 3's and 4's who are perimeter and inside scorers. On offense, seems he plays kinda point-forward anyway. I see the point of hime being a 4 but also the point that down low is not his best defensive area.