Ron Artest's Curly Neal moment

[vinnie]

Someone in the game story blog comments said Jon Barry called that play at the end of the game where Artest dribbled all over the court for like 15 seconds and then heaved up a horrendous shot his Curly Neal impression. I had to start a thread on this because I think it was one of the most boneheaded sequences I have ever seen in a key moment in the NBA finals. Here are the Lakers down  5 or so points with a minute or so left, and here is this nutjob dribbling all over the place, refusing to pass to anyone and taking a really bad shot. This is the reason I love when Ron Artest plays for the other team. The guy might be a great defender, but he also is one of the dumbest players to ever play in the NBA.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I think the biggest problem in that play was no one from the Lakers really making a good effort to get open so Artest could get him the ball.

[guava_wrench]

I think the biggest problem in that play was no one from the Lakers really making a good effort to get open so Artest could get him the ball.

He was dribbling all around the place. If his teammates were in shock, I still blame him for that.

Ron is weird like that though. Can't try to explain him.

[Overrated]

From another thread.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgIESgSkr5I

[kozlodoev]

I think the biggest problem in that play was no one from the Lakers really making a good effort to get open so Artest could get him the ball.

Erm, Kobe looks ready to take the ball at the top of the three-point line, and make a play, but Artest seems to ignore him.

[Greenbean]

http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=38410.msg775251#msg775251

I said in the linked thread above that Artest's good offensive game one coupled with his rattling in ugly threes would lead to an overinflated sense of confidence in game 2.

Boy am I happy to report that I was right.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I think the biggest problem in that play was no one from the Lakers really making a good effort to get open so Artest could get him the ball.

Erm, Kobe looks ready to take the ball at the top of the three-point line, and make a play, but Artest seems to ignore him.

To me that would be a bit of a dangerous pass with the angle Ray Allen had on him.

I'm not saying that Artest is excused for what he did, but I think the biggest problem is the little help the players around him gave him. We often find ourselves in the same situation... someone is in trouble and they just stand around looking, it really annoys the heck out of me.

[Kwhit10]

What boggles my mind is he threw up that shot but there was still ~10 second on the shot clock left.  He could have still reset it to someone and tried something not so haphazard. But what he does is fine with me  .

[the_Bird]

Horsepucky about giving RonRon any excuses on that play.  Horrible, horrible play, even if it was a regular season game you can't play like that.  Hell, you can't do that in preseason!  You can't do that in Summer League!

Called it before the series, if you put pressure on the Lakers they'll start playing "Hero-Ball."  Kobe's done it for years, but RonRon's probably the worst in the league at doing this.  Hell, I remember him jacking up crappy shots, trying to win 1 on 5, back when he was in Indiana and we were beating them late in the playoffs.  Something in Ronnie's brain just switches off and he gets blinders on, he thinks he absolutely MUST win the game by his lonesome. 

[BudweiserCeltic]

What boggles my mind is he threw up that shot but there was still ~10 second on the shot clock left.  He could have still reset it to someone and tried something not so haphazard. But what he does is fine with me  .

Of all the things he did, that's the one thing that really bothered me... he like panicked or something.

[the_Bird]

Hell, he could have called a timeout.  Or, Phil Jackson could have run onto the court and called one for him.  Actually, I guess Phil's basically crippled, so maybe not.

[Brendan]

Kobe is doing his "I'm five feet behind the 3pt line, let me dribble around and jack up a shot" routine.

That was a great sequence. Celts are not going to help on that.

[Q_FBE]

Horsepucky about giving RonRon any excuses on that play.  Horrible, horrible play, even if it was a regular season game you can't play like that.  Hell, you can't do that in preseason!  You can't do that in Summer League!

Called it before the series, if you put pressure on the Lakers they'll start playing "Hero-Ball."  Kobe's done it for years, but RonRon's probably the worst in the league at doing this.  Hell, I remember him jacking up crappy shots, trying to win 1 on 5, back when he was in Indiana and we were beating them late in the playoffs.  Something in Ronnie's brain just switches off and he gets blinders on, he thinks he absolutely MUST win the game by his lonesome. 

I guess that is what is meant by flipping the switch - Ronnies dumb basketball switch.

[Birdbrain]

Hell, he could have called a timeout.  Or, Phil Jackson could have run onto the court and called one for him.  Actually, I guess Phil's basically crippled, so maybe not.

haha thanks plus Phil's not sure if that's a legal thing to do as per the press conference...

[JHTruth]

LOL. Maybe the worst play in the last five minutes of an NBA Finals game EVER. There was at least 3 passes he could have made but threw up THAT??!! LOL at Ron. Even Pierce looked a little stunned for a second when Ron didn't pass.

I guess his great D makes up for plays like that but wow is it entertaining for Celtic fans..