Artest, Suspended
http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2011/05/05/artest-lakers-ready-to-move-on/?ls=iref:nbahpt1
The Lakers will face the Mavericks in Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinal without Ron Artest. He was suspended by the league for one game Thursday for his flagrant foul on Jose Barea with 24.4 seconds to play in the Lakers’ Game 2 loss Wednesday night.
The Lakers weren’t surprised by the penalty. They knew after the game
that Artest would face some sort of discipline for the frustration foul
that came with the game already decided. It’s yet another blow for the
Lakers, who are stuck in a 2-0 hole in this best-of-seven series as it
shifts to Dallas for Games 3 (Friday) and 4 (Sunday).
“Ron started 82 games for us in the regular season and all the playoff games, so it definitely will affect us,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.
“We have to be careful what we do on the court and the decisions that we make,” Lamar Odom said. “And [yes], his presence will be missed.”
Artest spoke briefly after the Lakers’ practice here Thursday but
talked only of “moving forward” — words he repeated as many as eight
times during two and half minute question and answer session with the
assembled media.
“[I have] No reaction [to the suspension],” he said. “Just ready to
move forward and play basketball. Just want to move on. Got a big game
tomorrow … I don’t know what’s more important than Game 3?”
When asked who would replace Artest in
the starting lineup Jackson wouldn’t give up the goods. “I’ll kind of
hold that. Although we do have to put one into the league. You’ll know
that tomorrow,” Jackson said.
Artest insisted it does not matter.
“It’s not about what we’re gonna miss,” he said. “It’s about what we’re gonna do.”
Jackson has options. Odom, the NBA’s Sixth Man Award winner and a friend of Artest’s since childhood, is available, as are Matt Barnes and veteran forward Luke Walton, who has not played a second during these playoffs.
“I think about him every day,” Jackson said when asked specifically about Walton.
Whatever Jackson chooses to do, the Lakers said they have to handle
their business better than they have thus far. Kobe Bryant said the
Lakers have to do without Artest “the same thing we had to do with him.
Defend and rebound the ball.”
The approach, he said, is simple.
“Just play the next game,” Bryant said. “It’s not that big of a deal to win two games in a row.”
His message as a team leader is equally simple.
“Yeah. Stop acting like we’ve never won two games in a row before,” he said. “It’s silly.”
As for those commenting on the current state of the Lakers, including Lakers legend Magic Johnson, who was extremely critical of Andrew Bynum for venting his frustrations to the media after Game 2, Bryant didn’t mince his words.
“What the hell do I care? It means nothing, whether he said it or
not,” he said. “It doesn’t really mean a damn thing. We’ve just got to
win a game.”