In his debut season with the Houston Rockets, the once hot-headed Ron Artest had some pretty impressive numbers. He averaged the following per game in the ’08-’09 regular season:
Points: 17.1
Rebounds: 5.2
Assists: 3.3
Minutes: 35.5
Free Throws: 74.8%
Now these numbers aren’t MVP-worthy, but Artest brings a great deal of experience, and I’ll even venture to say “maturity” to the team. Artest and Battier were probably the best perimeter defending duo throughout the regular season. He fires his team up and is always entertaining for the fans. Most importantly, how could you not love his Playoff haircut?
The problem with Ron-Ron became apparent in the Playoffs. His poor shot selection may have arguably contributed to several of the Rockets’ losses. As a fan, even I began to lose faith when I would see Artest either jacking up a three-ball or turning it over on every offensive possession. 🙁
Regardless, I still think the Rockets should sign him for at least one more season. His defense is stellar and his offensive numbers are solid – what more do you want?
Leave a Reply