Austin Kent

Pacers.com via the Chicago Bulls board

All I have to say to this is - wow. In an attempt to put Danny Granger in the starting line-up the Pacers are looking at starting Artest at power forward and Jermaine O'Neal at Center...how do we match up to this?

C. Rasheed Wallace vs Jermaine O'Neal
PF. Ben Wallace vs Ron Artest
SF. Tayshaun Prince vs Danny Granger

Hmmm...coincidence? If the Pacers rock a front court like that against us I will be impressed, I am hard pressed to believe they can beat us with a clone line up of ours. Rasheed and Jermaine will match up, and if Artest has indeed bulked up without adding height (obviously) then he is more into the Ben Wallace mold (granted with better skills) and Prince can match up with Granger, who if memory serves, is another lanky tall slasher. It seems as if they are trying to form there own Detroit Pistons 2.0.

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Brian

Maybe this means if Ben pushes him he will fight him and not some fans...

P33r~

As much as i dislike Artest, you have to admire his work ethic. Most players would have slacked off a lot when suspended for an entire season but Artest has been put in everything he can after that rap album fiasco.

I'm also really impressed with what the Pacers are trying to do with their lineup. It does seem like they are trying to create a team that mirrors the Pistons, and i suppose it's their way of matching up to us. If they do that, i would support the move for Sheed at center to face O'Neal. Sheed does a great job of containing him and seeing Artest go at Big Ben all the time should be exciting. We should still have the rebounding advantage.

Pacers Fan

This isn't true. Artest looked no where close to 270 at the Katrina charity game. He only looked like he gained a few pounds, which, he actually did.

http://www.nba.com/media/pacers/camp_roster_0506.pdf

Jermaine O'Neal also gained 18 pounds to reach 260.
Jonathan Bender gained 16 pounds to reach 235 (it won't matter anyway).
Jamaal Tinsley lost 12 pounds to go down to 183.

Watch out.

Apparently, we're looking at bringing Artest off the bench for some of this season, if it works in the preseason. The Pacers could have Ron Artest at the 4, off the bench, or at the 3, which makes this season much more interesting.

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Midnight_Marauder

This was disproven at the Pacers board already...there is no way he could be at 270...he would have to become a low post only player.....he couldnt carry that much weight and still be the same player he is now

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DetBNyce

Pretty much, he'd be stupid for getting that big and the Pacers would be as well if they let that happen. And I'm not understanding how bulking up Artest to 270 helps the Pacers match up with us better. They already do and leaving Artest at SF, with the ability to play SG, would be more of an advantage for them than bulking him up to 270 and putting him against Ben.

P33r~

Just means he will go down harder when he is injured

In reference to this thread, I'm glad that they have a lot of confidence in Granger but i don't think having in at the expense of Artest is such a great idea. I'm not a fan of the Stephen Jackson to SF, Jasikevicius to SG move either. The reason the Pacers get off to such great starts in the early minutes of a game is because of Artest, both his early offensive spurts and his defense.

MLKG

There is no way he is 270.

Rick Carlisle IS talking about making him a 6th man though. It wouldn't be the first time he's brought his second best scorer off the bench.

casebeck22

That would be interesting. I don't think it will happen. Anyone else?

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Midnight_Marauder

Why have him come off the bench? I dont get that...just do what Jackson used to do with Pippen and Jordan...just make sure one is on the court at all times...

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Old School Hip Hop Heads....old school will never die (pm me with your favorite pre 1996 album to join)
-Reisedogg "Midnight Marauders", StephenJackson "Tupacalypse Now", thug_immortal8 "Tupacalypse Now", Budweiser Boy "The Infamous", realbullsfaninLA "Critical Beatdown", PhillyPhanatic "The Mecca and the Soul Brother", Volcom "The Main Ingredient", MAS RipCity "Ready to Die", GeorgiaSports "ATLiens", Interloper "Liquid Swords", DaUnbreakableKinG "The Chronic", Premier "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back", Pay Ton "It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back", sMaKDiSDoWn "Illmatic", O2K "Paid In Full", Plastic Man "Mr. Hood", Tron "It Was Written", Ron Mexico "The Chronic", Nevus "The Low End Theory", BenDengGo "Doggystyle", nikebasketball "Enter The 36 Chambers", JRose5 "Straight Outta Compton", ghiman "Raising Hell", Starbury03 "KRS-ONE", Rizzah "Illmatic", blueeclipse "Illadelph Halflife", BlayZa "House of Pain", DaBigTicketKG21 "Doggystyle", BizzyRipsta "E. 1999 Eternal", Teezy "Eazy Does It" Jamel Irief "Enter the Wu" atcq1989 "The Low End Theory", Vinsanity "Me Against The World", The Krakken "Illmatic", Mecca "Strictly Business", AJM "Regulate...G Funk Era", vigilante "lifestylez ov da poor and dangerous", Go DJ! "Raising Hell", PaCeRhOLiC "Illmatic", shookem "Black Sunday", HearToTemptYou "Hustlers Convention", sliccat "Liquid Swords",RedsDrunk "Enter the Wu", PlaygroundLegend "Liquid Swords", LegoHat "Return of the Boom Bap", bruindre 'Life Is....Too $hort",T.Shock "Illmatic", ClippersRuleLA "Illmatic"