Checking In, Heading Out

Hey guys, just a few things before I head down to UCSB to spend Fourth O’ July weekend with some friends:

Artest on the Lakers: Good on paper, risk involved. Artest is still a bulldog defensively, but he can’t really guard the faster 2s anymore, which of course Kobe can. And on offense, he’s got the passing, strength, and spot-up shooting for the triangle-he’s been hurting teams offensively the last few years by running around and firing up bad shots, but I don’t see that happening in LA. Kobe’s game can, sometimes, keep the guys who play with him from establishing their own offensive flow. (This happened with Lamar early in their time together.) But Kobe’s also not going to let a guy run around and fire up stupid shots while he’s running the offense, and on paper he might be the best guy in the league to save Ron from himself.

I like Ariza on Houston in a vaccuum, but with no Yao who’s making plays? Only Aaron Brooks can create his own shot in a Brooks/Ariza/Battier/Landry/Scola lineup, and he’s not  superstar.

Okay, I honestly gotta be out of the door in like 10 minutes. Happy 4th, everyone.