National Basketball Association

Artest still defining his role with Lakers

Published May. 5, 2010 8:37 p.m. ET

foxsports

When Ron Artest squeezed the ball and slowly set his feet behind the 3-point line, the Staples Center crowd grumbled and roiled with collective anxiety.

``Don't do it, Ron!'' somebody shouted earnestly from the lower bowl.

But Ron did it, launching yet another 3-pointer over a Utah defense that wasn't exactly eager to stop him. The shot missed badly, just as six of Artest's seven 3-point attempts did in the Los Angeles Lakers' fourth straight postseason victory Tuesday night.

With relentless defensive effort and pointless offensive play, Artest has been a mixed blessing during his first postseason with the Lakers, who took Wednesday off after winning the first two games of their second-round series with the Jazz. Game 3 is Saturday night in Salt Lake City.

The veteran defensive specialist and notorious fruitcake was the sole addition to last season's NBA champions last fall. Yet even in May, it's still too early to tell whether he has been a good fit in Hollywood.

``That's going to be decided next month,'' Artest said. ``If we win a championship, then it's a success. If we don't, I should get the blame, because I'm the only new guy.''

Sure, Artest's defensive work against NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant keyed Los Angeles' first-round victory over Oklahoma City. With an NFL tight end's bulk and the speed to run with most forwards, Artest harassed Durant into 35 percent shooting.

Yet Artest's comically inept 3-point shooting in the postseason - 7 for 42 so far, a slump that's even affecting his layups at this point - and his ongoing education in the intricacies of the Lakers' triangle offense are the main reasons the Staples Center crowd recoils in dread whenever he touches the ball in space.

``I could care less if I make a shot or not,'' Artest said. ``If I get back on defense, we win. I've just got to play my game. If 10 corner 3's are available, I'll take them. My defense is so unbelievable right now that I don't care about the offense.''

Artest's postseason shooting has been a long step down from the efforts of former Lakers forward Trevor Ariza, who signed with the Rockets in the offseason after declining the same contract offered to Artest in a disastrous attempt to land a bigger deal. Ariza also provided strong defense, but hit 47.6 percent of his 3-pointers and scored 11.3 points per game during the playoffs.

Artest can't throw it in the Pacific lately with his herky-jerky jumper. He even missed at least two layups in Game 2, barely connecting with the rim on one try. It won't stop him from trying again Saturday night.

``When you're playing hard for your team, getting out there and staying aggressive, it always works out,'' Artest said.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson worried before the series that the Jazz didn't have a scorer who matches up well with Artest. He has helped out on Deron Williams, Utah's high-scoring point guard, but hasn't been attached to one player.

``Ron knows he's a big part of whatever success we have defensively,'' said sixth man Lamar Odom, who played AAU ball with Artest during their New York youth. ``He's not guarding somebody like he did Durant, but he changes a game for other teams. They have to factor in Ron in everything they do, and that's always a benefit for us.''

Artest's first season in Los Angeles after signing a five-year, $33.5 million deal for the midlevel salary cap exception largely has been pretty much free of controversy, if not distractions. Celebrity has agreed with his personality: He appeared on ``Jimmy Kimmel Live'' wearing nothing but his boxer shorts last November, and he showed up at boxing trainer Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym to schmooze with Manny Pacquiao.

Although the triangle offense can take years to master, the Lakers acknowledge Artest earnestly puts in the work to do it. He even went on a diet during the season, losing 15 pounds and improving his conditioning with frequent five-mile jogs in Beverly Hills, where he moved his family last summer.

That's also where Artest says he fell and hit his head while carrying a bunch of Christmas presents last December, causing a concussion that forced him to miss five games. Perhaps that's what prompted him to dye his hair various shades of blond late in the season, providing a Rodmanesque canvas to shave various symbols and logos into his hair. He also made an out-of-nowhere admission of drinking during games earlier in his career with the Chicago Bulls.

Yet Artest also started a career-best 77 games. His 11.4 points per game were his lowest scoring average since 2001-02 in Indiana, but he decreased his turnovers and improved his field goal percentage over last season with Houston while remaining a disruptive defensive force.

``Ron is a worker,'' said Kobe Bryant, who butted heads with Artest in the postseason last summer. ``He's always trying to improve and help the team, and that's why we wanted him here.''