Ron Artest or Trevor Ariza

I would have kept Ariza, even though Ron is clearly the better player. I think the team is better with Ariza, shrugs.

ariza knocked down that spot up 3 off of kobe’s doubles last year, ariza isn’t a slouch defensively either

He played some of the worst basketball I have ever seen. Same goes for Gasol, what a pansy. They both better come up big in game 6 cuz I want this thing to go 7!

Artest is not a better player than Ariza.

What counts is now…and now Ariza is the better player.

Ariza was perfect for the Lakers.

Artest is not.

If the Lakers lose this series, Lakers’ fans can thank Jerry Buss for the SF downgrade that was made last summer.

Ariza was cool under pressure, while Artest gets rattled and confused for the most part.

The lakers should have definately kept ariza. Last year in the playoffs he made big shot after big shot. Artest cant even dribble good enough to convert on a fast break. His offensive game is so bad sometimes its funny. Every time he gets the ball in transition he makes some goofy play and embarrasses himself.

Ariza had a couple of really good 3pt shooting series last year, but his season 3FG% was around 30% only. I don’t think he would have kept that up this year.

Artest is not the reason the Lakers are losing.

Odom has been non-existent.

But more importantly, Gasol should be taking over games. He just isn’t getting enough shots. Gasol should be getting close to 20 shots per game. He’s the Lakers most efficient scorer and they need to make full use of him.

Lakers played terrible but lost by 6 in Boston. Lakers has 2 game at home and really they could win both. It is more about waiting. Celtics shot the lights out and made all the key plays down the stretch.

Ron Artest is good but Ariza had an extra year in the triangle and was more of a help on offense.

That is not Artest’s strength but I am sure he will play better at home than he did on the road.

They key will be Bynum’s health.

Also Odom needs to go to the basket more and if someone tries to take the charge stop on a dime and put in a floater or pass.

He is quick enough not to play out of control on his drives.

Yea I know Artest didn’t play well this game at all, but Ariza is not better then him. I would rather have Artest then Ariza, you need to understand Ron isn’t used to playing with the triangle, it is an adjustment that he needs time on. Artest could not contain Pierce tonight either but he has for pretty much the other 4 games so give him credit. He has had his nights when hes done well and helped the Lakers and other nights where you wonder why hes on the floor but nevertheless, he is a good player to have on your team.

Yeah Ariza is the reason they went to Finals well defensively we all remember those inbound steals he got plus he shot 50% from 3 Ron is a good player but he isnt the fit the Lakers thought he’d be.

Artest has actually taken off defensive responsibility from Kobe so Kobe can be fresh on offense so he has helped out the Lakers and has been exactly what they thought they would be getting, he defended Durant tremendously well and basically for most of that series made Durant work for his shots or made him a non factor. They knew what they were getting when they traded for Artest and as a Lakers fan I appreciate Artest, obviously not tonight but in general. Ariza was also asking for more money then he should make and it was a smart move financially to not pay him that money especially for the role he played on the Lakers wasn’t that key, if he was such a factor why did the Lakers make it back to the finals with a different player?

I have great respect for Ariza but Ron Artest is a key reason why LA is back at the finals this year. you gotta give credit to Paul Pierce the dude can score the basketball he was the Celtics leading scorer. Ariza would have been a god assett this year but i dont think the Lakers would have made it to the finals this year.

Artest the starting SF is playing over 36 minutes a game in the playoffs.

Bynum the starting C got 1 rebound in 31 minutes tonight.

For the playoffs, Bynum is averaging single digits (just 9 ppg), while Artest is making only 39% of his shots from the field, 58% from the line, and 27% from 3-point range, which is miserable and far below the playoff performance of Ariza last season.

Odom is a bench player, yet he’s rebounding better than Artest and Bynum in the playoffs. Why is a bench player rebounding better than the Lakers’ starting C Bynum?

The poor play of the starting SF Artest and starting C Bynum is more to blame for the Lakers’ losing than what some bench player is doing. Bynum is being paid a lot more than Odom for what? To be injured and not perform to expectation in the playoffs? To grab 1 rebound in 31 minutes?

In the Lakers’ system, Ariza would have continued the same level of performance he did in last year’s playoffs. At age 24, there’s no reason to believe he wouldn’t have. Compare Ariza’s playoff numbers last year to Artest’s playoffs numbers this year, and Ariza was clearly the better player and the better fit in the Lakers’ system. When the Lakers acquired Artest, the Lakers downgraded.

This Proves It . .

NOBODY Can Win By Themselves . .

Laker’s Role Players Need To Step It Up . .

are you guys serious? artest is not the better player the only thing hes better than ariza at is on-ball defense…im sorry but watching ron clank shot after shot during the finals has me seriously questioning his talent

Where is “stanfordhoops” when you need him…..

I would take Ariza over Artest without thinking twice just because Ariza could be in his prime while Ron clearly is declining.

I really don’t even see why people regard Artest as such a great defender.

The Lakers would have easily beaten their 2010 playoff opponents Oklahoma City, Utah and Phoenix with Trevor Ariza instead of Ron Artest this year.

2008-2009 playoff averages:
Trevor Ariza: 11.3 pts. 4.2 rebs. 2.3 asts. 1.6 stls. 49.7% fg. 56.3% ft. 47.6% 3fg. (31 minutes)

2009-2010 playoff averages:
Ron Artest: 10.6 pts. 3.8 rebs. 2.3 asts. 1.4 stls. 39.1% fg. 54.5% ft. 27.9% 3fg. (36 minutes)

Artest is averaging five more minutes per game, yet averaging fewer points, fewer rebounds, fewer steals, while shooting worse from the field, worse from the free throw line, and worse from three-point range.

Ariza was simply the better SF when it counted and the much better fit on the Lakers. The biggest difference is field goal and three-point %. Those shots that Artest is clanking are the difference in the ballgame.

Your are forgetting how he helped the Lakers out defending Durant against the Thunder, Durant was either smothered and did not score a lot in a game or had to work really hard for his shots and shot bad percentages, I am not talking who is better statistically I am talking about Artest’s role on the Lakers and them knowing what they were getting, he has helped them a lot this entire year and just because of one bad game and not such a great series from him people are questioning his role and talent.

Ariza was not worth the money he was asking for and he wasn’t that valuable of an asset to the Lakers due to the fact they replaced him and made the Finals still. Pople need to stop questioning Artest’s play, when he does well he is glorified and when he plays poorly people start saying it was a bad choice to trade for him and he does not fit well with the Lakers. He does need to show up big in Game 6 but please stop tearing this guy to shreds as a basketball player, he is a good player.

The Celtics don’t pick a homecourt to play so there’s no "advantage" of sorts for the Lakers… But Ron Artest has said it from the beginning, if the Lakers don’t win a title… It’s on me…

He is a better defender than Ariza, and has played great defense this series, although the Celtics and Paul Pierce exposed his lack of quickness big time in game 5. Ariza was a better shooter, and didn’t make so many bone headed decisions. Also, I think Ariza could make the big threes and free throws. Artest fades in the big moments.

The starting SF Artest is averaging just 10 points on 39% from the field, 58% from the line and 27% from 3-point range in 36 minutes per game in the playoffs, all of which is miserable and far below the playoff performance of Ariza last season.

The starting C Bynum grabbed 1 rebound in 32 minutes in game 5. For the playoffs, Bynum is averaging single digits (9 points per game).

Odom is a bench player, yet he’s outrebounding Bynum in the playoffs. Why is a bench player rebounding better than the Lakers’ starting C Bynum?

The poor play of the starting SF Artest and starting C Bynum is more to blame for the Lakers’ losing than what some bench player is doing. Bynum is being paid a lot more than Odom for what? To be injured and not perform to expectation in the playoffs for three consecutive seasons? To grab 1 rebound in 32 minutes? To average single digit points in the playoffs?

In the Lakers’ system, Ariza would have continued the same level of performance he did in last year’s playoffs. At age 24, there’s no reason to believe he wouldn’t have. Compare Ariza’s playoff numbers last year to Artest’s playoffs numbers this year, and Ariza was clearly the better player and the better fit in the Lakers’ system. When the Lakers acquired Artest, the Lakers downgraded.

I blame Artest and Bynum. I also blame Jerry Buss for not improving the team last summer when he had a chance to, but didn’t want to spend the money.

Ariza has proven himself in the finals during the series against Orlando. Ron screams inconsistency and he tries to do too much sometimes. I don’t think having Artest for the next 4-5 years is going to be a good investment. Pierce had his way last game.