Comments on: If It Ain’t Broke: The Lakers’ Offseason Moves in Spider Graphs http://howtowatchsports.com/2009/08/if-it-aint-broke-the-lakers-offseason-moves-in-spider-graphs/ Unnecessarily in-depth sports analysis Sat, 29 Jan 2011 14:36:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Rasheed Wallace or Kendrick Perkins? Boston Celtics' 2009-2010 Offseason in Spider Graphs | How To Watch Sports http://howtowatchsports.com/2009/08/if-it-aint-broke-the-lakers-offseason-moves-in-spider-graphs/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Rasheed Wallace or Kendrick Perkins? Boston Celtics' 2009-2010 Offseason in Spider Graphs | How To Watch Sports Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:11:45 +0000 http://howtowatchsports.com/?p=487#comment-15 [...] graph is actually more similar to those of Ron Artest and Hedo Turkoglu, both small forwards, than traditional power forwards—let alone [...] [...] graph is actually more similar to those of Ron Artest and Hedo Turkoglu, both small forwards, than traditional power forwards—let alone [...]

]]> By: Jason Clarke http://howtowatchsports.com/2009/08/if-it-aint-broke-the-lakers-offseason-moves-in-spider-graphs/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Jason Clarke Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:42:32 +0000 http://howtowatchsports.com/?p=487#comment-11 As a longtime Laker fan, I am disappointed to see Ariza go. He is younger and more athletic than Artest and his stats will only get better with experience. Ariza seems to be a good character player with little funny-business on or off the court. Most importantly, he was just fun to watch. He could explode for a steal or a dunk at any point in a game. Artest is more physical which may help the Lakers against the Celtics and other physical teams. However, he is aging and I don't trust his character with all of his past drama and technical fouls. The Lakers already have the most overly-dramatic player in the league with Kobe Bryant. It'll be interesting to see what happens when Kobe-drama is mixed with Artest-drama. There is no doubt it will be explosive. Time will tell whether the fireworks will be positive or negative. Even if the overall team stats are similar, I think the Lakers have lost out in the intangibles and good character that Ariza brought to every moment he was on the court. I for one will miss Ariza next year and wish him all the best in his career. As a longtime Laker fan, I am disappointed to see Ariza go. He is younger and more athletic than Artest and his stats will only get better with experience. Ariza seems to be a good character player with little funny-business on or off the court. Most importantly, he was just fun to watch. He could explode for a steal or a dunk at any point in a game.

Artest is more physical which may help the Lakers against the Celtics and other physical teams. However, he is aging and I don’t trust his character with all of his past drama and technical fouls.

The Lakers already have the most overly-dramatic player in the league with Kobe Bryant. It’ll be interesting to see what happens when Kobe-drama is mixed with Artest-drama. There is no doubt it will be explosive. Time will tell whether the fireworks will be positive or negative.

Even if the overall team stats are similar, I think the Lakers have lost out in the intangibles and good character that Ariza brought to every moment he was on the court. I for one will miss Ariza next year and wish him all the best in his career.

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