This season will be the defining moment of his career. The former 2 time scoring champion, perennial all star and one of the NBA's most marketable players is in a make or break year. It wasn't when he was in Toronto where he was the sidekick to Vince Carter, it wasn't when he signed with Orlando to be Grant Hill's robin and it wasn't when he was traded to Houston to be Yao's wingman. This season the man known as Tmac, has all the pieces he ever needed to break through. No more excuses. Injuries have plagued his career as well as his laid back calm that most people have perceived as not caring. He does care, but he at a point where mentally he believes he will never make it out of the 1st round.
But we can't feel sorry for him. He is being paid about $20 a year to win and he has not won anything with a team. He was paired with the top center in the league and in 3 attempts has not been able to lead a team into the 2nd round and beyond. Now the excuses are all dried up. He has what he needed all along. A wing player besides himself who can create his own shot. Artest is the perfect complement to Tmac. A defender, a bully, a scorer, a dog. As former Rocket's coach Jeff Van Gundy mentioned when talking about the Rockets, they needed some pit bulls.
Artest fits that bill and gives Tmac all the pieces he needs for success. So Tmac, it's on you. If for any reason, injury, etc the Houston Rockets don't make it to the NBA finals or at least to the Western Conference finals, then his legacy will be forever tainted by a career of underachieving.
But we can't feel sorry for him. He is being paid about $20 a year to win and he has not won anything with a team. He was paired with the top center in the league and in 3 attempts has not been able to lead a team into the 2nd round and beyond. Now the excuses are all dried up. He has what he needed all along. A wing player besides himself who can create his own shot. Artest is the perfect complement to Tmac. A defender, a bully, a scorer, a dog. As former Rocket's coach Jeff Van Gundy mentioned when talking about the Rockets, they needed some pit bulls.
Artest fits that bill and gives Tmac all the pieces he needs for success. So Tmac, it's on you. If for any reason, injury, etc the Houston Rockets don't make it to the NBA finals or at least to the Western Conference finals, then his legacy will be forever tainted by a career of underachieving.
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