Lakers’ Ron Artest struggles on offense in loss to Golden State
Reporting from Oakland
It was not the best of offensive games for Ron Artest.
He made only one of his seven shots and scored only two points in the Lakers’ 95-87 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night at Oracle Arena.
He had only two rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes 17 seconds.
Lamar Odom called Tuesday’s loss to Utah the Lakers’ worst of the season. He might have spoken too soon.
When asked to explain his play, Artest couldn’t — at least at the beginning.
“I’m not sure. I’m not sure,” Artest said. “I felt great out there.”
Perhaps he did, but his game didn’t show it.
That really was the case in the third quarter, when Artest was one for four from the field.
He opened the quarter by missing a jumper, but then scored his first basket, a driving layup.
But Artest then missed a three-point shot and a floater in the lane.
Lakers Coach Phil Jackson pulled Artest from the game with 3 minutes 12 seconds left in the third quarter.
Artest didn’t play again.
“Yeah, he was forcing things, I thought a little bit tonight,” Jackson said. “He was trying to get something happening.”
Artest did a good job on defense, limiting Dorell Wright to 10 points on three-for-13 shooting.
But that wasn’t what had Artest upset.
Artest thought he could have scored more on Wright had he been given the chance.
“Guys like Dorell Wright, when they guard me, I’ve just got to [score on them],” Artest said. “When I was in Sacramento, I wish I could get guys like Dorell Wright guarding me every night. I’d eat that guy alive.”
Well, that wasn’t the case.
Matt Barnes played the entire fourth quarter at small forward in place of Artest.
Barnes finished with 10 points, six rebounds and one blocked shot in 22:43.
Artest was happy for Barnes.
Still, Artest wanted to play more.
“I knew I had opportunities,” Artest said. “Late in the third quarter, I went the hole and I get an assist and I get a layup. I missed the last one, but I was going to try to continue to take him [Wright] to the bucket and try to make some stuff happen.
“But I didn’t get the opportunity. A guy has no chance. Tonight was a night where the coach was probably trying to find the right combination.”
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