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Is Ron Artest out of control?Will Ron Artest ever be able to curve that anger and remain such a feared defender in the NBA? If you read the article by Bob Kravitz in the Indianapolis Star it shouldn't matter... as long as Artest is straightened out. According to Kravitz Artest's problems are bigger than him, and both the player and the organization need to do something about them. Every time after he explodes he stands before the media vowing that it will not happen again, but there is always an encore. Fines and suspensions are not doing the trick, and Kravitz is hinting that the problem may be psychological. 'If it's something that requires medical and/or psychological attention, and that's my sense of the thing, then it's time to get that attention, with the aid and blessing of the entire organization, he writes. Artest had a long-scheduled meeting Thursday with NBA officials, but in all seriousness what will come of it? Little, if anything, would be the safe bet. The Pacers need to do something, and do it now. 'The Pacers cannot tolerate another outburst. Artest's combustible nature not only jeopardizes the team's long-term success, but casts this otherwise classy organization in an unfavorable light,' writes Kravitz. While it is true that Artest is feared by his NBA peers far and wide for his strong and physical defensive prowess, it is another thing for the Pacers to sit in fear waiting for yet another explosion. Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Pacers slump continueHow the mighty have fallen. The Indiana Pacers, the team who were atop the East only last week, lost their sixth game in succession after a Reggie Miller gamewinning three point attempt at the buzzer hit nothing but air. "You've got to be able to accept failure," said Miller. "I haven't made every big shot in my life. "The good thing about it is there will be another opportunity in another game. The ball always ends up my way anyway, so the next time there could be a different outcome." The losses haven't meant much to the Pacers in terms of how far they have fallen, sitting just half a game behind New Jersey and Detroit for the Eastern Conference lead, but Philadelphia and Boston have moved within four and 41/2 games of the Pacers, respectively. "It's a very weird time in the league," Pacers coach Isiah Thomas said. "I don't think I've witnessed a time like this, when you've got three or four of your top teams not playing well." "You wake up in the morning and you look at the newspaper and you see your name at the top of the standings and you scratch your head and say, 'I can't be too mad at the guys. We weren't picked to be here.' But since you're here, you might as well go and get it." "Maybe it's the moon or something." Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Forget Boston: Pacers tell Artest to stay home-- Ron Artest did not travel with his Indiana Pacers teammates on their flight to Boston after he was suspended by coach Isiah Thomas for disciplinary reasons. The New York Post reported that Artest grabbed a framed picture and smashed it against the locker room wall. In early January, Artest was suspended for three games without pay and fined $35,000 for hurling a television monitor and smashing a camera after a loss in New York. Later that month, he was suspended for four games without pay for a run-in with Heat coach Pat Riley and flashing an obscene gesture toward the crowd during a game in Miami. Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Pacers Feb 2003 Archive
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