NBA Playoff What If....? | TPC Legends (All Sports Run by the Best)'s Blog

Okay somebody asked me to blog about the NBA and its playoff for the April blog ideas and I didnt have time until now so consider this the last blog for this group re: April.

Okay all the talk going into the playoffs was about how will Shaq to the Suns and Kidd to the Mavericks play out, but what about a deal that DIDNT get done, but could have made a difference in the first round?

What are you Fing talking about Cassidy? Well, let me explain: What if the Denver Nuggets had picked up Ron Artest to guard Kobe in their first round series so they could at least tell their fans that we tried to play a smidge of defense in the postseason? Well? Kenyon Martin is no Ron Artest and had really no chance to stay with Kobe chugging around that 240 lb frame of his.

Denver could have had Ron Artest in February had they not been so stingy as to turn down this deal: Artest for Linas Kleiza, Eduardo Najera and a first round pick that wasnt going to be a high pick. Now they are one and done for the 5th straight year and still there is no defensive player on their horizon; and the price for Artest has went up since February as he played stellar down the stretch in meaningless games for the Sacramento Kings. Dont yap at me about Marcus Camby being a good defender as the Nuggets were the first 50-win team in NBA history to be swept in the first round. D'oh! doesnt begin to describe it.

What do you guys think? Would getting Artest have mattered enough to have made the Nugs-Lakers series an actual series, or would have it just gotten the Nugs a win or two and still another first round bounce job?

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May 5, 2008 04:24 AM ET

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Okay you guys put your May blog ideas for this group here:

http://fannation.com/message_boards/show_thread/202198

Cassidy's House:…

Whatsittoya, NO

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May 5, 2008 04:46 AM ET

Dont forget that Artest isnt only a defender as he puts up decent offensive numbers considering he busts his tail on D all game.

May 5, 2008 10:29 AM ET

One thing you overlooked here, if they had done this deal, possibly they could have passed the Mavs for the 7th spot and missed the Lakers in the 1st round entirely.

THUG is on Vacation

Total Comments (3402)

May 5, 2008 02:18 PM ET

Whoever the Nuggets faced they could not have beaten without some defender to shut down their opponents scoring threat being Artest on Ginobli, McGrady, Chris Paul, whichever.

May 5, 2008 03:01 PM ET

I'd say that he could have helped them win a couple of games, and then with that momentum, that might have at least had a chance for an upset. The Kings have no reason to hold on to him. I bet he gets moved before the beginning of next season.

May 6, 2008 01:56 PM ET

Well the news from the areas surrounding Arco arena is that Artest wants to stay, but that means squat if ownership wants to go with a full-on youth movement.

June 4, 2008 02:49 PM ET

Knowing what we know now about that squad, I'm not sure the organization would have wanted a guy of Artest's caliber with Anthony and Iverson. That being said, Artest is a good defender and shooter, but would he have had enough playing time to make a difference on a team that has both iverson and anthony. Would making a trade just a defender been enough. The Lakers had Gasol to contend with and then Odom. Too much talent to defend on a team that has no good defenders.