Empty the Bench

By Zachariah Blott

Next up in our “Who You Got” series is two defensively minded small forward, the Lakers’ Ron Artest and the Rockets’ Shane Battier. As we previously did with Joakim Noah taking on Greg Oden and Rodney Stuckey pairing up with Mike Conley (links below), this looks at two NBA players’ futures and tries to answer the following: if you had to pick one of these players for the remainder of their career, regardless of salary implications and their hypothetical future teammates, who would it be?

Previously:
- Chicago Bulls C Joakim Noah vs. Portland Trail Blazers C Greg Oden
- Memphis Grizzlies PG Mike Conley vs. Detroit Pistons PG Rodney Stuckey

Their Connection

Ron Artest and Shane Battier are two of the league’s elite, on-the-ball perimeter defenders. Both were Second Team All-Defensive NBA selections last season, but that’s where the similarities end. Artest has been able to carry scoring loads over the years, but he’s also been a bit of a cancer/wild card at times, whereas Battier’s scoring is usually minimal, only coming in small bursts here and there, and is the model of the team-first, me-last style of player.

The Case for Ron Artest

Both are great defensively, but Artest is a cut above as a shut-down, man-to-man stopper. At 6-6 and 245 pounds, he is much stronger than Battier and therefore able to guard any 2 or 3, regardless if they like to dribble drive or camp out in the paint. Artest can bully plenty of weaker wing scorers into positions they don’t want to be in, specifically stuck outside, because he doubles as a brick wall in their way to the basket. Due to his versatility, he was named the 2003-04 Defensive Player of the Year; Battier has never been close to winning this honor.

Artest is also able to be a team’s first or second scoring option, proven by his seven consecutive seasons averaging over 15 points per (he’s at 11 this year on a loaded Lakers squad). The Rockets picked him up last season as scoring insurance for Tracy McGrady, and Artest ended up finishing a close second to Yao Ming at the top of Houston’s scoring chart. Because of his ability to post-up, shoot triples, and pretty much do everything in between, teams can rely on his offensive production each night.

Artest’s stronger build allows him to grab more rebounds (between 4.3 and 6.5 per over the past nine seasons, compared to 3.8 to 5.4 for Battier), his offensive skills allow him to pass for more assists (3.2 per for his career, compared to 1.9), and his defensive prowess allows him to snatch far more steals (2.0 per for his career, compared to 1.1).

The case for Shane Battier, and the final verdict, after the break…

The Case for Shane Battier

First of all, it’s not like it’s night and day when discussing the defensive contributions of these two. Battier is very smart and long (6-8), so he takes good angles and makes intelligent use of his hands (usually attempting to block a shooter’s vision, not his shot) to disrupt opponents with the ball.

The only reason he hasn’t been named a First Team All-Defensive NBA performer multiple times is the sheer lunacy in how it’s selected. Most of the first-team players are simply elite scorers living off their reputations from years ago or who turn up the defensive intensity for about six minutes a game. Very few of them are “the guy” asked to stop another team’s big scorer. (The 1992-93 team, however, could probably hold the Suns to 22 points.)

Although Battier has never been a valuable scorer other than his 14.4 points per during his rookie campaign (forgot about that, didn’t you?), he has carved out a common niche for lock-down defenders: three-point threat. He’s a career 39% shooter from deep, and he’s contributed at least 1.5 per for four straight seasons. Battier knows other teams aren’t locked in on him, so he sets screens and makes decent passes and sorta gets lost on the weakside until all of sudden he’s burying a triple from the left corner, his favorite spot. How very Duke of him.

Last and certainly not least, Battier’s temperament and attitude make him a great team player who will always look to make the other four players on his club better before looking to get his. He’s a calming presence and a great glue guy who’s better than his stats. On the flip-side, you got Artest, the one athlete who has given Mike Tyson a real run for his money in the crazy category. Artest goes crazy on opponents, teammates, coaches, refs, fans (see Malice in the Palace), whoever. Dikembe Mutombo, one of the nicest players in NBA history and a former teammate of Artest’s, said he prays the Lakers can handle him. That’s not good.

The Verdict

For all of the great things Artest brings to the table, I can’t get past what a distraction he must be to any team he’s on. He’s been on five different teams in his career, and four just in the past 5 years, whereas Battier is exactly the type of player you’d want to play with: positive, hard-working, never looking for the attention. He’ll never be a great scorer or rebounder, but Shane Battier is without question who I’d pick for a team.

Zachariah Blott cannot recommend Rick Telander’s “Heaven Is A Playground” enough.

Possibly Related Content:

1. NBA Photo Friday – Ron Artest Wants You to Know There’s a New Ron Artest Album Coming Out Soon, Featuring Ron Artest


2. Ronald “Snake Eggs” Artest Lands in Houston


3. Ron Artest Terrified of Giant Snake Eggs


4. NBA Photo Friday – Where Ron “Snake Eggs” Artest Loves Dogs . . . See?


5. Houston Rockets Desperate to Trade Battier?