Ron Artest Not Worried About Struggles on Offense

Ron Ron tells the media in LA (which he suspects is trying to cause team friction, in the search of a good story) that his shots will eventually start falling, and says it’s all about the team (in a funny, Artestian way of course). From the Times: “Guys got better,’ he said. ‘Shannon [Brown] got much better. It’s his time to shine. Steve [Blake] is averaging more than Jordan [Farmar] last year and then Matt Barnes is probably averaging more than Luke [Walton]. So if you take all those points, those are points I probably could have had. But those are team points. When people start talking about numbers, I think realistically they’re trying to sabotage the team and they’re trying to get negative feedback from a player to be against his team. If somebody says, ‘Ron Artest is not playing as well,’ they’re trying to take away from the team. That’s how I take those questions. People are trying to cause friction.’ Artest is averaging 8.2 points a game this season, easily a career low if it continues, and shooting only 39.5% in 27.1 minutes a game. His numbers last season: 11 points and 33.8 minutes a game, 41.4% shooting … ‘The sun comes out when it’s going to come out. You can’t just force it,’ he said. ‘I could go maybe eight for 15 every game or something like that, and take away shots from other guys. I’d rather have two points and everybody else score. I’d rather win. That [championship] ring did so much more individually for me. How much more individually do I want? Ten points? What am I going to do with 10 points? Be a Hall of Fame legend? What am I going to do with 15 points? I’m going to be MVP of the NBA? Sometimes I don’t even want to go for a rebound. If I can get one more rebound and somebody else can get it, let them have it. What am I going to get, five rebounds? I’m still not going to be president with five rebounds.'”