http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/42940.html <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Hair Nash' cuts off KingsThe Suns' MVP guard sets the pace for an easy Phoenix victory.By Joe Davidson - Bee Staff WriterLast Updated 6:35 am PDT Friday, October 20, 2006PHOENIX-New hairdo, same old game.Oh, and a Wheaties box cover to call his own, too.Steve Nash tinkered and toyed with everyone near him and he left a wake of exasperated Kings on Thursday night. He looked every bit his MVP form, and the Phoenix Suns showed that their core group is quicker and more prolific than Sacramento's.They rolled 111-94 in an exhibition affair at US Airways Center before an announced sellout crowd of 18,422, with the Suns flexing some of the firepower that makes them a prohibitive favorite to make a run to the NBA Finals.The Kings' starters didn't show a whole lot of fight at times, except when Phoenix's Raja Bell floored Brad Miller with a didn't-see-it-coming body slam during a Sacramento possession in the third quarter. Miller jumped up, ready to rumble, but was restrained. Bell levels opponents of all sizes, including Kobe Bryant last spring in the playoffs.The decking of Miller left teammate Ron Artest still sneering later in the dressing room, having to carefully choose his words."He's a good defender, a good player," Artest said of Bell, "but he does that dirty stuff sometimes. When he does stuff like that, I want to fight him. I can't do that, of course, but it makes me want to meet him off the floor for a nice little fight."Said Miller of Bell, who was assessed a flagrant foul: "That's what he does."Bell didn't stick around to comment.</div>I rememeber they almost went at it once a couple years ago when Bell was a Maverick and Artest was a Pacer. Personally I would love to see Raja try to go up against someone like Ron who wouldn't think twice about laying him out if Bell tried anything with him.
I'm tired of this crap with Raja. Someone needs to teach this guy a lesson. He's getting babied man. He levels Miller and is only assessed a flagrant. That's dirty. He clotheslined Kobe last year...I agree with Artest's opinion here. He would also destroy the guy. I'm tired of his arrogant, bad tempered, dirty style of play.
Too much hate on Raja.He plays dirty, yeah. All players 20 years ago played the same way. Atleast he is a player who is out there giving his all on defense. Artest needs to keep his comments to himself.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ Oct 21 2006, 03:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Artest would fu*king destroy him.I hate Raja, he's a dirty player and overrated on defense.</div> Same here, during the playoffs when he was hurt ESPN had him on every 20 minutes like they were awaiting the annoucement of Michael Jordans game status...Ridiculous... Raja Bell is 6'5" 200 pounds and Ron Artest is 6'7" 250 pounds....Artest would pound him into baking soda.
Bell is a wannabe Artest, and now the authentic Artest wants to fight with him....cant wait till they play again. Artest will do something.
I'm starting to think of Raja Bell as more and more of a punk. He was frustrated by Kobe killing him last year so he clotheslined him. He's lucky Kobe didn't respond, because I know kobe would own him. haha I would actually love to see artest/bell. Artest might actually beat bell to death.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CB4AllStar @ Oct 21 2006, 01:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Too much hate on Raja.He plays dirty, yeah. All players 20 years ago played the same way. Atleast he is a player who is out there giving his all on defense. Artest needs to keep his comments to himself.</div>Yeah, whatever, I like both players. 2 flagrant fouls by Bell over 2 seasons and suddenly he's the dirtiest player in the history of the NBA. Why don't all basketball players just wear little pink tutu's and skip around like little bitches? Oh no, he made a hard foul, now I hope someone fights him. Oh and yeah, someone plays basketball better so that means they cnan beat him up too...yeah
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ASUFan22 @ Oct 21 2006, 03:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yeah, whatever, I like both players. 2 flagrant fouls by Bell over 2 seasons and suddenly he's the dirtiest player in the history of the NBA. Why don't all basketball players just wear little pink tutu's and skip around like little bitches? Oh no, he made a hard foul, now I hope someone fights him. Oh and yeah, someone plays basketball better so that means they cnan beat him up too...yeah</div>there's a difference in being physical and being unnecessarily flagrant. What he did to Kobe was totally uncalled for.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (nba dogmatist @ Oct 21 2006, 01:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>there's a difference in being physical and being unnecessarily flagrant. What he did to Kobe was totally uncalled for.</div>That's one play. I guess that girl in Colorado payed him to do it. :shifty2: There are people that make more flagrant fouls than him. Is there a video of this? It probably just sounds bad when it probably just looks like the many flagrant fouls that happen in the NBA every year.
you don't have to get flagrant fouls to be a dirty player. A few different people in the league said he was dirty, just in that article. "That's what he does". so this obviously wasn't just a 2 times in 2 years thing.
I dont see whats so bad about being a dirty player. I think the League would be alot better if there were more dirty players.
They also say he's a good defender but people don't want to give him credit for that, just for the times he does something dirty. But the NBA is full of dirty players, full of druggies, rapists, a few murderers sprinkled in there. Raja gets too much hate when very few NBA players are model citizens and many other players play dirty at one point in time.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (nba dogmatist @ Oct 21 2006, 04:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'm starting to think of Raja Bell as more and more of a punk. He was frustrated by Kobe killing him last year so he clotheslined him. He's lucky Kobe didn't respond, because I know kobe would own him. haha I would actually love to see artest/bell. Artest might actually beat bell to death.</div>Wouldn't be so sure about Kobe, he fought like a girl against Reggie and Ward. I do agree that Artest would beat the crap out of Bell, though. Raja is a skinny bi*ch.To people who say being a dirty player isn't a bad thing, you are right. But when you don't have top notch defensive ability to back it up, you're just a little pussy. Raja doesn't have the defensive ability of a Artest or Bruce Bowen, he just plays dirty and still gets burned.
At least he helps in the community<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ASUFan22 @ Oct 21 2006, 01:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>They also say he's a good defender but people don't want to give him credit for that, just for the times he does something dirty. But the NBA is full of dirty players, full of druggies, rapists, a few murderers sprinkled in there. Raja gets too much hate when very few NBA players are model citizens and many other players play dirty at one point in time.</div>And to Nitro, every time there's an article about him being dirty, there's also players who say he's a good defensive player. He's not a top defensive player like Bowen or Artest but he definetly does have the ability. He's a very good defensive player whether you want to give him that credit or not.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CB4AllStar @ Oct 21 2006, 04:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Raja is one of the top guard defenders in the league. He's known for his defense..</div>He's overrated on defense. Kobe dropped 40PPG against him in season, Ray Allen 38PPG, etc... He is not an amazing defensive player, not even ebst defensive player on his team. He's a good defender, but not great, and overrated because he plays dirty with nothing much in terms of skill to back those claims up.
Seriously, everyone that's been assosciated with him or played against him knows he's a good defender. Artest in this thread, Manu Ginobli when we signed him, D'Antoni(obviously), Barbosa(he helped him improve his D, Jerry Sloan(former coach), his college coach, every fan of any team he's played with. Don't try to take credit away from him there.<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ Oct 21 2006, 02:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>He's overrated on defense. Kobe dropped 40PPG against him in season, Ray Allen 38PPG, etc... He is not an amazing defensive player, not even ebst defensive player on his team. He's a good defender, but not great, and overrated because he plays dirty with nothing much in terms of skill to back those claims up.</div>I bet you can name a couple games in which Bowen or Artest was torched. No one's saying he's the greatest defensive player in the NBA but he is very good. Not overrated at all. Most good defensive players play dirty btw, they are just good at hiding it except when their tempers get the best of them. Like Artest going in the stands or Bowen's karate kick.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ Oct 21 2006, 06:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>He's overrated on defense. Kobe dropped 40PPG against him in season, Ray Allen 38PPG, etc... He is not an amazing defensive player, not even ebst defensive player on his team. He's a good defender, but not great, and overrated because he plays dirty with nothing much in terms of skill to back those claims up.</div>Maybe Kobe and Ray were hot those days? Opposing points against a player is a really bad way to determine a player's defensive ability. Ive seen him, and he is a good defender.
