http://www.indystar.com/articles/5/141982-2845-036.html
The only way the Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs can meet on the court before next season is if both advance to the NBA Finals.
The mental and verbal games, however, have already begun, thanks to Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
Speaking on a San Antonio radio show Monday, Popovich blasted the Pacers for campaigning for the Defensive Player of the Year award won by Pacers All-Star forward Ron Artest.
Popovich also suggested that Artest isn't the same caliber defender as San Antonio forward Bruce Bowen, who joined Artest on the NBA's All-Defensive team, which is voted on by the league's coaches.
"Bruce guards the best player on the other team almost every single night," Popovich said when comparing Bowen and Artest, who each made the All-Defensive first team Monday. "Artest doesn't do that. Artest just looks the part. He looks like a big, tough guy. He whacks and gets knocked out of the game once in awhile. But that's not the Defensive Player of the Year."
Popovich criticized the Pacers, specifically coach Rick Carlisle, for presenting statistics compiled by two team officials that showed Artest allows players he's guarding only 9.4 shots and 8.1 points per game.
"What a bunch of baloney," Popovich said on the radio show. "Totally unsubstantiated stats put out by Indiana. The media bought it and then the NBA printed those stats. I am amazed by that . . . but the coaches know."
Carlisle and Artest responded with smiles after the Pacers' practice Tuesday at Conseco Fieldhouse.
"I understand where Pop is coming from," Carlisle said. "He has a strong belief in his player, and obviously, I have a strong belief in mine. I don't believe he'd have made some of those comments had he known they were going to show up the next day on the Internet (on the radio station's Web site).
"One thing I'll agree with Pop on is that the coaches' vote is the most important vote. And in the coaches' vote, Ron was clearly the highest vote getter. So it really should make any of the other arguments moot on who the best defensive player is."
Artest received 26 first-team votes, five more than Defensive Player of the Year runner-up Ben Wallace and eight more than Bowen, who finished third in the coaches' vote. He had 54 total points to Wallace's 48 and Bowen's 41.
When asked if he had spoken with Popovich and what was discussed, Carlisle would neither confirm nor deny that they had been in touch. He said only that it was "private information."
Artest praised Bowen for being one of the league's best defenders. Bowen finished fourth in the media's Defensive Player of the Year balloting behind Artest, Wallace and Portland's Theo Ratliff.
"If I had a defender on my team as good as Bruce, I would play nothing but offense, score more points, make first-team All-NBA and win the MVP trophy," Artest said before reconsidering. "Actually, I do have some guys like that on my team.
"I think what would be a good thing is to ask the other players around the league about me and Bruce. Ask the other players who they respect more. I'm not taking anything from Bruce. He's a great defensive player. But ask the guys we play. I do it both ways. Ask them who can guard you and then come back at you on the other end.
"I love the award. And I believe I deserve it. I worked hard."
If there's any other debate about it, Artest said he'd be glad to play Bowen for the right to the honor as the league's best defender.
"We can play one-on-one," said Artest, who was named third-team All-NBA Sunday. "I'll play for the award. We can go one-on-one and see what happens."
Artest, who has never spoken to Popovich, said he didn't like the San Antonio coach's methods.
"All he'd have to do is call the Pacers' office and ask for my phone number, and he could speak to me instead of going to the papers," Artest said. "It's taking a lot of positive away from it. He could talk to the Pacers and call me, and let me know that I didn't deserve it, so I don't have to hear it from you guys."
Pacers forward Al Harrington couldn't believe a coach who has guided teams to NBA titles twice in the past five years could be that "wrong" about something so obvious to everyone else.
"I think he (Popovich) could have handled himself with more class than that," Harrington said. "If you feel your guy is better, fine. But don't bash Ron. Don't take nothing from him, because he does lock kids up every night. We all know that. Everybody knows that."
The only way the Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs can meet on the court before next season is if both advance to the NBA Finals.
The mental and verbal games, however, have already begun, thanks to Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
Speaking on a San Antonio radio show Monday, Popovich blasted the Pacers for campaigning for the Defensive Player of the Year award won by Pacers All-Star forward Ron Artest.
Popovich also suggested that Artest isn't the same caliber defender as San Antonio forward Bruce Bowen, who joined Artest on the NBA's All-Defensive team, which is voted on by the league's coaches.
"Bruce guards the best player on the other team almost every single night," Popovich said when comparing Bowen and Artest, who each made the All-Defensive first team Monday. "Artest doesn't do that. Artest just looks the part. He looks like a big, tough guy. He whacks and gets knocked out of the game once in awhile. But that's not the Defensive Player of the Year."
Popovich criticized the Pacers, specifically coach Rick Carlisle, for presenting statistics compiled by two team officials that showed Artest allows players he's guarding only 9.4 shots and 8.1 points per game.
"What a bunch of baloney," Popovich said on the radio show. "Totally unsubstantiated stats put out by Indiana. The media bought it and then the NBA printed those stats. I am amazed by that . . . but the coaches know."
Carlisle and Artest responded with smiles after the Pacers' practice Tuesday at Conseco Fieldhouse.
"I understand where Pop is coming from," Carlisle said. "He has a strong belief in his player, and obviously, I have a strong belief in mine. I don't believe he'd have made some of those comments had he known they were going to show up the next day on the Internet (on the radio station's Web site).
"One thing I'll agree with Pop on is that the coaches' vote is the most important vote. And in the coaches' vote, Ron was clearly the highest vote getter. So it really should make any of the other arguments moot on who the best defensive player is."
Artest received 26 first-team votes, five more than Defensive Player of the Year runner-up Ben Wallace and eight more than Bowen, who finished third in the coaches' vote. He had 54 total points to Wallace's 48 and Bowen's 41.
When asked if he had spoken with Popovich and what was discussed, Carlisle would neither confirm nor deny that they had been in touch. He said only that it was "private information."
Artest praised Bowen for being one of the league's best defenders. Bowen finished fourth in the media's Defensive Player of the Year balloting behind Artest, Wallace and Portland's Theo Ratliff.
"If I had a defender on my team as good as Bruce, I would play nothing but offense, score more points, make first-team All-NBA and win the MVP trophy," Artest said before reconsidering. "Actually, I do have some guys like that on my team.
"I think what would be a good thing is to ask the other players around the league about me and Bruce. Ask the other players who they respect more. I'm not taking anything from Bruce. He's a great defensive player. But ask the guys we play. I do it both ways. Ask them who can guard you and then come back at you on the other end.
"I love the award. And I believe I deserve it. I worked hard."
If there's any other debate about it, Artest said he'd be glad to play Bowen for the right to the honor as the league's best defender.
"We can play one-on-one," said Artest, who was named third-team All-NBA Sunday. "I'll play for the award. We can go one-on-one and see what happens."
Artest, who has never spoken to Popovich, said he didn't like the San Antonio coach's methods.
"All he'd have to do is call the Pacers' office and ask for my phone number, and he could speak to me instead of going to the papers," Artest said. "It's taking a lot of positive away from it. He could talk to the Pacers and call me, and let me know that I didn't deserve it, so I don't have to hear it from you guys."
Pacers forward Al Harrington couldn't believe a coach who has guided teams to NBA titles twice in the past five years could be that "wrong" about something so obvious to everyone else.
"I think he (Popovich) could have handled himself with more class than that," Harrington said. "If you feel your guy is better, fine. But don't bash Ron. Don't take nothing from him, because he does lock kids up every night. We all know that. Everybody knows that."
