Disgruntled Pacer

Artest says he should have earned defensive honors

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Ron Artest feels he's been slighted.

The Indiana Pacers forward was disappointed to finish second behind Detroit's Ben Wallace in voting for the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year, which Wallace won for the second straight year Wednesday.

"There's a lot of good defenders out there, but I still feel I should have won the award," said Artest, who received two first-place votes.

Doug Christie, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett also received first-place votes.

Pacers coach Isiah Thomas, one of Artest's biggest supporters throughout a season of distractions, said the result was a letdown.

"Considering the people he has to guard every single night and what he's done to these people when he's guarded them, it's disappointing he's not looked at as the best defender in the league," Thomas said. "I believe he is."

Wallace averaged an NBA-best 15.4 rebounds, the highest regular-season average since Dennis Rodman's 16.1 in 1996-97. He also averaged 3.15 blocked shots, second only to the 3.23 averaged by Atlanta's Theo Ratliff.

Artest averaged 5.2 rebounds, 0.72 blocked shots and was second in the NBA in steals with 2.3 a game. He was one of six players who played in fewer than 70 games but had more than 150 steals.

Artest missed 12 games because of suspensions for bad behavior and flagrant fouls. He has jawed with Miami coach Pat Riley, hurled a television monitor and smashed a camera after a loss in New York and made obscene gestures toward fans.

Thomas said none of Artest's troubles should matter.

"The game's played on the floor," he said. "I think you should be judged by what you do on the floor. That's it."

 

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