Linkabulls:Artest was a drunk Chicago Bull, Nets are back to normal, Raps play no D

Artest was a fan of Hennesy at halftime-ESPN.com/J.A. Adande

Ron Artest claims, and I’m not doubting him, to have gone to the liquor store during halftime when he played for the Chicago Bulls earlier in his career.

“I used to drink Hennessy … at halftime. I [kept it] in my locker. I’d just walk to the liquor store and get it.”

I do find it hard to believe that you could drink and still compete at the highest level against the best basketball players in the world. If anything, aside from showing horrible decision making from Ron, it shows what a freak he is in that he can still compete when sloshed.

I play in a beerleague for softball and have played basketball after a few brews,(not a habit, i’m actually a decent white boy with hops on the bball court) and the point is that I drank once on the ball court, and threw up like I was a freshman in High school all over again.

This makes me think of the Villanova basketball team that had the point guard on cocaine.

“When I was a 19-year-old father, whew. I was a single pimp! I was wild,” he told the magazine. “A lot of marijuana and alcohol — even before [that age]. … I [still] party and I have fun, but not like I used to. I used to drink every night and party every night.”

Somebody smoking marijuana is a non story at this point. The only reason people get excited when hearing about it from celebrities is because there is a notion in this country that everybody who smokes a joint is a burnout.

On his feelings toward Ben Wallace, the Pistons center whose altercation with Artest touched off the melee in Detroit: “I see Ben, I’m on my guard now. I’m always in the mood to fight him. … I’ll get suspended 10 games, 15 games (because) I’ll just fight him right there. It won’t go into the stands.”

If I worked in PR, and they assigned me the responsibility of Ron Artest, I’d quit and start a new profession.

Nets set the record, 0-18-ESPN.com

I saw the second quarter of this game where the Mavericks scored 49 points. Don’t ask me how this happens, but the Nets were overplaying Jason Kidd and letting him throw back door lobs all night. I don’t care how well Kidd is shooting the ball this year, you must make him a scorer and do your best to take away Nowitski and Terry. Play the percentages.

And how about Rodrigue Beaubois? The kid is a great athlete, gives excellent ball pressure with his lateral quickness and long arms, and can shoot it when necessary. Beaubois is a player who thrives in transition which makes it a easy call as to why Kidd works so well with him.

Bosh not happy with ‘D’ in Toronto-Steve Kyler/Hoopsworld

Jarrett Jack-“Anytime a team scores 140 points on you, you can’t say we did anything right on defense. We should be embarrassed. Everybody should be embarrassed.”

Correction:146 points to be exact. Yes, I’m an *sshole, this was established a long time ago.

The Raptors have all the key symptoms to a bad defensive team:No communication on defending the pick and roll, nobody to protect the basket, their team is filled with guys who can’t contain the ball.  Jose Calderon? I wouldn’t let him guard a coma patient. And Bargnani is nothing to brag about either besides from his length.

Just because you have poor individual defenders doesn’t mean you have to be poor defensive team. It’s all about help defense, every player should look as if they are connected by a rope or string. A concept that has yet to make it above the border…

But, Raja Bell is said to be available and could bring some veteran experience on that end of the court although he’s suffering a torn ligament in his wrist. It’s not a certainty that Bell will be out for the year, it could be just a month, which is why contenders are ringing his doorbell. I still think his strengths as a defensive role player and spot up shooter play right into what Toronto needs to do to be successful.

Have the Raptors seen the ultimate decline in defense since appointing Calderon the future? In the end, a case could be made that it was the mistake that heavily contributed to Bosh leaving town.

Cocaine, Marijuana, and Hennessey all in one post for a basketball blog. Hey, it’s in context.

Tags: 0-18, Andrea Bargnani, beerleague, Ben Wallace, Chicago Bulls, Chris Bosh, cocaine, Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitski, ESPN, Hennesy, J.A. Adande, Jarrett Jack, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry Rodrigue Beaubois, Jose Calderon, liquor, marijuana, New Jersey Nets, No D, Raja Bell, Ron Artest, Toronto Raptors, villanova cocaine scandal