Ron Artest Team Quotations

I didn't know what coach was going to do. He gave me a chance. I was just trying to do things to help the team win. We just fell a little short tonight.

I would rather have him play. You don't want to play against a team that's not full strength.

It's happened to me before. It wasn't, like, the first time. I'm a little bit (more) able to deal with it and bounce back and be that much better. . . . I'm not going to think about putting the team on my shoulders. We're just going to think about winning games the same way we've been winning games.

I saw the team that I was traded to and I just figured we were good enough to get in the playoffs. I still feel we have a championship caliber team. We're in the playoffs and now our goal is to win the whole thing. Everybody on this team is committed. We're going to walk the walk.

You've got to be ready at all times. They have a really good team and they showed us some things we needed to see. They can really shoot the ball. If you leave them open a little bit, they're going to hit shots.

I'm going to play hard. That's all I can do. Things that were distractions to my team in the past - I've learned from my mistakes, and I look forward to those things not happening.

I'm not like the savior. I can bring hustle, clutch shots and intensity to the game. My job is to make this team better. We have the opportunity to do something special this year, and I'm just trying to take advantage of it.

When we are clicking on the offensive end, making shots, you get your teammates involved. That's what I was trying to do tonight.

We needed (a win) bad. One thing I like about this team is guys have confidence in each other. This was another test, but we were at home this time. I'm in better shape. This game was more comfortable (for me) and it's going to get better.

After missing 73 games, the team really stuck in there. The good thing about it is, we are not 100 percent, but we really wanted to win this game and we did.

I don't even think we're the underdogs any more. I think we're the team to beat, just by how we've been playing.

I was more disappointed that we lost as a team as opposed to playing poorly. We just have to move on and get better. The big thing is we should have won this game.

We had a legitimate shot (at a title). We would have been the best team in the East, and (Detroit) took San Antonio to Game 7. That could have been us. I wouldn't say I feel guilty. I just feel I have to win a championship.

You hear about them, but you never know what's true. I'm just waiting to find out which team I'll be playing for.

I don't think we're the underdogs right now. I think we're the team to beat. I think we're going to be the champions.

I like to reach for the stars. Once we get into the playoffs, it's anybody's ballgame. Once this team gets adjusted to each other, I just feel we're one of the better teams in the league.

He played good. He played real smart tonight. He's probably one of the better players on the team right now.