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Below are the rules of Pacers Digest. After you have read them, you will have a very good sense of where we are coming from, what we expect, what we don't want to see, and how we react to things.

Rule #1

Pacers Digest is intended to be a place to discuss basketball without having to deal with the kinds of behaviors or attitudes that distract people from sticking with the discussion of the topics at hand. These unwanted distractions can come in many forms, and admittedly it can sometimes be tricky to pin down each and every kind that can rear its ugly head, but we feel that the following examples and explanations cover at least a good portion of that ground and should at least give people a pretty good idea of the kinds of things we actively discourage:

"Anyone who __________ is a liar / a fool / an idiot / a blind homer / has their head buried in the sand / a blind hater / doesn't know basketball / doesn't watch the games"

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"Remember when PosterX said OldCommentY that no longer looks good? "

In general, if a comment goes from purely on topic to something 'ad hominem' (personal jabs, personal shots, attacks, flames, however you want to call it, towards a person, or a group of people, or a given city/state/country of people), those are most likely going to be found intolerable.

We also dissuade passive aggressive behavior. This can be various things, but common examples include statements that are basically meant to imply someone is either stupid or otherwise incapable of holding a rational conversation. This can include (but is not limited to) laughing at someone's conclusions rather than offering an honest rebuttal, asking people what game they were watching, or another common problem is Poster X will say "that player isn't that bad" and then Poster Y will say something akin to "LOL you think that player is good". We're not going to tolerate those kinds of comments out of respect for the community at large and for the sake of trying to just have an honest conversation.

Now, does the above cover absolutely every single kind of distraction that is unwanted? Probably not, but you should by now have a good idea of the general types of things we will be discouraging. The above examples are meant to give you a good feel for / idea of what we're looking for. If something new or different than the above happens to come along and results in the same problem (that being, any other attitude or behavior that ultimately distracts from actually just discussing the topic at hand, or that is otherwise disrespectful to other posters), we can and we will take action to curb this as well, so please don't take this to mean that if you managed to technically avoid saying something exactly like one of the above examples that you are then somehow off the hook.

That all having been said, our goal is to do so in a generally kind and respectful way, and that doesn't mean the moment we see something we don't like that somebody is going to be suspended or banned, either. It just means that at the very least we will probably say something about it, quite possibly snipping out the distracting parts of the post in question while leaving alone the parts that are actually just discussing the topics, and in the event of a repeating or excessive problem, then we will start issuing infractions to try to further discourage further repeat problems, and if it just never seems to improve, then finally suspensions or bans will come into play. We would prefer it never went that far, and most of the time for most of our posters, it won't ever have to.

A slip up every once and a while is pretty normal, but, again, when it becomes repetitive or excessive, something will be done. Something occasional is probably going to be let go (within reason), but when it starts to become habitual or otherwise a pattern, odds are very good that we will step in.

There's always a small minority that like to push people's buttons and/or test their own boundaries with regards to the administrators, and in the case of someone acting like that, please be aware that this is not a court of law, but a private website run by people who are simply trying to do the right thing as they see it. If we feel that you are a special case that needs to be dealt with in an exceptional way because your behavior isn't explicitly mirroring one of our above examples of what we generally discourage, we can and we will take atypical action to prevent this from continuing if you are not cooperative with us.

Also please be aware that you will not be given a pass simply by claiming that you were 'only joking,' because quite honestly, when someone really is just joking, for one thing most people tend to pick up on the joke, including the person or group that is the target of the joke, and for another thing, in the event where an honest joke gets taken seriously and it upsets or angers someone, the person who is truly 'only joking' will quite commonly go out of his / her way to apologize and will try to mend fences. People who are dishonest about their statements being 'jokes' do not do so, and in turn that becomes a clear sign of what is really going on. It's nothing new.

In any case, quite frankly, the overall quality and health of the entire forum's community is more important than any one troublesome user will ever be, regardless of exactly how a problem is exhibiting itself, and if it comes down to us having to make a choice between you versus the greater health and happiness of the entire community, the community of this forum will win every time.

Lastly, there are also some posters, who are generally great contributors and do not otherwise cause any problems, who sometimes feel it's their place to provoke or to otherwise 'mess with' that small minority of people described in the last paragraph, and while we possibly might understand why you might feel you WANT to do something like that, the truth is we can't actually tolerate that kind of behavior from you any more than we can tolerate the behavior from them. So if we feel that you are trying to provoke those other posters into doing or saying something that will get themselves into trouble, then we will start to view you as a problem as well, because of the same reason as before: The overall health of the forum comes first, and trying to stir the pot with someone like that doesn't help, it just makes it worse. Some will simply disagree with this philosophy, but if so, then so be it because ultimately we have to do what we think is best so long as it's up to us.

If you see a problem that we haven't addressed, the best and most appropriate course for a forum member to take here is to look over to the left of the post in question. See underneath that poster's name, avatar, and other info, down where there's a little triangle with an exclamation point (!) in it? Click that. That allows you to report the post to the admins so we can definitely notice it and give it a look to see what we feel we should do about it. Beyond that, obviously it's human nature sometimes to want to speak up to the poster in question who has bothered you, but we would ask that you try to refrain from doing so because quite often what happens is two or more posters all start going back and forth about the original offending post, and suddenly the entire thread is off topic or otherwise derailed. So while the urge to police it yourself is understandable, it's best to just report it to us and let us handle it. Thank you!

All of the above is going to be subject to a case by case basis, but generally and broadly speaking, this should give everyone a pretty good idea of how things will typically / most often be handled.

Rule #2

If the actions of an administrator inspire you to make a comment, criticism, or express a concern about it, there is a wrong place and a couple of right places to do so.

The wrong place is to do so in the original thread in which the administrator took action. For example, if a post gets an infraction, or a post gets deleted, or a comment within a larger post gets clipped out, in a thread discussing Paul George, the wrong thing to do is to distract from the discussion of Paul George by adding your off topic thoughts on what the administrator did.

The right places to do so are:

A) Start a thread about the specific incident you want to talk about on the Feedback board. This way you are able to express yourself in an area that doesn't throw another thread off topic, and this way others can add their two cents as well if they wish, and additionally if there's something that needs to be said by the administrators, that is where they will respond to it.

B) Send a private message to the administrators, and they can respond to you that way.

If this is done the wrong way, those comments will be deleted, and if it's a repeating problem then it may also receive an infraction as well.

Rule #3

If a poster is bothering you, and an administrator has not or will not deal with that poster to the extent that you would prefer, you have a powerful tool at your disposal, one that has recently been upgraded and is now better than ever: The ability to ignore a user.

When you ignore a user, you will unfortunately still see some hints of their existence (nothing we can do about that), however, it does the following key things:

A) Any post they make will be completely invisible as you scroll through a thread.

B) The new addition to this feature: If someone QUOTES a user you are ignoring, you do not have to read who it was, or what that poster said, unless you go out of your way to click on a link to find out who it is and what they said.

To utilize this feature, from any page on Pacers Digest, scroll to the top of the page, look to the top right where it says 'Settings' and click that. From the settings page, look to the left side of the page where it says 'My Settings', and look down from there until you see 'Edit Ignore List' and click that. From here, it will say 'Add a Member to Your List...' Beneath that, click in the text box to the right of 'User Name', type in or copy & paste the username of the poster you are ignoring, and once their name is in the box, look over to the far right and click the 'Okay' button. All done!

Rule #4

Regarding infractions, currently they carry a value of one point each, and that point will expire in 31 days. If at any point a poster is carrying three points at the same time, that poster will be suspended until the oldest of the three points expires.

Rule #5

When you share or paste content or articles from another website, you must include the URL/link back to where you found it, who wrote it, and what website it's from. Said content will be removed if this doesn't happen.

An example:

If I copy and paste an article from the Indianapolis Star website, I would post something like this:

http://www.linktothearticlegoeshere.com/article
Title of the Article
Author's Name
Indianapolis Star

Rule #6

We cannot tolerate illegal videos on Pacers Digest. This means do not share any links to them, do not mention any websites that host them or link to them, do not describe how to find them in any way, and do not ask about them. Posts doing anything of the sort will be removed, the offenders will be contacted privately, and if the problem becomes habitual, you will be suspended, and if it still persists, you will probably be banned.

The legal means of watching or listening to NBA games are NBA League Pass Broadband (for US, or for International; both cost money) and NBA Audio League Pass (which is free). Look for them on NBA.com.

Rule #7

Provocative statements in a signature, or as an avatar, or as the 'tagline' beneath a poster's username (where it says 'Member' or 'Administrator' by default, if it is not altered) are an unwanted distraction that will more than likely be removed on sight. There can be shades of gray to this, but in general this could be something political or religious that is likely going to provoke or upset people, or otherwise something that is mean-spirited at the expense of a poster, a group of people, or a population.

It may or may not go without saying, but this goes for threads and posts as well, particularly when it's not made on the off-topic board (Market Square).

We do make exceptions if we feel the content is both innocuous and unlikely to cause social problems on the forum (such as wishing someone a Merry Christmas or a Happy Easter), and we also also make exceptions if such topics come up with regards to a sports figure (such as the Lance Stephenson situation bringing up discussions of domestic abuse and the law, or when Jason Collins came out as gay and how that lead to some discussion about gay rights).

However, once the discussion seems to be more/mostly about the political issues instead of the sports figure or his specific situation, the thread is usually closed.

Rule #8

We prefer self-restraint and/or modesty when making jokes or off topic comments in a sports discussion thread. They can be fun, but sometimes they derail or distract from a topic, and we don't want to see that happen. If we feel it is a problem, we will either delete or move those posts from the thread.

Rule #9

Generally speaking, we try to be a "PG-13" rated board, and we don't want to see sexual content or similarly suggestive content. Vulgarity is a more muddled issue, though again we prefer things to lean more towards "PG-13" than "R". If we feel things have gone too far, we will step in.

Rule #10

We like small signatures, not big signatures. The bigger the signature, the more likely it is an annoying or distracting signature.

Rule #11

Do not advertise anything without talking about it with the administrators first. This includes advertising with your signature, with your avatar, through private messaging, and/or by making a thread or post.
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Game One coverage from Detroit

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  • Game One coverage from Detroit

    http://www.detnews.com/2004/pistons/...a01-161081.htm

    Pacers take Game 1 from Pistons
    Indiana grabs psychological edge in series, staves off late Detroit surge for 78-74 win

    By Bob Wojnowski / The Detroit News

    INDIANAPOLIS--In games this tight, with stakes this high, with scores this low, sometimes it takes a shot in the dark to win it.

    Indiana’s Reggie Miller, who hadn’t made a basket all night, drilled a three-pointer in the final minute to let the Pacers escape — yes, escape — with a 78-74 victory over the Pistons in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals Saturday night.

    How close was this game? Rip Hamilton’s three-point attempt to tie it moments later barely bounced out, and the predominant sound of the opener was this: Gasp. Get used to it. These teams are clinging to each other like sweat.

    For all the Pistons’ effort, this was a squandered chance, and they knew it. Rasheed Wallace knew it so well, he had one thing to say about the Pacers afterward: “They will not win Game 2.”

    He said it four times, as he sat at his locker, staring straight ahead. That’s all he said. That can’t be all he does, as he finished with four points, hitting one of seven shots. Oddly, Miller hit just one of seven too, but few NBA players have his dramatic flair.

    With such brutally stifling defense, and such brutal shooting, these games will be won in the dirty margins, maybe with one shot. The Pistons missed way too many of theirs in the fourth quarter. Eventually, they’ll have to find someone to make those late shots. After Hamilton’s miss, Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace missed, and their fate was sealed.

    On one hand, the Pistons nearly stole a game despite committing 17 turnovers. On the other hand, they led midway through the fourth quarter and couldn’t hang on.

    After Rasheed Wallace made his quasi-guarantee, Ben Wallace spoke just as tough. He led everyone with 22 rebounds, but wasn’t pleased.

    “That one shot didn’t beat us,” Ben Wallace said. “We made a lot of silly plays down the stretch. We can’t afford to take quick shots or bad shots. Other than that, it was the typical game we expected. We knew we’d have to grind it out.”

    All night long, the Pistons seemed poised to steal a victory, playing a solid road opener. It was a tight tussle befitting the teams, a slugfest only the East’s Beasts could truly appreciate. One of the Pistons’ scoring stars, Hamilton or Billups, would make a basket to keep the game close. Then one of the Pacers’ scoring stars, Jermaine O’Neal or Ron Artest, would try to pad it.

    Again and again, the Pistons would slap on their defense, as if tugging at the Pacers’ jerseys to keep them from pulling away. There was nothing wrong with the effort, barely two days after the Pistons finished that emotional series against New Jersey.

    For the Pistons to hang tight, Rasheed Wallace will have to hang tighter with O’Neal, and work closer to the basket. If we didn’t know it before, we know it now — these are similar teams with similar themes. OK, actually the exact same theme.

    The Pacers’ flashed their motto — “Time to go to Work” — on the scoreboard before the game. Hmm. Sounds like the Pistons’ “Goin’ to Work” theme. I guess Rick Carlisle brought more than his suit collection to Indianapolis after being fired in Detroit.

    He also brought the physical mind-set, which is why this should be one deliciously arduous series. Listen. Everyone knows the subplots, from Larry Brown-versus-Carlisle on up. Players and coaches may hate it but we love it, and this is why: It juices this like no playoff series has been spiked around here since, oh, the Red Wings and the Avalanche.

    If Detroit ever is to become Basketballtown again, as it was during the good days of the Bad Boys, this is the matchup that could do it. The Pistons and Pacers are the two best teams in the East, no discussion necessary. They’ve been churning toward this collision for a long time.

    Both teams have a lot of guys — players and coaches — with a lot to prove. It’s hard to imagine a more-inspired player than Ben Wallace, who was the reigning two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year until Artest dethroned him.

    Wallace admitted he didn’t miss his former coach one bit, and then began the game as if to prove it. The key is, he can’t try to do too much, especially on offense. But this is how it will go, back and forth, strength on strength, star on star.

    “We felt like we should have won this game,” Billups said. “We just got a little impatient down the stretch. But this is going to be a dogfight. This is just the start of it.”

    Great challenges become great confrontations, and can become great rivalries. This is defense versus defense, power versus power, past coaches versus present coaches.

    One game could be an omen, and the Pistons have to be concerned about that. More likely, this was merely the first slug of a long bout.

    Bob Wojnowski’s column appears regularly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Reach him at wojofan@aol.com




    http://www.detnews.com/2004/pistons/...d01-161093.htm

    Lapses doom Pistons
    Late surge helps Pacers steal game

    By Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

    INDIANAPOLIS — You can’t play scared. You can’t go soft, not for a second. Not in this series.

    If you do, you will stand out and you will be exposed.

    The Pistons had too many lapses, too many soft stretches Saturday. As a result, the Indiana Pacers have broken on top in this best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals series.

    Despite shooting 32 percent, the Pacers were able to beat the Pistons, 78-74, before a rowdy crowd at jam-packed Conseco Fieldhouse.

    “They will not win Game 2, I guarantee it,” Rasheed Wallace said. “And you can write it.”

    Well, for that to happen, Wallace will have to produce more than four points and make more than 1 of 7 shots.

    For that to happen, the Pistons will have to do a better job of keeping their composure in the stretch run. They will also have to make sure they don’t lose Reggie Miller on the perimeter in the final minute.

    “We got carried away with trying to be the one to win it for us,” Ben Wallace said. “We didn’t play unselfishly, we didn’t play as a team down the stretch.”

    The Pistons took a 74-72 lead with 1:40 left on a three-pointer by Tayshaun Prince, and then went soft — mentally and physically.

    First, they allowed Jeff Foster to slide in for a layup. Then, after Chauncey Billups shot an air ball on a three-point attempt, they allowed Foster to tip out a missed shot.

    The ball got into the hands of Miller. He missed his first six shots, but, every fan in the house knew this shot was going to be true.

    Swish, three-pointer, ballgame.

    “Once I got hit on the screen (by Foster), I knew he was going to make the shot,” said Richard Hamilton, who led the Pistons with 23 points and had raced and chased Miller all game. “He doesn’t miss those. He just doesn’t.”

    The Pistons still had 30 seconds to get back into the game. Jermaine O’Neal missed two free throws with 19.2 seconds left, but Billups and Rasheed Wallace tossed up air balls on three-point attempts.

    Miller then iced it with one free throw with 6.6 seconds left.

    “It was just the law of averages,” Miller said of his winning shot. “I was going to be the hero or the goat. I figured I had a 50-50 chance and I will take my chances.”

    O’Neal led the Pacers with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Ron Artest, who was an irritating defensive force, had 17 points, seven rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots.

    Ben Wallace produced 11 points, 22 rebounds and five blocks for the Pistons. Billups scored 17 of his 18 points in the first half. He missed all five of his shots in the second half.

    “One shot did not beat us,” Ben Wallace said. “Once we get a lead, we have to get good shots. We can’t afford to not get good shots. We can’t afford quick shots, bad shots, where we don’t get in a position to rebound the ball.

    “This was the kind of game we expected. We know it’s going to be a grind-it-out series between two great teams. But we have to make the right plays down the stretch. We have to play as a team and not just jack up three-point shots.”

    The Pistons also can’t afford to make 19 turnovers. The Pacers turned those into 21 points.

    The Pistons also have to get more production out of their bench, which contributed just nine points.

    They are also certainly going to need Rasheed Wallace to back up his guarantee with some points and defensive stops.

    You can reach Chris McCosky at (313) 222-1489 or cmccosky@detnews.com.




    http://www.detnews.com/2004/pistons/...d01-161097.htm

    Rasheed makes a promise: Pacers will not win the next game

    By Rob Parker / The Detroit News

    INDIANAPOLIS--Rasheed Wallace sat and stared straight ahead. Like a statue in a uniform, he never blinked, never moved.

    More than 15 minutes after the Pistons blew a golden opportunity to steal Game 1 in the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday night — losing 78-74 to the Indiana Pacers at Conseco Fieldhouse — Wallace was still in full uniform.

    His ankles were still taped. His sneakers still on and tied.

    It was almost like Wallace was going to sit there and wait for Game 2 on Monday night.

    While Wallace wasn’t able to deliver for the Pistons — he had just four points and seven rebounds in 36 minutes — Wallace delivered a message to the Pacers.

    “They will not win Game 2,” said Wallace, who didn’t raise his voice. “I guarantee it. You can write it.”

    When asked other questions, Wallace kept delivering the same message. “They will not win Game 2,” he said at least four times.

    This was not some Joe Namath deal or Wallace grandstanding. This was from the heart.

    Wallace said what most of the Pistons were feeling after letting the Pacers steal a victory they appeared to have in their hands.

    The Pistons did just about everything right, but lost. They held the Pacers to just 34 percent shooting from the field, outrebounded the Pacers, 47-41, and outscored their backcourt, 41-19.

    But they didn’t win because they didn’t execute down the stretch in the final 1:40. Reggie Miller’s three with 31.7 seconds left gave the Pacers a 77-74 advantage.

    “We felt like we had all the chances in the world to win,” guard Mike James said. “Coming up short, you don’t get any moral victories.

    “It hurt, but it’s nothing you can do about it now.”

    You can bet Coach Larry Brown will try to grab a handle on the offense down the stretch. Instead of playing solid basketball, moving the ball to the open man and being patient, too many threes went up.

    Chanucey Billups’ three-ball was an air ball with a minute to go and the score tied.

    “We feel like we let one get away,” said Billups, who had 18 points.

    Still down by three, the Pistons missed three more three-point shots. Richard Hamilton’s rimmed out. Billups’ wide-open look didn’t hit the rim and Wallace’s desperation three caught nothing but air as well. “We got away from our game plan,” James said. “Some people felt, for the most part, to try to win the game they had to do it on their own.”

    While this isn’t a one-man band type of team, the Pistons will need Wallace to perform better than he did. He was 1-for-7 from the field. He didn’t establish himself in the paint enough.

    “I think he relied on his perimeter offense,” Pacers’ forward Jermaine O’Neal said about Wallace.

    The Pistons still have a chance to accomplish the mission they set out on, winning one game here. If they don’t get Game 2, Game 1 will hurt even more. In the playoffs, you just can’t afford to let games slip away.

    To their credit, the Pistons weren’t afraid of Wallace’s bold comment. Instead, they embraced it.

    “I’m not surprised (he said that),” James said. “Not at all.

    “We believe in ourselves. He’s a little frustrated. I know he’s a little salty about the way he played. I know he’s going to bring a crazy effort on Monday, so we just have to help him back up what he said.”

    Rob Parker’s column appears Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. You can reach him at rparker@detnews.com.




    http://www.detnews.com/2004/pistons/...d01-161106.htm

    Miller closes strong
    By Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

    INDIANAPOLIS — How’s this for gratitude?

    Before the Pistons’ morning shoot-around Saturday, Coach Larry Brown goes out of his way to praise Pacers guard Reggie Miller, going as far as saying that he has lobbied USA Basketball to put Miller on the Olympic team.

    “I keep begging for him to be on the team,” Brown said. “With the guys leaving, his leadership and the fact that he will make big shots, I think he’d be great.”

    So, how did Miller repay him? By shooting a dagger through his heart.

    Miller, as we’ve seen him do throughout his career, rose up with 31.7 seconds left and drained a winning three-pointer.

    Never mind that he had missed his previous six shots and had been run ragged by Richard Hamilton, whom he playfully referred to as “mini-me” after the game.

    “I’ve seen it before,” Brown said. “It’s like I said, he’s the best clutch shooter in the game. I don’t know anybody I’d rather have take the last shot of the game.”

    It doesn’t matter, apparently, that Miller is 38 and no longer the featured player in the Pacers’ offense.

    “My role is different now,” he said. “My job is to play defense and make big shots.”

    Brown, by the way, was dead serious about wanting Miller on his Olympic team this summer. Miller was on the gold-medal winning 1996 U.S. team, and was the leading scorer on the 1994 gold-medal team at the World Championships.

    “You’ve got to marvel at the career he’s had,” said Brown, who coached Miller in Indiana from 1993-1997. “It’s unbelievable, at his age, to contribute like he does at both ends of the floor.

    “I think he’s one of the biggest stories in our league that you never hear about. You hear about all these other old guys and their contributions, but nobody has made a bigger contribution to any team than he has.”




    Which Pacers player should the Pistons fear most?
    Ron Artest 33.71%
    Al Harrington 8.99%
    Regie Miller 24.72%
    Jermaine O'Neal 32.58%




    http://www.detnews.com/2004/pistons/...d01-161095.htm

    Artest is the driving force behind Pacers
    By Joanne C. Gerstner / The Detroit News

    INDIANAPOLIS — Let’s play a word association game to describe Pacers forward Ron Artest.

    Hothead. Good teammate. Tough defender. Unhinged.

    Maturing. Regressing. Confident. Arrogant.

    Artest can be called many things, depending in the time, place and situation.

    What isn’t in dispute is his talent. He’s one of the driving forces of the Pacers’ success this season. The key for Artest is keeping his emotional volatility under control, avoiding the technical fouls and suspensions that have hampered him in the past.

    He has appeared to turn the corner this year, both personally and professionally.

    “The thing that people forget is that Ron Artest is a young guy,” Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle said. “He just turned 24 this year. Coming off last year, he made the decision that things were going to be different on the court. And he’s kept that promise. He’s made it about basketball. On the other hand, he’s a family man. He’s got three or four kids, and so he’s a guy who’s got a lot going on both on and off the court.

    “When you’ve got those types of responsibilities going on, your level of maturity is going to get stronger as you get older. And it has. And he’s had a great year.”

    Artest likely will be a very important factor in deciding who wins the Eastern Conference championship. If he loses his cool, the Pistons could win. If Artest stays calm and plays well, the Pistons could be in big trouble.

    Artest did the latter in Game 1 on Saturday night. He had 17 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots and was called for just one foul.

    Artest changed his basketball life over last summer, dedicating himself to working out every day with former NBA player Chuck Person. Artest made the decision to improve himself the minute the Pacers were ousted in the first round of the 2003 playoffs by the Celtics.

    The workouts were intense with Person and detail-oriented, but Artest never wanted to give up — not even for a one day.

    He got so dedicated that the Pacers asked him to take a week off during August to stop him from possibly burning himself out before training camp.

    “He kept pushing me and pushing me,” Artest said of Person’s one-on-one workouts. “I got really excited about the workout, I like that. We just worked on new things every day. It was a big-time help. Helped my game to go to the next level I wanted it to go.”

    His tough summer regimen paid dividends this season. Artest has been impressive, keeping his cool, for the most part, and putting a bit of distance between himself and his checkered past.

    He sat out 12 games last season because suspensions and was called for eight flagrant fouls. This season, he has only had one notable in-game run-in with Carlisle, in December, and a suspension for leaving the bench during a fight on April 19. Artest was not involved in the fight during the Pacers-Celtics first-round game, but stepped far enough onto the court to draw a suspension.

    He has been a key part of the Pacers on both ends of the court, making a particular mark on the defensive end.

    Artest was named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, ending Pistons center Ben Wallace’s two-year reign.

    Artest is intense, staring down defenders like he wants to punish them. He’s also quick, physical and long, making him a single-man shutdown force capable of containing the game’s best scorers.

    Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince faced Artest a bit in Game 1 and likely will see him often throughout the series.

    “He is tough, no doubt about that,” Prince said. “You have to give him credit for how hard he works. It’s going to be a tough match-up, but I hope to be effective out there for us.”

    Carlisle became Artest’s campaign chairman for defensive player of the year, having the Pacers staff break down almost every defensive possession in the regular season.

    The video analysis revealed Artest held opposing players to an average of 9.4 shots and around 40 percent shooting.

    On the offensive end, he’s the Pacers’ leading playoff scorer, averaging 20.6 points.

    He is 6-foot-7, 246 pounds, a combination of a dangerous outside shooter who also can slash inside to score.

    “That’s him, man,” Pacers guard Kenny Anderson told the Indianapolis Star. “The thing about him is, he’s so good offensively. He’s working both ends of the floor. I don’t remember the last defensive player of the year that could get it done on the other end like that. Mike (Jordan) is the only other one.

    “So you’ve got to understand, Ron is coming at you the whole game. And the truth is, guys don’t want to deal with that. Not in a game and certainly not in a series. You’d have to be a mental giant to deal with that for an entire series.”

    Carlisle said having a more mature Artest is important for the Pacers. He’s one of the team’s leaders and driving forces, provided he’s not leading the team in the wrong direction.

    “He’s a competitor at the highest level,” Carlisle said. “He’s a team guy that puts winning above everything else. You can only hope to have 12 of those guys if you’re really lucky. If you’re lucky, you have one or two of them. “He’s unique.”

    Maybe that’s the proper word to associate with Artest — just call him unique.

    You can reach Joanne C. Gerstner at jgerstner@ detnews.com or (313) 223-4644.
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