New Jersey say they can shut down rising star Jermaine O?Neal, but the problem player for them in this series seems to be Ron Artest.  The reason, writes William Rhoden of the New York Times, is because what Artest brings to the table cannot be practiced against.  He brings crazed emotion, defensive intensity.

"Most players play not to get hurt," his coach, Isiah Thomas, said yesterday. "They never put themselves out there physically or emotionally. Everybody plays safe. He plays from a place of pure, raw passion, and it's an angry place. It's a place of defiance.?

"For most players in this league, when a guy scores, they run downcourt. You score on Ron, he's really angry, to the point where he's beating himself up. You want that kind of guy. Those are the kind of guys you win with."

But Artest disagreed with Thomas? assessment of him, emphasizing that he does not come from a dark, angry place.  This is how he grew up playing.

"You can't play with anger. When I was at St. John's, I was so demanding at practice, but my team knew all I wanted to do was win; they knew I wasn't just being stupid. They knew I wanted the best for everybody."