"To Lakers coach Phil Jackson's way of thinking, Ron Artest was sincere when he said Trevor Ariza, Artest's predecessor with the Lakers and successor with the Rockets, was a better fit for the Lakers and a better player.

"I think Ron was very factual and honest about it the day it was said," Jackson said. "He said Trevor is a better player. He has a ring. I don't have a ring yet. They both do the job they're capable of doing I think to the best of their ability. Last night, Ron did not have a good game. Two nights before, he did. He has yet to be really consistent with us."

Jackson agreed that Ariza fit better with the Lakers but said that was because Artest is adjusting.

"(Ariza) had the stress fracture in his foot (in 2008)," Jackson said. "He sat and watched the team and came back in the playoffs and wasn't quite available to us, but he got all that time to practice without having to do in-game situations. He had almost a year with us before last year he got out there and played. The timing is a big thing in this offense.

"Ron really tries hard. He has some characteristics about him; it takes a little while to recognize things. He likes to have things pretty much cut and dried. He likes to have precise things."