INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Trouble is starting to swirl around the Indiana Pacers, and Ron Artest is right in the middle of it.

The Pacers started the season 14-2, but Saturday night's loss to New Jersey dropped them to 7-8 in their last 15 games. That prompted coach Rick Carlisle to criticize Artest and the team, saying customers ``got gypped'' by the performance.

Artest was benched the entire second half against the Nets after an uninspired first half and a halftime argument with Carlisle.

Carlisle cited Artest for ``conduct detrimental to winning.'' It was the first sign of dissent from Artest this season after he was suspended for 12 games and fined $155,000 last year.

Artest has been frustrated with Carlisle's structured offense, which calls for set plays on most trips down the floor.

Carlisle was ejected in the third quarter for arguing with the officials and delivered a stern message to Artest and the team after the game.

``We've got some guys here who just don't get it,'' Carlisle said. ``If nothing else, if we don't win a game, it's my job more than anything to make sure that they get it. And they're going to.''

Otherwise, he said, players will stay on the bench.

The Pacers were off Sunday and unavailable for comment. A message left at team president Larry Bird's office was not immediately returned.

Among the reasons for Artest's benching was his shot selection. He took three 3-pointers in the first quarter out of the flow of the offense, a move strongly discouraged in Carlisle's scheme.

One of the league's top defenders, he also gave up back-to-back dunks to Kenyon Martin and several times allowed Richard Jefferson a clear path to the basket.

When the Pacers came out for the second half, Artest walked on the floor but was told to sit. He remained on the bench, cheering his teammates, the rest of the game.

Artest's strong, mature play has been one reason the Pacers have spent the entire season in first place in the Eastern. Now he doesn't understand what all the fuss is about.

``He thought something was wrong with me,'' Artest said. ``There's nothing wrong with me. I took three bad shots. Everybody's not going to be perfect all the time. I don't see a problem.''

But Carlisle and other players do.

Players embraced Carlisle's offense as the wins piled up early, but doubt has started to creep in.

``The more we run sets, the more teams are scouting and pre-rotating and making it tough for us to score,'' forward Al Harrington said. ``But I think at the end of the day, we're going to have to start playing (Carlisle's way).''

Jermaine O'Neal refused to comment on Artest directly.

``It's not about the X's and O's,'' O'Neal said. ``It doesn't matter who's coaching, there's players out there not playing. Everybody has to be playing, be effective in some type. Everybody has to perform at a high level for us to win.''

Carlisle talked about sacrificing personal goals for the good of the team.

``We're a team that, quite frankly, doesn't understand what the word sacrifice means because winning isn't easy,'' he said. ``You've got to want it bad.''

Before Saturday night's game, Artest stayed in a private part of the locker room with rap music blasting. He looked uninterested for most of his 13 minutes on the floor.

Artest's actions do not reflect Carlisle's standing with the rest of the team, Harrington said.

``We respect coach,'' he said. ``We respect everything he's done. We know he has had success in winning. We believe in his system, but at the same time, we believe in our abilities, that we can make good basketball plays without a set being called every time.''