Artest vs. Ariza

Updated 11/04/09
It started as a battle between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets but shifted to Ron Artest vs. Trevor Ariza in the waning seconds of the 4th quarter at the Toyota Center as the Lakers prevailed in overtime, 103-102. Kobe Bryant led the charge with 41 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals but it was heroics first by Artest (15 points, 6 rebounds), who nailed a three-pointer with :30 seconds left in regulation to give the Lakers a 97-94 lead. He then stared down his former home crowd and made the “T” signal for Houston to call time out. But then it was Ariza’s (15 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists), turn to play hero as he calmly drained a three-pointer off a jump ball to tie the score with 0:14 seconds left. A botched in-bounds play by the Lakers forced the game into overtime for the second consecutive night.

Kobe’s three-point play gave the Lakers a 100-98 lead but Aaron Brooks’ (15 points, 6 assists), layup quickly knotted up the score. Bynum’s (17 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocked shots), two free throws after an offensive rebound put the Lakers back up by a deuce with 0:44 seconds left but a Carl Landry (20 points, 8 rebounds), hook shot tied it back up at 102-102. Kobe then found Bynum free momentarily under the basket, where he was fouled hard once again. Bynum converted 1-2 for a 103-102 lead with 24.7 seconds left. With a foul to give, Lamar Odom (14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals), grabbed Brooks on a baseline drive to make the Rockets reset with :13 seconds to go. The ensuing play had the Rockets looking for a go-to guy and no one stepped up. Finally Ariza found himself with the ball and started a drive to the hoop from the top of the key, only to be double teamed by Kobe and Derek Fisher, (0 points on 0-5, 2 steals), who then stripped the ball from him to secure the one-point victory.

dEDGE Post Scriptum
Trevor Ariza did more for the Los Angeles Lakers than what he has been given credit. Ron Artest has been projected to do as much and so much more. But what all of the controversy spins around is quite simple. It’s whether you like Ariza, or whether you like Artest.

They are polar opposites of one another yet very similar in many fashions. Ron-Ron will forever be linked to the Melee at the Palace. His role as an enforcer is one he relishes. Unafraid of confronting a superstar face-to-face (last season’s playoffs against Kobe), in an attempt to intimidate and gain an edge is all part of his repertoire and persona. We fear he is a tick away from exploding into an uncontrolled rage, yet we value his warrior mentality. Likewise, Ariza is not one to shy away from confrontation, in fact, he was amongst the most-hated Lakers on the entire squad. Forget about the Kobe-haters, but can you name another player that was booed by opposing fans more consistently than Ariza?

Remember Ariza’s “hard” foul on Rudy Fernandez? Remember his confrontation with Hedo Turkloglu in the Finals? Remember his run-in with Sasha early in the season where the two had to separated? Later, Phil Jackson admonished him as needing to keep his emotions better in check. Trevor is a warrior, much like Artest, but unlike Artest, his rise to notoriety has just begun. If Houston thinks they got a mild-mannered choirboy to stand alongside Shane Battier and Yao Ming, they are in for a surprise.
While with the Lakers, Trevor was able to instill a sense of urgency and excitement into the game. Everybody roots for the underdog, and in Trevor, the fans could identify with his mild-mannered personality as portrayed in the media and the lifestyle he led. He was the underpaid guy that did everything that was asked of him. And he hustled, oh, how he hustled. Chasing after loose balls, diving into the stands, sacrificing his body for an extra possession or a few more ticks on the shot clock. Everyone wishes they were Kobe. Ariza was whom everyone admired.

Artest is all about the moment, living, breathing and exhaling in one loud and vocal moment. He thumps instead of walks, prods and pushes instead of holding back, and is unafraid to stand-up for himself to make a statement. These are his positive traits. He brings the same type of energy as Ariza, albeit in a slightly different method. He too, will dive into the stands or chase down loose balls but he will not sacrifice his body, he will sacrifice yours instead.

So, it boils down to which personality you like, Ariza’s or Artest’s. As a Lakers fan, you will learn to love Ron Artest as much as you did Karl Malone. And as you marveled at how much the Mailman contributed to the game, you will appreciate Artest in a similar fashion. Don’t judge a book by its cover, and more importantly, don’t put it down until you’ve read the last chapter.