26 Dec 10 2010 NBA Playoffs: Lakers' Artest passes another test

Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesConsider for a moment what was at stake as Ron Artest charged through the lane with less than two seconds to go, Thursday night.Here was a guy who has been much maligned throughout his career.He a head case.He got a temper.His teams don win.He beat up a fan in the stands. New Orleans Saints jersey
Then he gets reborn when the Lakers sign him to replace Trevor Ariza, who eventually signed with the Rockets (Artest team last season). Artest became the de facto stopper on the favorite to win the NBA championship, without the added pressure of having to contribute offensively.Los Angeles, a team in a must-win situation last night, was nursing a three-point lead with the shot clock running down. After a missed shot, Pau Gasol grabbed the offensive board and kicked it out to Artest with just under a minute remaining. Instead of milking the shot clock, Artest fired up an ill-advised shot that missed badly.Uh, oh.Now the spotlight was back on Artest.Phil Jackson chewed him out on the sideline. Kobe Bryant was ready to strangle him. Television screens across Los Angeles were shattered by remote controls.The Lakers could now lose this game, a game in which they held an 18-point lead at one point.Artest blew it.LA might now have to win in Phoenix in Game 6, just to get the series to a Game 7. And they have already struggled New York Giants jersey
mightily there in these Western Conference Finals.Artest, Ariza replacement on the roster in 2009-10, still had to prove he belonged on this team. Ariza had his ring with the Lakers and shown he was a viable part of that team in their championship run. You could sense that Ariza was warming up his phone, ready to fire off an I-told-you-so tweet in his Twitter war with Artest brother, Daniel.Then Kobe air-balled a shot and Artest saw his chance. Jason Richardson, who banked home a three to tie the game, went from hero to goat when he failed to box out Artest. Ron Ron grabbed the board and laid in the put back as the buzzer sounded shocking the Suns and giving himself a reprieve on criticism for another game.Artest won the game for the Lakers.Sure Bryant flirted with a triple double for the third straight game, but he air balled the potential game-winner. Artest cleaned up the mess, and it was because of him the Lakers didn have a chance to further fall apart in OT.So Artest is one game closer to proving to everyone that the New York Jets jersey
Lakers made the right choice in choosing him over Ariza to defend their title.Well have to wait and see if they can outlast the Suns now, so they can get to the Finals and finish the job with Artest, and without Ariza.This article is also featured onCraftyBalky Sports Blog | Eric Balkman Sports Blog