Velcro-Man

  It seems it only took 13 less pounds to remind everyone why Ron Artest was Defensive Player of the Year, and making a late surge to win the award for the second time in his career. Sure that may sound a lil’ crazy, what with Avatar like players like Lebron and Dwight hitting people and blocking everything and anything within sight (even some that aren’t), but Ron Artest is slowly grooving into his comfort zone to be back to Ron Artest.

The “Velcro-Man” Artest has been stuck on his defenders since the All-Star Break, holding seven All-Star caliber players well below their season averages (5.7 approximately).  Artest has been the sparkplug the Lakers have desperately needed these previous games, igniting important runs in the third quarter, while average 5.5 of these bad boys in the last two.

So how good has Artest been? Everyone’s had their doubts about the whole Trevor Ariza/Ron Artest swap, but what’s there to think about at this point? Artest was predicted to melt down, but Artest has been nothing but the model citizen, while Ariza’s already been suspended for throwing elbows, and has been injured since the 27^th with no timetable set. With Ariza sidelined on the Rockets, Artest has been getting physical in every game by any means necessary (literally). He’s held these last seven prolific scorers to average practically four turnovers (Carmelo Anthony, Danny Granger, Andre Iguadala, Shawn Marion, Rudy Gay, Paul Peirce, and Corey Maggette), including eight by Carmelo and forcing Granger into a rugged 2 of 9 shooting night.

Before the season started, Artest made it clear, if the Lakers don’t win a championship this year, “it’s on me”.  Well, with one third of the NBA season left to go, Artest is making sure the Lakers are clicking on all four-cylinders before the playoffs start, and has started by making some personal changes. Artest has a new workout routine in which he runs five miles a day, and doesn’t eat after 9 p.m. “Some people get in a shooting rhythm but I get in a defensive rhythm. I’m in a rhythm right now defensively and I’ll continue trying to keep people under their average.”

The Lakers have made the NBA Finals the previous two years, but were labeled “soft” after their first encounter with a hungrier Boston Celtics team. Ron Artest was brought to this team for the sole purpose to bring with him his aggressiveness, and his desire to win (at times has taken “by any means necessary” to a different level). Artest is transforming this team, and making a transformation himself, to the old RON Artest.