Lakers Continue To Be Artest-ed

Artest close lined JJ Barea Wednesday night,
and it seemed intentional. 

The Los Angeles Lakers have been continually faced with challenges this postseason and will now need to overcome yet another.

On top of facing 2-0 series deficit to the Dallas Mavericks, the two-time defending champions will also be without forward Ron Artest in Game 3 Friday night at Dallas.

Artest has been suspended by the NBA for his flagrant foul on Mavericks point guard J.J. Barea in the closing minute of Game 2.

With Artest playing well offensively through the first eight Los Angeles playoff games and the bench struggling to produce, this could hurt the Lakers.

Artest is the fifth leading score on the Lakers this postseason, averaging 10.5 points a game, well exceeding his 8.5 in the regular season.

In the biggest game of his career last June, Artest played his best game of the postseason in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Against the hated, rival Boson Celtics, Artest recorded 20 points in 46 minutes and made a game-sealing three-point basket late to extend the Laker lead.

The former St. John's standout has proved time and time again, even though he comes with a lot of baggage, he plays his best when it matters most, doing so again in the his team's most recent playoff run.

Artest, with, at times, suffocating defense, has been known to get under opposing players skin and caused them to make uncharacteristic like decisions. He is a former Defensive Player of the Year, winning the award back in 2004 as a member of the Indiana Pacers.

A year later, Artest would be involved in one of the messiest brawls in NBA history at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Artest flew into the the stands to confront a Pistons fan and was suspended by the NBA for the rest of the regular and postseason play, missing a total of 86 games.

So, this is not the first time Artest has been suspended and probably will not be the last, but this one might have come at the wrong time.

The bench has been inconsistent most of the season and even worse this postseason, totaling just 12 points in their Game 2 loss Wednesday and have been outscored in the series 70-31 by Dallas' reserves. Despite that, Los Angeles has controlled the series, leading in most major categories.

The Mavericks have turned the ball over 22 times in the first two games compared to the Lakers' 21. Los Angeles have also outscored Dallas in the paint, 88-72, and outrebounded the Dallas bigs 88-79. But it has been Dallas's ability to hit the outside shot that has allowed them to win the first two games.

The Lakers missed their first 16 three-point attempts in Game 2, finishing 2-for-20 from behind the arch with Dallas putting in eight-of-25. That can not continue, but at any rate, Los Angeles' long range shooting has been atrocious thus far. Lamar Odom has been reported to be the player chosen by Phil Jackson to replace Artest in the starting lineup, meaning more minutes for players like Matt Barnes and the ghostly Luke Walton, who has yet to appear in the series.

This Laker team has faced adversity all year and responded every time. Expect that not to change in Game 3, trying to avoid falling into an 0-3 series hole in this best of seven series. Teams that are faced with a three-game deficit are 0-98 in NBA history, a mountain Los Angeles does not want to climb.

Could the most recent Artest antics cost the Lakers a chance to head back to the NBA Finals for the fourth straight year and the right to defend their back-to-back titles?

Los Angeles and Dallas began their third hand of Texas Hold 'Em with the chips down and ALL IN Friday in Dallas.

Lakers Hitting Stride for June

Barnes adds fresh legs to the Laker bench.
(Bahram Mark Sobhani / Associated Press)

The Los Angeles Lakers headed into Sunday's afternoon game in Texas losers of their previous two meeting with the San Antonio Spurs this season.

Most recently, at home on a buzzer beating tip in by veteran Antonio McDyess. Los Angeles jumped out to an early 34-13 first quarter lead and never looked back, handing the Spurs only their third loss at home this season. Before the loss San Antonio had won 22 straight games at the AT&T Center.

San Antonio has widely been considered the best team in the NBA most of the season and deservingly so with the best record (51-12) and playing the most consistent. The Lakers came out sending a message Sunday, that they are still the two-time defending champions and still the team to beat in the Western Conference despite what the standings say.

The Lakers have won seven straight since the break and have played solid defense, holding opponents under 90 points per contest during that stretch.

It seems as if the Lakers were waiting for the right time to hit the gas pedal and put themselves in a good position for the postseason. It is almost certain that this will be Phil Jackson's last season as a head coach in the NBA. Kobe Bryant and Co. know this and are focused on achieving their ultimate goal for their legendary coach.

Jackson would love nothing more than to finish his career with his fourth career three-peat, securing six NBA titles each with two of greatest players in NBA history.

Most of the season, Andrew Bynum and Ron Artest looked disinterested on the defensive side of the ball if they were not getting their share of touches on the offensive end. That seems to have changed in the second half with both playing superb defense as well as contributing on the other side of the floor. Forward Matt Barnes returned the lineup Sunday with five points and six rebounds in only 14 minutes.

Barnes should also add some depth and energy to a team that is hitting its stride at the right time. These two teams will not meet again until the final week of the season, with the Spurs holding a 2-1 season edge.

With Los Angeles healthy and slowly climbing up the standing, they look primed for their third parade in as many years down Figueroa.