Artest dismisses haters with tough, clutch performance

It's rare when I have any personal stake in the outcome of the NBA Finals.

I'm 32 years deep in the business, but since I didn't cover the series, it's easy to admit I was rooting hard for the Los Angeles Lakers. There were too many people forecasting doom for the Lakers because they had Ron Artest.

There are many folks who believe Artest to be a bad dude. They believed he'd bring a negative persona to the Lakers that would prevent from winning a title.

Those same folks are the types who would root against L.A. just so they'd be right about their predictions.

You know, true haters.

Some are the type who will never understand Artest or a kid like him in part because they've rarely been around black folks.

I can't blame the haters totally because society's boundaries, visible and invisible, can make it difficult for natural, real and true interaction.

Excluding racial barriers, it's long been my mentality New York City is as racially divided and segregated by neighborhood as any city in which I've been. Forget that melting pot moniker. Yes, there are many types of folks in the city, but often times, their respective neighborhoods are segregated.

'If you are not from there, often times you shouldn't be there.' That was our credo growing up in Jamaica, Queens.

Perhaps the haters never have been around folks like Artest, who is definitely a different breed. There are not many guys anywhere like him.

However, then again, there are guys with personality similarities with whom I (and I suspect) you grew up.

Ron-Ron would have been described as 'crazy' and everyone would know exactly what was meant. He's unpredictable, quirky, sometimes wild and uncontrollable, yet not deemed as dangerous.

Some never will understand the Nov. 20, 2004 night when Artest, then a member of the Indiana Pacers, went into the stands in Auburn Hills, Mi. following a brawl instigated by Detroit's Ben Wallace.

Personally, I understood him losing it when he was laying on the press table and was hit by a cup of ice and liquid. Running into the stands not knowing who threw the cup was stupid, but semi-understandable.

Some can't comprehend Artest wrecking a couple of TV monitors at Madison Square Garden.

Artest, generally speaking, isn't to be messed with. Yet, his teammates have loved him at every stop, including L.A., now. That's because he competes and has major heart.

When the Lakers played Boston in 2008, it was easy to quietly hope Eddie House, then coming off the bench for the Celtics got a ring.

That's because he's a good dude, like Ron-Ron - just nowhere nearly as 'crazy.'

If nothing else, everyone should thank Artest for that post-game press conference, the best-ever, never to be bettered.

Kings and Sixers swap centers and unwanted

The Sacramento Kings and Philadelphia 76ers had tired of centers Spencer Hawes and Samuel Dalembert, respectively. So the Kings included disgruntled forward Andres Nocioni and the deal was done.

In Hawes, Philadelphia received a skilled shooter, who specializes in drifting to the perimeter instead of using his array of low-post moves to provide the threat of which most teams dream.

Dalembert, 29, brings shot-blocking, athleticism and rebounding to the Kings, who desperately need each quality.

Nocioni did not want to be in Sacramento any more than the Kings wanted him. He's a good three-point shooter, but he's going from one bad situation to another. It's difficult to imagine him being happy for long, if at all.

Both moves allowed each team to exchange salaries. Hawes is in the final year of his contract, so he'll be looking to get paid at the end of this season.

Perhaps Hawes can develop toughness over the years. L.A.'s Pau Gasol did, even if he gets knocked down more than any star in recent memory.

It's nut-cutting time

One of the best (and funniest) people I've met during 32 years of covering sports is Lionel Simmons.

They called him the L-Train because of his name, but also because he was one of college basketball's most prolific scorers.

Simmons was a first-round draft choice (No. 7 overall) by the Sacramento Kings in 1990 (one of a record four (Travis Mays, Duane Causwell and Anthony Bonner) and used his knowledge of the game, mental and physical toughness as well as skill versatility to average 16 to 17 points, seven or eight rebounds and four assists.

Simmons only played until he was 28 before knee troubles strongly encouraged him to retire. Knee pain reduced his time on the court. Simmons had enough foresight to consider life after hoops, both financially and physically.

Simmons, despite less than superior athleticism, was an excellent clutch player. Not only did he possess the acumen to get a shot he wanted and could make under duress, Simmons also made plays for his teammates, who early in his career lacked in overall quality.

Simmons used to call those game-turning situations, 'nut-cutting time.' Exactly why, I'm not sure, but the dire circumstances were translated.

You know - do what you do or get off the pot.

You don't have to go home, but you've got to get the hell out of here.

Hit your point or give up the dice.

The NBA Finals have reached nut-cutting time, folks, particularly for the Los Angeles Lakers. They have kicked their margin for error to the curb. The Lakers, who held 1-0 and 2-1 advantages in this best-of-seven series, have to come up big in Tuesday night's Game Six or they are done.

All of Kobe Bryant's heroics will go for naught, unless the rest of the Lakers can play to their potential. The bit players need not perform excellently, but no longer can they get down at a sub-par rate en masse.

The Boston Celtics clearly have stepped up individually to perform as a team at a level at which even the Lakers have had to marvel. Boston's team defense has turned the Lakers normally efficient offense into five guys looking for their first pickup game together.

It's the rare situation when the Lakers are able to uncover an open shot, particularly by anyone capable of consistently make one.

What this series is showing is Bryant is the best tough-shot maker in NBA history. Boston's defense is consistently providing opportunities for Bryant to display this quality.

The Celtics inevitably are able to get one defender, if not two, to challenge virtually every Lakers shot attempt.

The series opened with conversation about whether Bryant had reached Michael Jordan status.

What we've also learned is Phil Jackson better unearth a Steve Kerr clone; a Craig Hodges light at the offensive end. Defensively, Jackson better find some players who will refuse to fold and go gently.

Remember Gasol spoke earlier this series accurately about how Kevin Garnett's athleticism had declined. Perhaps now Gasol realizes that Garnett's heart and desire have not dissipated. And at this point, heart and desire are just as important, if not more so, than athleticism and execution.

Who wants it more?

That's what we'll find out Tuesday night.

Certainly, if the Celtics can win Game Six, it'll be their second victory in L.A. in three Finals games and they will have displayed their mettle to get a well-earned second title in three seasons.

Fast breaks

Ron Artest needs to stop thinking and play.

Boston's Glen (Big Baby) Davis is the classic example for teams to look at how well players can move their feet when drafting.

If those who listen to Glenn (Doc) Rivers manage his team don't realize this guy is a heck of a coach, they'd might want to invest in ear wax removal.

I'm with Bryant. If he needs now to tell his teammates what time it is, this series is over before Game Six begins.

Can Gasol score again against Boston in the post?

If the Celtics were the second-best road team (tied with Cleveland at 26 wins, behind Dallas' 27) and the Lakers were tied with Atlanta, Orlando and Denver with 34 victories behind Cleveland's league-leading 35 home wins, what does this truly mean? Just as much as Phil Jackson's 47-0 mark in series after winning Game One.

Those stats mean nothing - never did, never will. Stats achieved during this series carry far more weight.

More, more and more, yet

Let me see if I've got this right: Tom Izzo is 55 and needs to hear from LeBron James if he should go from Michigan State to Cleveland and make $3 million more a year for the next five years.

As nice as James is, if I'm Izzo and Cleveland is jocking me as hard as it appears to be, I'd crack for another $1 million a year if James doesn't return. For $20 million more during that span, I'd coach the Fat Boys.

All of this college football shagging just illuminates how powerless the NCAA really is in 2010. I'd sure have no problem if 'student-athletes' unionized and asked for a percentage of all this money coming into the mix.

And another thing: I think I should get some of my people (and your people, too) together and work on the safest, secure, plush and stylish strip club on the West Coast.

If athletes, such as Vince Young (since he's in the news right now) can't keep their butts and surplus dinero out of these clubs, somehow I should monetize.

If that's impossible, perhaps establishing Marty Mac's travelling dancing girls could be the hookup. We'd line up a veritable harem of beautiful ladies who could come to the athletes' place of choice so we could keep these knuckleheads out of trouble, particularly public trouble.

Let's see, you are in a strip club and instead of enjoying the company of the ladies, you are talking to some other hard-heads about whatever.

Whatever is right!

Game 5 winner won't necessarily win NBA Finals

The winner of Game Five of the best-of-seven NBA Finals obviously will have two games remaining in which one victory makes it the 2010 champion.

However, a Game Five victory will be no guarantee of a series victory.

The Los Angeles Lakers certainly would gain a huge advantage with a victory and then returning home for Game Six and Seven, if necessary.

The Boston Celtics, armed with a 3-2 lead, would need just one victory in either of those two game in L.A., to win their second title in three seasons.

Yet, I believe it would not be impossible nor totally implausible for either team to win both games in Los Angeles, regardless of the situation. It's more inconceivable to believe people doubt the ability of either team to win a game.

Ultimately, when Game Six arrives, that singularly becomes the focus. There will be only the need to win that game and then it's a Game Seven for all the marbles.

Unquestionably, the Lakers would be glad to play that one at Staples Center, but there's no way the veteran Boston Celtics would fail to relish the opportunity to win that game on the road.

The defensively-oriented flavor both teams utilize almost promise close games that will be won in the final five minutes. That's the way it has been in six games, including two regular-season contests.

Which team can get the most solid performances from the most players? That's what will determine the outcome Sunday, Tuesday and possibly Thursday, if necessary.

If Glen (Big Baby) Davis, Nate Robinson and Tony Allen perform their roles to support the starters, the Celtics will be tough to beat. Conversely, should Ron Artest, Lamar Odom, Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown chime in with timely contributions, that makes the Lakers a formidable opponent as well.

In that scenario, we've got a sweet game ahead.

Consider: Ray Allen has made eight three-point field-goals, each in Game Two. He's zero-for-14 in the other three games.

What if Kendrick Perkins and Rasheed Wallace each receive a technical and are suspended for the next game for receiving seven during the playoffs?

If the league is going to put those restraints on players, shouldn't a player with seven technicals during the playoffs immediately have to go sit down and then miss the next game? If the NBA is going to penalize, why wait until the next game?

For the record, if you can't play 28 games without getting seven technicals, you deserve some penalty.

Who is going to win Game Five? I have no idea and that's the way it should be.

Around the world in a boat alone? Why?

Call me a nut, but if you are 16 or 17 years old, shouldn't you have better things to do than try to sail alone around the world?

It's great Abby Sunderland was picked up safely Saturday by a French fishing vessel, but what the heck was she doing out there alone anyhow?

It doesn't seem as if sailing around the world with one or even two other people would be less of an achievement. I do understand her brother, Zac, also sailed around the world before her.

Then again, my idea of sailing is on the Circle Line around Manhattan or from Manhattan to Staten Island.

Kobe is the man, but Gasol is key to series

Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol likely is the NBA's largest enigma.

However, he's also a major key to how well the Lakers fare in these NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.

Gasol may be the league's most offensively-skilled big man. He can score inside with either hand. He sees the floor well and passes well. Gasol makes 15-footers and can be a force on the offensive boards.

He's listed at 7-feet, 250 pounds and has nights when he's virtually unstoppable at the offensive end.

On this Lakers squad, it's his teammates who most often stop him by failing to deliver the ball. Granted, Gasol will have to work hard against Boston's defensively-oriented squad to get good position.

During two regular-season meetings, Gasol scored 11 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and had four turnovers in 41 minutes of a 90-89 Lakers victory Jan. 31 in Boston. He had just nine field-goal attempts as Kobe Bryant took 20 shots, Andrew Bynum had 13 and Ron Artest got 12 shots.

Bryant (ankle injury) didn't play in an 87-86 loss Feb. 18 in Los Angeles. Gasol scored 22 on seven of 12 shooting and eight of eight from the line. Gasol needs to get in the vicinity of 15 field-goal attempts in order for the Lakers to be effective around the basket.

And it will take mere minutes, if not seconds, for Boston's Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins to lay wood on Gasol. Then Rasheed Wallace and Glen (Big Baby) Davis come off the bench with more physicality.

The Celtics will test Gasol with physical play, frankly, because that's the Spaniard's weakness. This is his opportunity to erase that tag forever. Can he do so? That's a question I can't answer.

I'll always remember Gasol, then with Memphis, signing a max contract then telling Commercial-Appeal beat writer Ron Tillery how the team needed to find someone to defend and rebound. I remember reading the quote and calling Tillery because I just knew the editing process had failed him.

I couldn't believe Gasol said that. Tillery, however, acknowledged those were Gasol's words.

And he said them immediately after signing a max contract. The dude is 7-feet, 250 and looking for someone else to defend and rebound. Something is wrong with that picture.

Basically Gasol said he didn't want to be the man, but getting paid as if he were 'the man' was all good. He can't be criticized for accepting the money offered, but he should have been spanked for shirking responsibility.

However, he lucked into the trade to the Lakers and now can ride side-saddle with Bryant.

Kobe Bean will do his thing and now it's up to Gasol to carry his weight against guys who look him eye-to-eye.

What to look for

The Celtics are the league's best at making scorers do work in crowds. No team surrenders fewer unchallenged shots.

Rajon Rondo scored 21 and 14 points, respectively, during the two regular-season games and also contributed 12 and 11 assists. He had five steals in Boston's 87-86 victory.

Boston's Tony Allen was not nearly as effective or active in the conference finals against Orlando as he was in the semifinals against Cleveland. He suffered from a right ankle injury and his ability to function normally will be a major key.

Allen may be the league's most athletic player to return from a major injury. Allen, you may remember tore two ligaments in his left knee in Jan 2007 dunking after a whistle in a game. You also may remember him dunking on top of Cleveland forward Antawn Jamison's cranium last month in the East's semifinals.

Watch Kevin Garnett jump to knock down shots after the whistle. One only can hope he never injures himself with that stupidity.

In Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, the Celtics have two of the game's best clutch shooters.

The Celtics are 9-2 in NBA Finals matchups against the L.A. Lakers. That stat won't mean a thing in this series.

The Lakers will back off Rondo and make the sometime reluctant shooter beat them from the perimeter. The Celtics will challenge Artest and everyone else not named Bryant beat them from the outside.

Question of the day

Is the Lakers-Celtics matchup the best rivalry in sports?