Will Ron Artest's Recent Comments Add Fuel To LeBron James' Fire?
Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest took a few moments after Thursday's practice to give his opinion on some of the happenings from a busy NBA offseason.
Artest, in his typical fashion, claimed he really didn't know too much about the Miami Heat's historic offseason, because he was too busy running for mayor, partying and enjoying his summer.
However, when Artest was asked who he thought the NBA's top players were he had no problem offering his opinion on the matter.
Artest said he felt Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant were the NBA's top two players and his toughest defensive covers, but the interviewer's next question was the most revealing.
The interviewer kindly pointed out that Artest had forgotten to add LeBron James, and he asked Artest where James stands on his mental list of top players.
"I can only count to two."
Artest went on to explain that he had not attended school in the past 10 years, so his arithmetic was kind of rusty, but I think you get the picture.
Whether or not Artest really has any courage in his convictions is beside the point, because his statements may have a different underlying meaning.
The Heat's ability to land LeBron James and Chris Bosh in free agency stole a little bit of thunder from the Lakers second consecutive championship last season, and even though no one is mentioning it, the tension is definitely there.
The Lakers are saying all the right things in front of the camera, such as the importance of maintaining focus and the need to get healthy, but underneath, they may feel a little pissed.
Miami has become the NBA's latest paper champion while the team that earned the title on the court is forced to sit back and bear witness to the Heat's premature coronation.
That attitude was definitely strewn throughout Artest's recent comments, and an earlier remark by Bryant may be proof that the Lakers will enter the 2010-11 season with a different level of focus.
When Bryant was recently asked about the Heat's team, his only response was he wished he could speed up the rehabilitation on his knee and get the season started.
The Lakers are showing a sense of urgency that is usually reserved for April and May, and fans have to appreciate that this season's version of the Lake Show might actually play with a purpose from the start.
Artest's comments about James were merely a way to express his feelings that the championship train still runs through Los Angeles, because beyond the shock quality there was little truth in his words.
Maybe Artest is just pumping himself up for a potential finals meeting with James, because in reality, James poses more of a problem than any small forward Artest faced last season, including Durant.
Artest was able to bully Durant physically and limit his offense to the perimeter in the playoffs, but James is the one player who has the size and strength to stand up to Artest and the quickness to get by him.
James will likely disregard Artest's recent comments or either add his name to the long list of people he feels disrespected him this offseason, but it's doubtful he will gain any motivation from Artest's words.
In two regular season games last year, Artest struggled to defend James, but in his defense, Artest was still learning the nuances of the Lakers' schemes.
As the season progressed Artest became the Lakers' primary defensive weapon, and his performance against Durant and Paul Pierce in the finals was a thing of beauty.
Artest, like Bryant and Phil Jackson, are very aware that all the league's attention has been shifted to Miami, but his recent declaration was more like an answer to that challenge.
As the defending NBA champions, the Lakers have nothing to prove, but their recent comments regarding the formation of Miami's super team suggest they might start the season with an attitude that they do.
