Lakers vs. Heat: Will Metta World Peace Be the Revenge Enforcer for Kobe?

The 2012 season hasn't been a good one for Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace.

He hasn't been a factor on the offensive end, averaging a mere 5.0 PPG, and surprisingly he hasn't been that great defensively, something we are accustomed to him being.

The only productive thing he's done is change his name.

That could change on Sunday when the Lakers host Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat.

All eyes will be on the Staples Center looking to see what, if anything, happens in the form of revenge after Wade's hard foul on Bryant during last Sunday's All-Star Game that resulted in a broken nose and a concussion for the Lakers star.

That's where World Peace comes in.

The name can change, but deep down inside it's the same Ron Artest personality.

Who better to issue a receipt to Wade then the former Artest?

This game could turn out to be a very chippy one, and if it turns into something physical, there's no doubt World Peace will have the back of Bryant.

If that's the case, there's a real hard foul waiting for Wade somewhere during the course of their 48-minute tilt.

Of course the opposite could be true and both teams could simply move on, but no one will be tuning in for that. People want to see what happens next and unless the Lakers and Heat meet in the NBA finals, Sunday is the only opportunity.

World Peace has never shied away from moments such as this and is exactly the guy to exact revenge for Bryant.

He's filled the enforcer role in the past and this Sunday should be no different.

World Peace will pick his spot and take his shot at Wade.

Hopefully after he does it all ends. no one needs this to turn into a circus. It should be a hard shot to Wade for payback and that's it. Nothing needs to escalate any further.

That way we can focus on a potentially great basketball game after that instead of a potential MMA bout breaking out.

But looking up and down the Lakers roster, there's only one man to exact revenge for Bryant.

That's World Peace and expect him to get the job done.