LOS ANGELES — Ron Artest wouldn’t accept calls from Queens all season, not from family members or friends back home.
“I didn’t want to talk to anybody if it wasn’t about the game,” Artest told The Post.
Artest’s sole mission this season was to win his first championship — so much so that he told the media to blame him if the Lakers don’t repeat.
Now the New York City product is four victories away — the X-Factor whose matchup with Boston’s Paul Pierce may decide the Finals as much as Kobe Bryant will.
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After Artest clinched the Lakers’ berth in the Finals, which begin tonight as Los Angeles plays host to the Celtics, with his 25-point Game 6 explosion in Phoenix, he made sure to give a national shoutout to his native Queensbridge, even having TNT interviewer Craig Sager shout “Queensbridge” into the microphone.
“Everybody is so proud to be from my neighborhood,” Artest said. “Everybody from Queensbridge for some reason is so proud. And I guess I’m still proud to be there. Every chance I get I let them know I’m thinking about them because I’m taking no calls from nobody, even my family. So that’s my way of saying, “what’s up.”
Even with Knicks fans’ minds on LeBron James, there is a good local story at The Finals with Artest and South Jamaica’s Lamar Odom, two Queens guys who’ve played together since they were 12 years old on BQE Express going for a ring in Tinseltown.
Artest was his usual quirky self during yesterday’s availability as he spoke behind a podium at Staples Center. “I feel like Obama at the podium, shoulders up,” Artest said.
Artest went from goat to hero in the Western Finals, hitting the game-winning putback in Game 5 after his miserable night, then unleashing from 3-point range (10 of 16 overall) in the clincher.
But it always goes back to Artest’s defense and holding down Paul Pierce will be huge.
“He always said he enjoys playing against me,” Artest said. “Not too many people enjoy playing against me.”
“I enjoy playing against everyone — from the best player in the NBA to the worst player — from LeBron James to John Crotty.”
Artest said he bulked up this season to get ready for James in The Finals. “The Celtics spoiled that,” Artest said.
Artest shut down Kevin Durant well enough in the first round and now Pierce could be a bigger challenge because of his experience in The Finals. Pierce was the 2008 Finals MVP when the Celts beat the Lakers in six games.
“That’s the story of my whole career,” Artest said. “Anytime someone’s doing great they jump on the bandwagon. Then it changes when I’m there.”
“Not many people enjoy the defensive end. Some people do but they can’t play defense. No matter how they try they just can’t do it.”