LOS ANGELES — Late last night in the corner of the Lakers’ locker room, with a smell of champagne in the air, Queensbridge’s Ron Artest was clutching and kissing the NBA’s golden championship trophy for 15 minutes, surrounded by his wife, father, mother, kids and a slew of reporters.
There is no middle ground with Queensbridge’s lightning rod — he’s either a hero or a goat.
By last night at Staples Center, he became a Hollywood hero and first-time champion. Nobody can blame him for anything this season.
On a night a wayward Kobe Bryant needed help, Artest sparkled last night with 20 points, hitting a big 3-pointer with 1:01 left, helping seal the Lakers’ 83-79 Game 7 win. Artest put forth a gritty defensive effort with five steals to win his first ring and thanked his psychiatrist on national TV after the game for helping him relax.
It was Ron being Ron.
Later, Artest bounded into the formal interview room like a reveler, shaking a Wheaties box at the podium, saying he can’t wait to get to “the club” and yelling jovially at the tables of working journalists frantic on deadline. “Hey over there with the laptops, Acknowledge me please!” Artest said.
Artest then turned serious and even apologized to Indiana for the lowest moment of his career, the Motown brawl when he confronted fans in the stands.
“I was so young, egotistical and I bailed out on Donnie [Walsh], Larry [Bird], Jamaal [Tinsley],” Artest said. “I had a chance win with those guys and feel like almost a coward. I never thought God would be put in this situation again.”
Artest, during his wacky interview session, joked about Kobe.
“Kobe never passes me the ball.”
“Kobe passed me the ball! Kobe passed me the ball!” Artest barked to laughter.
Artest was the lone addition to last season’s championship squad, replacing popular former UCLA/Knick forward Trevor Ariza. Artest signed as a free agent and said if the Lakers don’t win a title, blame him. Can’t now.
Not after his clutch trey with 1:01 left put the Lakers up six and all but killed the Celtics. Artest blew kisses after the make and gave some more to the trophy.
Not after Artest got the Lakers back into the game after their horrendous first quarter. The Lakers opened up the second quarter on a 11-0 run – capped by two big hustle buckets by Artest, who made a steal for a breakaway layup, then scored on a putback, putting the Lakers up 25-23.
Before the game, Artest wanted to talk about team, not individual responsibility. (He had shot just 39.8 percent during the playoffs before last night’s gem.
The former St. John’s star talked about being “in the fire” — and it was true on talk radio. The normally sedate Los Angeles airwaves were full of anti-Artest calls after the Celtics won two straight games in Boston to lead the series 3-2. Artest, who has admitted he hasn’t grasped the triangle fully, had looked lost on the court.
“The focus should be what we do as a team — good or bad,” Artest said beforehand. “It doesn’t matter how many points I have but how many we have as a team, how many rebounds we have as a team. If I have two rebounds and we have 50, it’s good.”
Artest also hinted that being judged by his scoring numbers in this Bryant-oriented offense was unfair.
“We got to share the limelight,” Artest said. “I don’t mind taking a step back and not be in front of limelight.”
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Crowds of rowdy revelers poured into the streets around Staples Center after the game, rocking cars, setting bonfires and throwing rocks and bottles at officers.
Nine people had been arrested for public intoxication, vandalism and inciting a riot, but that number was expected to rise, Los Angeles police spokeswoman Mary Grady said.
“As the crowds left the area, we had some groups that decided to celebrate irresponsibly,” she said. “We have certain groups who are starting to cause problems. We are immediately deploying officers where they are needed most.”
Television news footage showed several people jumping on a taxi as it attempted to leave the area after the Lakers win. Someone opened a rear door of the vehicle while others rocked it back and forth. The taxi eventually made its way through the crowd and out of the area.
Television footage also showed a man being beaten and a car set on fire. And there were scattered reports of windows being broken at several businesses.