It’s obvious that the Lakers are not in a better position to win the championship this year. They’re coming into playoffs with fewer wins—57 compared to 65 last year. And there’s a mediocre attitude surrounding the team, fueled by the doubts from media and fans.
A lot of critics are quick to accuse Artest for the Lakers’ current standings. However, is he really to blame?
Artest is a much easier target with his questionable history, including domestic violence, a dud music career, and his less than modest haircuts. For those who like to keep up, he’s currently sporting bleached blond hair.
I’m a big fan of the Lakers but I won’t hesitate to admit that I had major qualms when 23-year-old Trevor Ariza was replaced by 30-year-old Ron Artest. How can I take someone like this seriously?
Indeed it’s much easier to slam Artest and swoon over Ariza. Even Ron-Ron himself has recently admitted that Ariza is a much better player than he is—not better in terms of skills, but in terms of the number of championship rings.
However, if you’re going to criticize someone’s sporting ability, then the least you can do is be objective about it. I don’t enjoy sticking up for Artest, but then I also don’t like the people demoting him just because they don’t like the color of his hair.
Without stats to back things up, I can also speculate that Lamar Odom has dropped his game because he married the high-maintenance Khloé Kardashian.
The lineup this year is practically the same as last year’s, with Artest being the exception. Thus, it’s too easy to anchor this false logi...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
