Top

Ron Artest Name Change

February 24, 2012 by · Comments Off on Ron Artest Name Change 

Ron Artest Name Change, Metta World Peace is playing under a new name this NBA season but his game remains the same.

“I love doing the little things,” said the Los Angeles Lakers small forward after their 94-92 win in Toronto on Sunday.

The former Ron Artest who changed his name officially last September may have entered Sunday’s win over the Raptors with the lowest scoring average of his career, at 4.6 a game.

But he says he still doing what he does best – the fundamental little things that don’t show up on the stat sheet, yet make a difference in winning or losing.

He makes defence an art form with his uncanny ability to slap the ball from an opponents’ hands.

“It’s a team game,” World Peace said. “I really focus a lot on the little things. That’s been my game for my whole career. So I never get frustrated. The thing about me is I can score too.”

He punctuated that comment by opening the scoring in the game with a three-pointer from 25 feet after a steal by Kobe Bryant. He went into the game shooting only 16 per cent from three-point range.

“You can’t be in the game worrying about I’m only shooting 16 per cent, I shouldn’t shoot this,” he said. “I’m going to shoot it and make it…I might miss but who cares.”

He hit another three in the third quarter after the Raptors had cut the Lakers lead to three points.

World Peace made the finger roll layup with 31.4 seconds left, after taking a pass from Bryant to put the Lakers ahead 91-90.

Bryant could easily have taken the ball to the basket himself.

“It gives him a good boost,” Bryant said. “It shows him that in those situations I have confidence in him. It’s a good momentum play for him. He played very well for us.”

Bottom