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Demons have mystical powers. That comes with being a demon. Two years ago, one of Kobe Bryant’s demons strolled into the Lakers’ sullen Game 6 post-blow-out-title-loss locker room. The demon caught up with Kobe literally as Kobe was exiting the shower. After briefly surveying the disappointment and embarrassment on Kobe’s face, the demon said something completely out of character. He told Kobe not to fret for he would see to it that Kobe & the Lakers would never experience such a title loss again. Since the demon was the playing for the Sacremento Kings at the time, I’m sure that Kobe was bewildered.

The demon then attempted to get traded to the Lakers, but no deal could be worked out. Instead he was traded to the Houston Rockets in the summer of 2008. There he would cross paths with Kobe again, usually in elbow-throwing, pushing, shoving and trash-talking scenarios.

The demon’s premonition came to initial fruition when the Lakers defeated the Orlando magic for the 2008-2009 title. But it had nothing to do with the demon.

But in the summer of 2009, both key role player, Trevor Ariza of the Lakers and the demon became free agents. The Lakers chose not to meet Ariza’s salary demands. However, they did meet the demon’s modest demands and signed him as a Laker. Since Ariza had signed with Houston, the Rockets and Lakers, in essence, swapped players.

Pundits and fans across the land poo-poo’d the deal and immediately declared that the destruction of the Lakers was imminent as surely the demon would disrupt their chemistry and couldn’t possibly breathe air in the same locker room, much less on the court with Kobe.

The demon struggled offensively all season…most players do in their first exposure to Phil Jackson’s mysterious and complicated Triangle offense. But the demon was brought in primarily as a defense force…one who could minimize the need for Kobe to bang with, chase around, and wear down defending opposing teams’ best 1,2, or 3-spot players. But still, the experts declared the demon-Ariza awap a disaster, despite the Lakers grabbing the #1 seed in the West.

Kobe confessed to “running on E” in Game 7 of the 2010 Finals. Imagine what he’d have been running on if the demon hadn’t taken the brunt for him during the season and playoffs.

The demon still struggled offensively in the playoffs, but he won the clincher against the Suns with a hustle-grabbed offensive rebound and immediate off-kilter winning put back.

Then came the Finals against the Boston Celtics. “Everyone” knew if the Lakers were to win, it would due to Kobe, Pau and perhaps Derek Fisher. And that’s the way it rolled through the ups and downs of the first 6 games.

Then came Game 7. “Of course” Kobe would channel his inner MJ, score about 45 and the Lakers would win. But instead, Kobe played one of the worst games of his career. “I sucked” were his post-game words. It was not tha Kobe played poorly by normal player standards, leading scoring with 23 points, shagging 15 rebounds and playing stellar individual & team-help defense. But by Kobe’s, fans, and media standards, he sucked.

The Lakers were in trouble, down by 13 in the 3rd Q. The greatest closer in basketball couldn’t hit the Pacific Ocean with a cruise missle. But up rose the demon, aka Ronald William Artest , Jr aka Ron-Ron aka bad-tempered, loose cannon goofball. Ron-Ron played stellar defense on Paul Pierce all game, but his “savior” act came on the offensive end. He scored 20 points, with the biggest shot a three (on which I cringed when he launched it), with 1:01 left in the game, that effectively held off the Celtics’ comeback surge. He immediately blew kisses to the crowd and mouthed “I love you”. And perhaps for the first time since the 2004 “Melee at the Palace” in Auburn Hills, MI, fans…at least Lakers fans mouthed back, “We love you too, Ron”.

Despite sucking pond water in Game 7, Kobe rightfully won the Finals MVP award. No one played better than Kobe for 6 games. But if there was a trophy awarded for MVP of Game 7, it would have unanimously gone to Ron Artest….smiling, happy, loved Ron Artest.

Ron-Ron is still a goofball….a walking sound byte. He is one of the most open and sometimes painfully honest personalities in sports. In the initial on-court post-game 7 interview, he thanked “the hood and my psychiatrist”. Later asked that since he was the unofficial MVP of Game 7, if he was going to Disneyland. His response was no, he was headed to Compton. He then went to dinner with his family wearing his stink-funky, sweaty game jersey under his shirt. He even claimed that Phil Jackson was talking to him during the game…telepathically…which Ron-Ron said he ignored and took that big 3 anyway.

A regular season of psychiatric-guided peace & defensive prowess and two series-closing contributing shots…the latter of which handed the Lakers the title…makes the whole Ariza-Artest debate kind of silly now…doesn’t it? What it really boils to though is one perceived demon, one Finals-winning game, multiple kisses to the crowd and the demon became the savior…the redeemer…the one who made that promise to Kobe two years ago. A life and reputation turned 180 degrees without a PR firm or a an image make-over campaign. You see…redeemers have mystical powers too.

“Ron Artest was the most valuable player tonight. He brought life to our team; he brought life to the crowd.”
— Phil Jackson

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