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2010 NBA Champion and former Lakers star Ron Artest, better known as Metta World Peace, recently shed light on what went through his mind during the infamous blow to James Harden. During the 2012 Playoffs, the Lakers were against the OKC Thunder, which boasted three young superstars in the form of James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Durant.
Regardless, the match started off in the right vein for Metta World Peace, who looked back over the incident during his appearance on "The OGs" podcast. While most fans and critics who saw the incident were convinced that he deliberately led with the elbow, the player himself begged to differ.
He explained that he had had a strong game until that moment, and was particularly excited after a dunk. This led to an elaborate celebration in the midst of which James Harden got caught as well.
Shout out to Harden, I love Harden. This is like, this is maybe 2014. I was playing very well. As a Lakers I was averaging 8 points in my first year. I had one particular season when I was averaging 12, that was like averaging 20. I was playing against OKC, I had 16 against OKC, so I was cooking. I had about 3 dunks that game. As I dunked, I got really excited in the arena.
He went on to explain how the blow might have looked deliberate but was not:
This is where Harden, he was following me. I was dunking and looking at the crowd, Harden has come in and shoved me in the back. I didn’t know who it was. Unfortunately, it was Harden and luckily it wasn’t a bad blow. But it looked back. It looked like I made a ton of contact, but it only looked bad.
Of course, Metta World Peace was well known for his role in physical altercations. He also played a huge role in the infamous Malice at the Palace incident. Another topic that he talked about in detail during the interview.
Metta World Peace was suspended for seven games for blow on James Harden
The incident itself might have been a result of his excitement following the dunks. However, Metta World Peace was suspended for a total of seven games, which was viewed as the right decision at the time. After being called out for a flagrant 2 foul and being ejected, David Stern made the following statement regarding the incident.
"The concussion suffered by James Harden demonstrates the danger posed by violent acts of this kind, particularly when they are directed at the head area. We remain committed to taking necessary measures to protect the safety of NBA players, including the imposition of appropriate penalties for players with a history of on-court altercations."
The seven-game suspension included six playoff games the following year, which was deemed enough punishment by fans and analysts alike. The blow had led to a concussion for James Harden, who was fit enough to continue. The Thunder went on to win the game, and also won at home in Game 5. Paving the way for a 4-1 series triumph.
They were eventually beaten by the Miami Heat, which boasted of the likes of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.
Guess the Lakers players!
