Metta Sandiford-Artest, known for his cult hero status among Lakers fans, played a crucial role in helping the team win the 2010 NBA Championship. His contributions during the title run are fondly remembered by fans to this day. However, his relationship with the Lakers wasn’t always so positive. In fact, in the 2009 playoffs, Lakers fans cheered when Artest got ejected after an altercation with Kobe Bryant in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals. He was then a Houston Rockets star.
The Incident: Artest vs. Bryant
In an appearance on Byron Scott’s Fast Break podcast, Artest looked back on the controversial incident and shared his perspective. He suggested that his bad reputation led to his ejection, while Bryant’s stellar image allowed him to avoid being penalized for a blatant flagrant foul. Artest expressed his frustration with the referees for not calling the elbow, saying:
“I know [Kobe’s] going to get calls. But when you blatantly see an elbow [and do nothing], I just like it’s unfair. So if the ref wasn’t going to handle it, I said, ‘Cool. I’ll handle it.’ And I didn’t expect to get ejected… All I did was go up to Kobe and say, ‘My brother, that was wrong.’ I was upset. He threw an elbow!”
The Elbow Incident
Late in the fourth quarter of Game 2, Artest and Bryant were battling for a rebound under the basket when Bryant swung an elbow that struck Artest in the neck. Despite this clear act, the referees called a loose ball foul on Artest, which left him fuming. In response, Artest confronted the referee and then approached Bryant to voice his displeasure.
As Artest pointed at Bryant and gestured to indicate that Bryant had thrown the elbow, referee Joey Crawford intervened, stepping between the two players. However, the situation quickly escalated, with the referees interpreting Artest's actions as a threat, even though he only intended to express his anger over the elbow. They deemed his gesture a throat-slitting move and ejected him from the game.
Questionable Calls Against Artest
This wasn’t the only controversial call during the series. In Game 3, Artest was handed a flagrant 2 foul for a hard hit on Pau Gasol, a decision that many, including commentators, criticized as unjust. Despite the tough calls and the Rockets’ eventual elimination from the series in seven games, Artest looks back on the series with fond memories.
He reflected on the fierce competition and the personal nature of the seven-game duel, recalling it as one of the most intense battles of his career, despite the tough calls and the eventual defeat.
Metta Sandiford-Artest’s Legacy
Although the 2009 incident with Bryant and the referees remains a talking point, it marked the beginning of Artest’s transformation into a Lakers legend. He would go on to join the Lakers in the summer of 2009, where his tough mentality and defensive prowess helped the team win the 2010 NBA Championship. Despite his controversial moments on the court, Metta Sandiford-Artest’s legacy in the NBA, particularly with the Lakers, remains solidified.
