Throw Dem 'Bows!!!

Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace (8 PPG, 3 RPG, 27 MPG) threw an elbow to the head of forward James Harden of the Oklahoma City Thunder after scoring a basket in a double-overtime game on Sunday, won by the Lakers. World Peace has a track record as long as the day, though he, prior to yesterday, had stayed out of trouble with the NBA for several years. World Peace, formerly Ron Artest, is the more physically imposing, more normal looking, more offensively skilled but (probably) crazier version of a modern day Dennis Rodman.

This had to hurt. 1

HIS REPUTATION PRECEDES HIM

By my count, World Peace has been suspended over a dozen times in his 13 year career. Unless you are under the age of 15 and are only a very casual or very recent fan of basketball, I am sure the words "Malace at the Palace" have already come to mind. For those who aren't familiar, in 2004 Artest (before he was named World Peace) was among several Indiana Pacers players who were suspended following a minor altercation between Artest and Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace. After the dust settled between Artest and Wallace, Artest lay on the scorers table. A fan threw a soft drink on Artest while he was on the table. Artest and two other players began fighting with fans and the game was stopped with less than a minute remaining.

World Peace is the same man that thanked his psychiatrist on national television immediately following the Lakers' 2010 NBA Championship. He isn't all there all the time. That said, in between headline-grabbing bouts of lunacy, Artest worked hard to restore his reputation. This was "just an elbow". It is dirty; it is serious; players can be and are badly hurt. Elbows, even intentional elbows, are part of the game of basketball.

I'll bet that guy won't do it again! 2

KISS THE SEASON GOODBYE?

Unfortunately for World Peace, he is a repeat (or three-peat or four-peat...) offender. What would normally garner no more than a five game suspension under the most aggravating of circumstances could get World Peace kicked out for the remainder of the season. Realistically, I don't think we will see him until the second round of the playoffs at the earliest.

This is unfortunate for a Lakers team that got off to a not-so-Lakers like start this season but behind the on court leadership of Kobe Bryant and others (including World Peace) the Lake Show looks poised to make a real run in the playoffs. The problem is that World Peace's value goes way beyond his stat line. He is as close to basketball's version of an enforcer (in hockey) as one will find, only with actual basketball skills on both ends of the floor. The Lakers need World Peace to be on his game to have any shot of winning a title.

The Lakers will play either the Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets, or the defending NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks (who swept the Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals last year) in the first round. All three of those teams are less potent when contending with a physical defender like Metta World Peace. World Peace may have not only jeopardized his recovering reputation. He may have cost his team its season.

Harden gives new meaning to "taking one for the team." With World Peace possibly out of the Lakers' lineup, the Thunder, one of the top two teams in the Western Conference, may not have to face the talented Lakers at all in the playoffs. 3

Don't forget to vote in the fan polls!

To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.

The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.

1) Image from www.deadspin.com

2) Image from www.inhistoric.com
3) Image from http://blog.syracuse.com