Heading into game one of the NBA Finals this past Thursday night, the one key matchup that everyone wanted to see was Los Angeles Lakers lockdown defender Ron Artest on the Boston Celtics leading scorer Paul Pierce.

Coming into this series, both these players were playing extremely well in the conference finals and looked ready to help their team win an NBA title.

Obviously, Pierce had already tasted what it was like to be a champion two years ago after beating the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals in convincing fashion, but Ron Artest still hasn’t been able to put a championship ring on his finger and that was his only goal coming into this season with the Lakers.

Despite Paul Pierce being one of the best scorers in this league with the ability to dominate great defenders around the league, Ron Artest got into Pierce’s head early as both players were charged with technicals just 27 seconds into game one after getting tangled up underneath the basket.

Immediately everyone thought this would be an extremely physical series and Ron Artest’s sole purpose in this series was to wear out Pierce with some tough physical approach.

Ultimately, the Lakers went onto victory in game one of the NBA Finals (102-89) with a dominating performance on both sides of the basketball floor and if the Boston Celtics want to compete with the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers there going to have to figure out a way to get Paul Pierce going.

Even though Ron Artest’s defense limited Pierce’s production all night long at the Staples Center on Thursday night, The Truth, as he calls himself, still finished with 24 points and nine rebounds, but he got most his points at the free throw line going 12 of 13 from the charity stripe.

So far, the defending champs look to be by far the better team in this series, but it is way too early to tell how things will turn out. In my opinion though, the Lakers are on their way to winning their second straight NBA title and avenging their NBA Finals loss to the Celtics back in 2008.

Related News

• Doc Rivers is leaning one way about his future in Boston
• Celtics take game one and the early lead in the Eastern Conference finals
• Nowitzki and Pierce re-sign with Mavs and Celtics
• Lakers are interested in forward Raja Bell
• Boston Celtics sign Jermaine O’Neal to two-year deal