Think Metta World Peace doesn’t make a world of difference? In the postseason, Denver’s Danilo Gallinari is averaging 15.2 points per game against the Lakers, compared with 10 in the regular season. The enforcer formerly known as Ron Artest played ravenous defense for stretches against Gallo during the regular season.
Well, World Peace is back for the Lakers in tonight’s Game 7, after a seven-game suspension for elbowing James Harden. World Peace missed one regular-season game and the first six games of the Nuggets-Lakers series.
“Of course he’s going to make a huge difference,” Nuggets forward Al Harrington said. “He’s been making big plays for them all season. Obviously, he’s going to be well-rested. I’m sure he’s going to be flying all over the court.”
Lakers coach Mike Brown told reporters on Friday that the 6-foot-7 forward will start Game 7. Sure, he could be rusty. He has been able to practice with the Lakers, but no workout can duplicate game speed, especially playoff game speed. And sure, he could shoot L.A. out of the game with his streaky 3-ball. But he provides the Lakers with, at minimum, a grit that has been noticeably lacking.
“He’s the one guy that I can rely on, night- in and night-out to compete and play hard and play with that sense of urgency and no fear,” Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said. “I’m looking forward to having that by my side again.”
Many fans and media members have made a big deal about World Peace’s absence from this series though there has been little hullabaloo about Denver missing the injured Wilson Chandler and Rudy Fernandez. But unlike those two, who each averaged more than World Peace’s 7.7 points per game, the Lakers forward has a pedigree, notably in a Game 7. World Peace was arguably the MVP of the 2010 NBA Finals Game 7 against the Celtics.
Stat guru John Hollinger, who invented player efficiency ratings, used ‘s advance stat tools to point out which trios of player combinations had the most effectiveness during the regular season. He found 28 three-man groupings of Lakers who played at least 300 minutes together. Of the four-best, three featured World Peace, who is extremely effective at spacing the floor: World Peace-Bryant-Ramon Sessions, World Peace-Sessions-Andrew Bynum and World Peace-Sessions-Pau Gasol.
“I know he’s an important player for them, but we have to focus on our stuff,” said Gallinari, who had 12 points and seven assists in the Game 6 win.
Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com
