Last Second Heroics

Last year, in the Western Conference Finals, Trevor Ariza made a couple big plays that were enough for the Los Angeles Lakers to squeeze by the Denver Nuggets on the way to an NBA Championship.

The Lakers rewarded Ariza by letting him go to the Houston Rockets, instead opting to sign Rockets forward Ron Artest. Artest has a checkered history. He's a bit aloof, and he's been involved in some of the game's ugliest moments, including a major role in the melee that occurred at the palace at Auburn Hills between Artest's Indiana Pacers and the host Detroit Pistons.

And it's fair to say that Artest has had an interesting run during these NBA playoffs. His shooting has been marginal, his defense has slipped and there have been a number of times when critics have openly questioned his ability to help the Lakers reach the NBA Finals again.

Thursday night was one of those times. Artest was 1-for-8 shooting, including a pair of bone-headed misses that had allowed the Phoenix Suns to tie the game. With 3.5 seconds left, Kobe Bryant launched an ill-fated 3-point shot to try and tie the game. It fell short, but Artest was there. He scooped up the ball and threw it through the hoop as time expired to give his team an improbable win.

Prior to that shot, most questioned why Laker coach Phil Jackson left Artest in the game. Jackson even said in his post-game interview he questioned it himself. But, despite all his failures earlier in the game, in the series, and in the playoffs, when it came to crunch time Artest delivered because he kept coming back.

We all face struggles in our professional and personal lives. When faced with these struggles we can run away, or we can persevere. Michael Jordan is the greatest professional basketball player in history. But before that, he was cut from his high school team as a freshman. He could have let that end his story, but he persevered.

There is a quote I like from the movie "Up In The Air." George Clooney's character says it to people after they've been fired. It's delivered in a bit of a condescending manner in the film as something to offer comfort. But if you think about it, the words can be inspiring. He says, "Anybody who ever built an empire, or changed the world, sat where you are now. And it's *because* they sat there that they were able to do it."

We all face failure and hardship, but it's how respond during those times that defines our character.