Ron Artest Completes the Rockets

When the Celtics traded for Garnett and Allen, it felt like destiny. The real basic kind that involves fate's machinery and all its geary, logical goodness. Even if there were questions about how the two would co-exist with Paul Pierce.

With Houston's acquisition of Ron Artest, I'm getting that feeling all over again. KG, Pierce, and Allen were stars who had been forced to do too much themselves. T-Mac and Yao are oft-injured studs purported to be lacking in heart, coach Rick Adelman has long been accused of being soft, Shane Battier hustles, but is really nice. Then last year, Carl Landry and Luis Scola showed up, getting nasty in various ways, and for a while the team was unstoppable even with Yao out.

Now, Artest comes to town. Anyone who doubts Ron Ron's many virtues is a puritanical weirdo who needs to pay more attention to the basketball court. But Artest to Houston is just too perfect. The team that just never quite seemed to have enough juice, power and mayhem suddenly gets an absolute freaking overload of it. Who cares about overlap with Battier; why now bother turning the Landry negotiations into a slog? Now, finally, this team need no longer be its own enemy.

The NBA's craziest man, hardiest defender, and most unpredictable force will make the Rockets whole. No more T-Mac worn down by the pressure he places on himself, or Yao expected to intimidate when he can't. Ron Artest will do all that, and more, even if he has to come off the bench to get in the game. He'll score some points, guard any hot hand in sight, and above all, once and for all infuse Houston with the raw, angry gusto of a contender.

The Rockets are complete, even if it might have taken a deal with the devil to do it.

This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.