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Lakers' Metta World Peace not living up to name

DID METTA World Peace turn back into Ron Artest? On Sunday, the Lakers forward who changed his name 2 years ago, received a flagrant foul after mixing it up with 6-3 Pistons guard Brandon Knight.

On Sunday, Lakers forward Metta World Peace received a flagrant foul after mixing it up with Pistons guard Brandon Knight. (Carlos Osorio/AP)
On Sunday, Lakers forward Metta World Peace received a flagrant foul after mixing it up with Pistons guard Brandon Knight. (Carlos Osorio/AP)Read more

DID METTA World Peace turn back into Ron Artest?

On Sunday, the Lakers forward who changed his name 2 years ago, received a flagrant foul after mixing it up with 6-3 Pistons guard Brandon Knight.

In the Palace of Auburn Hills of all places!

Some websites reported that World Peace suckered Knight. On video, it looked more like a lightly thrown, sneaky jab to the jaw.

"The play needs to be reviewed because he definitely threw a punch," Knight told the Detroit Free Press. "It felt like he threw a punch."

The incident brought back memories of the "Malice of the Palace," which took place in November 2004 when World Peace was with the Pacers.

In that game - refereed by Tim Donaghy by the way - the then-named Artest was suspended for the remainder of the season (73 regular-season games, 13 postseason) without pay after instigating a major brawl by going after a fan who had thrown a cup of beer at him.

No fights broke out during Sunday's game, which the Lakers won, 98-97.

Afterward, World Peace gave Knight props for his hard play.

"He's a small guy," World Peace told ESPN Los Angeles' Dave McMenamin. "He was trying his hardest to keep me off him. He worked hard, man. That kid, I don't know where he's from [Miami], I don't know what school he went to [Kentucky], because he was guarding me and I was crashing the boards. He's a tough kid, man. He tried to keep me off the glass and he did a good job. That's all I can say. He's a tough kid, very great."

Finally, a win

Congrats to the California Institute of Technology's baseball team, which defeated Pacifica to end a 228-game losing streak that lasted nearly 10 years. The Division III Beavers won 9-7 on Saturday.

The school, unfortunately, is no stranger to losing.

In 2011, its men's basketball team ended a 310-game conference losing streak. Last year, its women's volleyball team ended a 56-match skid.