Trevor Ariza

[KSeal]

Ariza shooting 5-14 for 10 points When is he going to stop shooting so much, holy .

[weebo]

Ariza shooting 5-14 for 10 points When is he going to stop shooting so much, holy .

It's not like the rockets have an assortment of scorers. Maybe if T-Mac ever gets floor time Ariza won't be so trigger happy.

[mystargtr34]

Ariza was a key part of the Lakers last championship ... yet nearly every Lakerfan is trying their hardest to on him this year. .

[mystargtr34]

Ariza shooting 5-14 for 10 points When is he going to stop shooting so much, holy .

As the amount of shots your forced to take increases, your % will obviously drop. You should know since Kobe has been at 45% his entire career because of this very reason.

Ariza is still putting up solid numbers, 18-5-3. Once he gets Yao and another wing creator, whether it be T-Mac or someone else through trade, you will see that % go way up, and his attempts go down. Hes still only 24 too, so he has plenty of time to add to his game and become a much better ball handler and finisher.

[Banzai]

Ariza was a key part of the Lakers last championship ... yet nearly every Lakerfan is trying their hardest to on him this year. .

but not all.

[mystargtr34]

but not all.

I made sure i didnt write all .

You, and surprisingly 21Blessings have been pretty good.

[Allanon]

Ariza was a key part of the Lakers last championship ... yet nearly every Lakerfan is trying their hardest to on him this year. .

Every Lakerfan would love to still have Ariza+Artest.

But we know his limitations...great spot up shooter but not much of a creator.

[mystargtr34]

Every Lakerfan would love to still have Ariza+Artest.

But we know his limitations...great spot up shooter but not much of a creator.

I would hardly call Ron a creator, he is a good post player, but you have three of those already in Bynum, Pau and Kobe. Besides, why would you need another creator. Its hard enough as it is to get Bynum and Pau enough touches while putting aside 20+ for Kobe.

Ron has been fine so far, but Ariza was a very good fit, in that he didnt have to create or have the ball to be effective.

[j.dizzle]

what kind of ing moron would turn down a duo of kobe & artest on the same team..Those guys feed off each other like crazy, its a joy to watch

[Double-Up]

Pretty much this whole damn board that it was a joke for the Lakers to let Ariza walk. Look who's laughing now.

We'll have the last laugh before it's all said and done.

[iggypop123]

i dont think people hate ariza, its just to shut up spurs and other teams fans about how letting ariza go would "doom" the lakers.

[KSeal]

Ariza 7-23, 1-9 on threes.

He has to start shooting less. That's just terrible. Laundry, Scola and Brooks deserve a lot of those shots.

[KSeal]

i dont think people hate ariza, its just to shut up spurs and other teams fans about how letting ariza go would "doom" the lakers.

Exactly. I love Trevor, he was my favorite player last year. But all the haters trashed Ron so much and trashed the Lakers for not keeping Ariza I just love how well Ron is working out on both ends of the floor.

[blink]

for one, houston got a different ron artest last year... the lakers have the luxury of having him at a reduced role, the rockets had to watch him chuck up brick after brick as a 1st/2nd option (depending on who was out, yao or tmac)

second, rockets fans are re ed. whoever thinks you can sign a player to MLE money and have allstar tmac like production is dumb or smoking good . what ariza is doing now is about what i expected him to do. if you go on clutchfans, you have certifiable nuts thinking ariza can do what tmac has done in terms of points and assists

[Culburn369]

We'll have the last laugh before it's all said and done.

Sure.

[Culburn369]

second, rockets fans are re ed.

Double being the head re .

[Culburn369]

Ariza 7-23, 1-9 on threes.

Oh, my.

[The Gemini Method]

I'm thankful for the contributions that Trevor provided the Lakers on their way to the championship. I don't think he's a horrible player--just one who is better in the limited capacity as an integral part of a system where he can pick his spots and make clean-up plays when someone else misses a shot or be the recipient of a pass in the corner for a swing-out 3, not a top scorer who is relied upon to put up volume shots and making a team go on his effort.

[Indazone]

Only reason Ariza is on the floor is for the Rockets to get lottery balls.

[Indazone]

You must have not followed Ron guarding Lebron over the course of his career which is understandable, but it just means you are speaking on something you dont know about. Artest has on average has kept Lebron under his career average FG% 3PFG%, Assists, Reb, PPG, Turnovers higher. Not Saying Lebron might not have huge games since hes just that good, but Lakers have the best that you can throw at him.

I was happy with Artest from the start. Even when everyone was clowning him for shooting so poorly the first few games of the season he was still playing great defense and making great passes in the offense. And now hes shooting the ball well and its climbing with all the open shots he gets right now its at .45% from the field .38% from the 3 point line. Obviously there is alot to gain when you play with such great players that can demand double teams.

I love Ariza I wanted him signed before Lamar before I knew Artest was even available. Hes a young athletic, hustle guy that was improving his skills before our eyes. Its nice for Ariza to get the time and opportunity to improve. Obviously he isnt a great go to scorer. At least not yet. Rockets dont have that many choices right now for that job.

In terms of who got the better of the switch. I always thought Rockets made the right choice letting Artest go regardless if they signed Ariza or not. Once Yao was out and Tmac still recovering whats the point in a older Artest who you would had to pay more then the Lakers paid to keep. Artest only signed with the Lakers for the MLE because the Rockets decided agaisnt resigning him for more. Ariza will have a year to get better for once Yao gets back. And Ariza takes a lesser cap hit then if they would have resigned Artest to what he wanted so they might be able to bring more in.

As for the Lakers. Lakers could have won another Championship with Ariza. Lakers can with another Championship with Artest. They can lose with either. In the now I think Lakers have a better chance with Artest. I love how Artest boxes out guys every time which ive seen Lakers including Ariza not do. And when Ron Artest boxes you out you are gonna feel it. From what ive seen Artest is definitely the better defender the way Artest has played it might not be close in terms of one on one defense. In terms of steals Ariza definitely has the lead there.

Shooting I definitely like Artest's shooting not sure where they stand. Ariza improved alot at the end of last season when he got wide open shots im sure he worked on it all summer. Artest is starting to get in a rhythm now. Obviously now Artest is getting the benefit of the open looks while Ariza may or may not be havent seen many Rockets games. Artest really hasn't got a chance to use his post game but the few times he has its been effective. Ariza didn't have one here he posted up a few times but not really anything to establish any post game with the Lakers.

I never knew Artest was as great of a passer as hes shown so far with the Lakers definitely way ahead of Ariza when Ariza was a Laker, but as a Rocket not sure how much hes improved I saw him makes some nice passes when he played against the lakers this season so he might have upped his game in that category as well. Ariza has and will always have a major advantage attacking the rim with athleticism. Artest can use his body better for contact but has no hops at all. While Ariza can jump out of a gym and posterize people. Thats definitely a different dimension to a game Ariza brings.

Mainly my comparisons are from Ariza as I knew him I know hes gonna improve. As for now and the next 2 to 4 years I think Artest gives the Lakers potentially a better more skilled player. Most knocks on him is his mental state. Definitely a decent point, but im fine with him being wacky because thats him that isnt going to change. I dont expect a big blow out from him to where it would really hurt the team.

Artest is a former All-Star..Ariza not so much

[Indazone]

holy crap and now he thinks he can be an All Star???!!!

Ariza adjusts to scorer's role

By JEROME SOLOMON
Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle

Dec. 1, 2009, 11:12PM





Karen Warren Chronicle

Forward Trevor Ariza paces the Rockets in scoring, minutes played and shot attempts.

It is at times fun and at times frustrating to watch the Trevor Ariza transformation.
You watch him disappear for a while, and you wonder what's wrong. But you almost can't help but root for the kid. Nice guys can jump.
On the “kid” thing. Yeah, he is 24 and in his fifth NBA season, but he is still growing.
Ariza is a work in progress, and his growth this season is about as important to the Rockets' fortunes as any possible Tracy-McGrady-for-a-healthy-body trade general manager Daryl Morey might be trying to make.
Ariza says he is the same guy he has always been, though he is averaging 18.2 points a game and his career high before this year was 8.9. He went from being the fifth or sixth best player on a championship team to being one of the two or three best players on a team that hopes to squeeze into the playoffs.
He is being asked to do things no one has ever asked him to do, but they are things he thinks he has been capable of doing all along.
Ariza loves his new role: lead scorer. He just has to learn what a lead scorer is.
Ariza paces the Rockets in scoring, minutes played (38.9 per game, six more than any teammate) and field-goal attempts.
The offense doesn't necessarily revolve around him, but take him out of the equation and the Rockets wouldn't be anywhere near their 9-8 record.
Ariza isn't playing great, but that's OK for now.
Pressure? Please. The shy yet personable young man sounds as if he isn't feeling any. We like that.
To be better than the middling .500 or so team they are now, the Rockets need someone to step up down the stretch. Ariza believes he can be that guy.
“That's what every player wants,” he said. “Every player that wants to be the best they can be, or wants to be great, they want to make plays down the stretch when they count.”
Repe ion will help

Ariza, who joined the Rockets as a free agent in the offseason, has done that a few times. He needs to do it more often.
Of course, it is easier said than done, but at least he is thinking about it.
Talking to him Tuesday before the Rockets left for Los Angeles, where they will face the Clippers tonight, it was obvious that Ariza is still trying to figure out how to be a go-to guy.
“If the opportunity presents itself, yeah,” he said. “But I'm not a selfish player. If somebody else has got it going, then you ride them out. You don't ever go away from what's working. But if it comes a time where nobody's really got it going and we need a bucket or a play to be made, I want to be the person, definitely.”
The opportunity presents itself for those who demand it. The Rockets are a team that needs Ariza to demand it. With Yao Ming out for the year and McGrady in limbo (he says he's ready, team says he isn't), Ariza has to shoulder the load.
Mustn't stop shooting

The problem is he doesn't like missing shots. That's not a bad thing, but All-Star caliber players don't think about missed shots. They think every shot they take is going to be money.
Ariza isn't a money player yet. He is a very good defender and can score if you don't pay attention to him. If he learns how to score when teams are all over him, he can be a star.
All those “bad” shots you see from the league's best players aren't necessarily bad shots to them. They don't shoot the ball thinking it won't go in.
“Someone has to take those shots,” Shane Battier said. “That's just the way the NBA game goes. You're not going to be able to get a high-quality, open 3-point look at the basket or a layup every time down.
“Defenses are really good. They take you out of first and second options, and sometimes it comes down to who can break down their man and score. For us, Aaron (Brooks) and Trevor are the two guys who can do that.”
Fearlessness factor

It is not nearly as easy to shoot bad shots as most people think it is. Those last-second heaves when the shot clock is running down often come from players who are unafraid to miss a shot trying to make something happen.
Roast Ron Artest all you want, but he made a higher percentage of shots as a Rocket (even 3-pointers) than Ariza has. Doesn't matter. Ariza is getting better. As Battier says, he needs to stay aggressive.
“I hate missing,” said Ariza, who is playing about 15 more minutes a game than he ever has. “The shots are there, and I have to take 'em whether they are good shots or not at times. It's fun to have that freedom, but it's not fun missing 'em at times.
“(Rockets coaches) still get on me for the shots that I don't shoot. It's encouraging at times, but at times I still remember that I try to make the best play possible. I don't want to shoot a difficult shot.”
Ariza thinks he is an All-Star-caliber player. All-Stars shoot and make difficult shots. That's the next step in the Trevor Ariza transformation.
Should be fun to watch. Nice guys can be All-Stars.
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