Ariza quietly goes about job of doing it all
Before the Rockets took the court to host Charlotte on Wednesday night, Trevor Ariza’s availability was in question. His left foot was sore and he was listed as probable before the game.
“If it’s hurting him, he won’t play,” coach Mike D’Antoni said several hours before tipoff.
When the lights went down and the starters were announced, though, Ariza was there among the five in his usual spot. Of course he was. Ariza isn’t the type of player
who misses games. He is about as sure a thing as any team could want.
His four seasons with the Rockets have provided plenty of peaks and valleys.
The Rockets have been great and made playoff runs. They’ve also gone through coaching changes, enduring major injuries and losing streaks.
But through it all, Ariza has been a stable force — someone coaches and teams can rely on consistently.
Whether he is knocking down a clutch 3-pointer, converting critical free throws or guarding the opponent’s best player down the stretch of a close game, Ariza is always doing something that makes the Rockets a little bit better.
His stats aren’t as flashy as some of his teammates, as exemplified by his 13 points and six rebounds in Wednesday’s 108-96 victory. He isn’t always a regular in highlight reels.
Ariza’s consistency is one of the overlooked successes of the Rockets this year.
The Rockets are having a spectacular season so far. It’s happening for a lot of reasons.
The team boasts two tremendous point guards in Chris Paul and James Harden. And they work exceptionally well together.
The team plays lightsout offense, and role players like Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson are contributing at a high level every night.
The Rockets’ defensive improvement — largely due to the addition of P.J. Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute — has been stellar.
The development of Clint Capela has put the young center in the spotlight.
All of these things stand out for the Rockets, while Ariza continues to be the steady force behind it all.
“Trevor is the kind of teammate everyone wants,” Harden said earlier this season. “You always know he is going to be good, he is going to be tough, he can always come through. I love having him as a teammate.”
Ariza does a little bit of everything, and he does it all well for the Rockets.
He was initially brought on for his veteran leadership and his defensive presence under coach Kevin McHale, who harped about the Rockets’ lack of a defensive identity.
Ariza fit that mold seamlessly.
And when the Rockets hired D’Antoni, Ariza still fit in well with his style.
He also can score and create on offense and has been a weapon on more than one occasion for his ability to do both.
His length and athleticism make him versatile enough to guard nearly any position on the court.
Coaches love having a player who can play so many different roles, and the forward is happy to if it helps propel the team.
Ariza isn’t a high and low player — just a constant steady force.
“You want a guy like him in your locker room and on the team,” D’Antoni said. “You don’t have to worry about a guy like Trevor. You know what he brings and he makes us better.”
Part of Ariza’s steadiness comes from 14 years of NBA experience.
In that time, he has won an NBA title along with numerous playoff games. He also has been in countless close games that required him to step up at the right time.
His former teammate, Lakers coach Luke Walton, said Ariza was the type of player who never says a lot. But his on-court actions speak volumes.
Ariza doesn’t make excuses for his mistakes. He just moves on to the next play.
“That’s what makes him such a good teammate,” Walton said. “He doesn’t say much at all. He doesn’t have to. He works really hard, plays the right way and just sets a good example.”
For Ariza, it’s about being locked in and focused on the task at hand.
So while the Rockets are one of the best teams in the league right now, he’s still trying to figure out ways they can be even better.
After a win or a loss, his mentality is the same.
He wants to get better, he wants to be competitive and he wants to win.
“He’s always out there, he always plays, he’s always ready,” D’Antoni said. “He’s been so consistent for us. That goes a long way.”