i dont know too much about Ariza some people say he an underrated defender but which type of defender is he? there is a difference,some teams value one more than the other. battier is good at both and i think thats y hes so valuable.
He is a great help defender but his one on one defense can definitely become elite. I think he needs to get a little bit more strength without losing his quickness so he can cover the more powerful SF's of the NBA (i.e. Lebron, Melo, etc).
He's a better help defender but he has the potential to be a great man defender as well considering he has the willingness to learn, and the fact that he will put on more weight as he matures. What he's amazing at though is his ability to play the passing lanes. I honestly think he will be the best passing lane defender next year without a doubt. And I'm not just saying that cause he's a Rocket.
Indeed. Just look at the big plays this past postseason in which he was able to disrupt inbound passes in the clutch...one from Anthony Carter and another involving Turkoglu come to mind. I'd look for links, but it's too much iPhone work.
i think he is good at both...at the denver series..he was absolutely owning their backcourt..getting all sorts of steals ...his length and speed is what denver had problems with
I feel his biggest weakness is his strength. So if you have a big wing player like Melo or Lebron, Ariza's pretty much dead. But I think he has the quickness and length to guard those who rely more on speed and finesse though.
First let me say the loss of Trevor devastated me. He's a huge spark for us (was) and a great personality. I'm still feeling sick over it. I wont be able to watch Rockets games. You're gonna love this guy by the end of the first quarter of the first game. Second, he's a decent man defender, probaby a little better than average. Where he excels is help defense, playing passing lanes, recovering to contest/block shots in the paint and on the perimeter. He does a little bit of everything. He'll trigger 8-0 runs for your team by HIMSELF just with help D, and it'll happen in the blink of an eye. So basically, dont expect anything near a Battier on man D, but expect a hurricane on help D. Also, he'll defend quick guards for you better than big SG's or SF's. Sic him on Parker or CP for example, and he'll do as well as anyone.
Here is Hollinger's take, from ESPN: Scouting report: In addition to his other skills, Ariza is a strong defender who has the size and athleticism to become a defensive stopper against small forwards. He ranked second among small forwards in steals per minute, but that cuts both ways -- he needs to gamble less. If he adopted more of a stopper's mentality his path to more meaningful playing time might be easier, but even now he's pretty good. Sounds like he can develop into a good stopper, if he puts in the work. Remember he is still very young.
you just asked an "either or" question. don't pigeon-hole him right now. he is probably a better help defender than he is a one-on-one defender but i think he is really good at both.
