No doubt Adelman is praying for Budinger to heal quickly. At this point, I am really wondering if Ariza's confidence is going to be permanently shaken by all of this. He looks miserable on the court to me. A healthy Von Wafer would have been huge for this team right now.
It's funny how this off-season a lot of people on this Message Board said Wafer would be easy to replace. I didn't agree with it then and I still don't agree.
Move Ariza back to the small forward position. He is limber enough for 2 guard, he can play the spot for a stretch, but he's not a full time feature scoring guard. Put him back in the Tayshaun Prince-lite role. Disruptor on defense, slashing and finishing on offense. Like we've been saying, he's redundant to Battier. But Battier is the team leader and captain and will not be unseated out his starting role that easy.
Even though Ron had his issues on court, and supposedly off court at times. I'd still take him over Ariza. Why? He's a better basketball player.
Yep. We collectively complained for years about the need for an offensive-minded, aggressive, slashing SG who scored efficiently on both two point field goals and three pointers. Then, we finally get one for a bargain price and everyone acts like players like that at that price grow on trees. I never understood that.
I expect Ariza will eventually adjust and fit in. When he does, he'll be a great pick up. Right now, however, it's painful to watch.
His age? He is only 24. I agree that he is unlikely to be a long term primary scoring option, but I think alot of people have unrealistically high expectations of what we were going to get from a mid level exception role player who is forced into the primary scorer role for the first time in his life, with no Yao Ming or other all star demanding double teams on a consistent basis. He does take some bad shots and make some bad decisions, but I think most of them are in the flow of the offense, and I suspect the coaches are telling him to be aggressive with his shooting. He doesn't dribble out the whole shot clock like some of our players have in the past. He is also facing much better defenders than in the past. In LA, Bryant got the other teams best defensive wing player. Here Ariza is facing that guy. If Ariza is still the primary scorer and taking the same shots next year I will be upset too. But this year I am willing to let him learn on the job with the hope that it makes him better in years to come because we realisitcally aren't contenders this year anyway barring a major trade.
Everyone kept saying they trusted Morey would find a gem just like he found Wafer. They made it seem like it was so easy. When Taylor was drafted I remember numerous of people making it seem like he could easily replace what Wafer brought to the table just off the fact that Morey drafted him. Hopefully those people have realized no matter how great a GM is it is tough to find players that can come off the bench and give us what Wafer gave us.
Well, to be fair our previous 2 guard had a max contract so it wasnt like we were holding auditions every season. Luther Head was small but a decent shooter, and fit relatively well around Yao. Barry and Wesley were decent but old.
I don't hate him. His D is good, and he's good for a steal/dunk at least once a game. I don't mind him shooting a wide-open three on a kick-out. With that being said... What I don't want to ever see him do--I mean, I might gouge my eyeballs out if I ever see this again--is dribble. Oh, for the love of God, man, just don't do it! If he could settle down and be a complementary player, a Bruce Bowen type, he could be valuable for that alone. His "trying to create his own shot" is--how can I put this nicely?--counter-productive. When Adelman leaves him on the court while he's laying brick after brick, my blood pressure exceeds safe limits. That's right: Trevor Ariza is killing me, dammit! AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHhh-uh
If you take a shot of liquor everytime he shoots, after awhile, his shot looks like it is going in. Just a fun game you can play.
Ariza is the anti-Rafer. He's the perfect role player next to stars. Rafer would only step up whenever Tmac or Yao went down. How sad is that? We had Rafer here for all the Tmac and Yao years, and now we have Ariza when it's all over.
Ariza is a role player not a star with that said, he needs to practice, practice, and practice to make shots we really need a high % shooting from Ariza
Listen to yourselves. He needs to get better, but....he shouldn't dribble - okay so how is he suppose to get better. If its a weakness, he should be doing everything possible to make it better He needs to shoot a higher FG%, but.....he shouldn't be shooting - okay so how is he suppose to get better. If its a weakness, he should be doing everything possible to make it better He needs to shoot a higher FT%, but....he shouldn't be trying to shoot the ball - okay so how is he suppose to get better. If its a weakness, he should be doing everything possible to make it better We are 18-13, but....he shouldn't be shooting the ball - Okay I guess AB has had 31 solid games...... or the dud Scola put up in the 1st few games. He can't play D and he can't play O, but....Rick continues to tell him to shoot and he continues to guard or take turns guarding the best opposing wing players - okay so we should bench him and play Chase/Battier more and lets forget he is 24 years old with experience and wants to win games. I mean Shane is going to be effective as he gets into his mid-30's. I know lets play T-mac, who is not going to be a Rocket next season. I know lets bring back Luther Head....... 31 GAMES Its the end of the season and we are in last place.......not!! Rafer had 5 years with his horrible shooting but at least Ariza doesn't have that stupid Tear Drop and also knows how to run a fast break and lets not forget Rafer with his horrible FG% was taking shots away from Yao and T-mac, while Ariza is being asked to shoot with no primary #1 option (don't say AB or Landry)
There are many more dweserving people on this team that could be an option before him. Also, you keep bringing up the record as if that excuses his play lol. One does not have to jack up shots or try to learn to create for themselves in a game to learn to do it. Try it in practice until you are good at it, then SLOWLY increase your shot attempts and creation attempts.
