Smith: Rockets veteran Trevor Ariza opens up as playoffs loom

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Photo: Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle

Trevor Ariza, who won a ring with the 2008-09 Lakers, says this year's Rockets are a statistically better team than that championship squad.

Starting forward and key defender on the best regular-season team in the NBA.

Friend of James Harden and loudly singing in the backseat during the Chris Paul TV commercials.

Fourteen-year veteran who’s played for the Rockets during two separate eras and won a ring with Kobe Bryant’s Lakers.

And Trevor Ariza is somehow still underappreciated on the 65-win Rockets, who open what could become a two-month playoff run Sunday against Minnesota at Toyota Center.

Harden’s growth and maturation. Mike D’Antoni as the ultimate player’s coach. Toughness and unity in 2017-18. The Rockets dreaming of reaching the same championship peak as the Astros.

Ariza discussed it all as the playoffs approached.

Ariza on what this season has been like:

For us and for me, it’s just not really focusing on everybody else. The biggest part for us is just focusing on what we’re doing. I think that’s what we have been doing and why we’ve been able to be so successful, because we’re not really listening to the outside pressures of the world or everybody else’s expectations. We have expectations for ourselves, which are very high. So as long as we stay confident in each other, that’s all that matters.

Did the Rockets’ disappointing finishes in recent seasons fuel this year:

It just makes you hungrier. It’s just like – I have a bunch of comparisons; I don’t know if they’ll be right. It makes you very hungry. If you see someone or you feel that you’re equally as good as another team or another person and they get what you want, it makes you a little bit envious of them. So I think just the envy of watching other teams raise banners, it just makes you grind harder, makes you work harder, it makes you do that extra hill that you don’t want to do in the summer time. Thinking about all those things just makes you want it more. And that’s what everybody in here has done.

Playing for the Rockets during two eras (2009-10, 2014-present) and watching the organization evolve:

It’s been an experience, that’s for damn sure. It’s been a process. It’s been cool, because I actually get to see players grow. I actually see them get to become who they’re going to be, so that’s been pretty interesting and fun.

How far has Harden come in recent years:

A long way. It’s crazy because it’s like you actually see the talent. You see flashes of the talent. You see games put together where he just dominates to where that’s just become the normal. That’s his normal. And it’s crazy just watching the process. It seemed like it just happened overnight, because he worked so hard for it and he’s so gifted and it’s all coming together for him. He’s leading us to where we’re going. It’s definitely dope to see that.

Harden proving himself in these playoffs:

History always repeats itself, in a sense. This is his road. This is his story that he has to tell or to write. It’s all coming together for him. This is his test. So the rest of it’s yet to be seen, but I know it’s not going to come from lack of work or lack of want. Because we, as well as he -- he wants this, too. Just time will tell.

Having a strong relationship with Harden and Paul:

One thing about me, I know who I am. I know myself and I’m always going to be myself, no matter where I am, no matter who I’m around. And it’s fun. I enjoy being who I am. So that’s me.

The toughness he brings to the Rockets:

I wouldn’t call that being tough. I would call it just me trying to be the best man I can be. I’m not trying to start (stuff) with anybody. I just want an understanding. I feel like there’s other ways you can go about solving issues or problems and, for me, I just like to be respected. I feel like I don’t disrespect people. So if I feel disrespected, I want to understand why.

Being under the radar on this team:

It doesn’t matter to me. It really doesn’t. I don’t play basketball or play this for the notoriety. I play it because I love it. I really enjoy the sport – I love the sport, actually. I enjoy the time that I spend with my teammates. And that’s it. If you like me, great. If you don’t, that’s your fault. That’s bad on you, because I’m going to give you everything I have and that’s it.

Seeing the full NBA life during his career:

Yeah, I have. And it’s a good and a bad thing. I’ve learned a whole lot just being in this business. Made a lot of friends. But the most important thing is that I’m grateful for everything that the game has given me. It’s given me a lot of knowledge, it’s given me a lot of things that I could never dream of.

Best team he’s been on, could be better than NBA champion 2008-09 Lakers:

Statistically we’re better. Now it’s coming down to the time where it really counts and it really matters. It all just depends on how well we do these next two months.

Playing for D’Antoni:

Man, he’s been unbelievable. He is like the ultimate player’s coach. Everybody wants to play for him. Everybody should get an opportunity to play for him, because he just gives you so much confidence as a player. He wants you to do well and he told everybody from the jump, ‘This is going to be your best year. Every year, you’re going to do something better than you did last year.’ … With a coach like that, you can only want to play for him and give him everything you have.

Winning a championship for Rockets fans:

That would be everything. I feel like, just to see the joy that the Astros have brought to this city, see how excited people were for that – right down the street – and to hopefully bring that same type of excitement and joy and proud feeling in this building would be amazing.

Having a lead voice on the team:

I have seen everything in this league. Everything. I do think people come to me for certain things, certain advice. Or if there’s something that needs to be said, we are all mature enough to where we can tell each other exactly what we feel and not take it the wrong way. It’s definitely developed more this year. We have more of a veteran team this season and everybody’s goal is the same. Knowing that we’re all playing for the same goal, everything is about winning. Nothing else matters. Nothing else matters.