The problem is that he doesn't have any strengths, really. An occaisional drive for a dunk and a few steals...but you have my vote on this one. I'd prefer von Wafer and Buddinger on the court.
A career role player doing what a star player supposed to do. Ariza is playing not too bad when you think of this.
Heck yes...right now Shane is better as a defender than Trevor is....but if you have to start one, start the guy that needs to grow and bring Shane off the bench. I would still start Cbud or Von as a contrasting offensive player to either Battier or Ariza... And honestly if you want to win NOW...you start Battier and Cbud and sit Trevor. DD
I admittedly DO hate Trevor Ariza b/c of how he was advertised. I think too much was made of his post-season performance last year imho. The regular season is entirely different. Longer, more arduous, and quite frankly, more demanding from a night-in-night-out standpoint. Consistency matters. Appreciated - yes. But 3 Pt Shooting in return? 31.3%... which is comparable to KObe... But Kobe shoots 48.5% overall. wherestheinstantoffense?SAGE
The 3 point % and FT % is understandable. Thats his career average. You'd like him to shot 80% FT, 40% 3's but he's never shown that. He is what he is there. Its that darn FG% that's WAY below his career average. In truth, Ariza is about a 47% shooter the past 3 years, very acceptable. This is tremendous slumping. Its one thing if its like Shaq who goes from 65% FG to 55% FG, or Landry doing that. How its so good already they have nowhere to go but down. Its that Ariza's playing way different, out of his usual scoring method to a total FAULT. Its the bad forced shots along with bad dribbling and costly turnovers, with leads to pouting and frustration and slacking on defense and total collapse. I mean, would you sign a 24 year old Matt Harpring and tell him he has free reign to emulate Vince Carter?
Interesting statistic with Trevor Ariza. 0 days rest - 18.1 points per game (37.7% FG), 5.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.8 steals, 2.5 turnovers. 1 day rest - 14.3 points per game (33.8 FG), 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2 steals, 2.5 turnovers. 2 days rest - 17.4 points per game (40.5% FG), 5.8 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1.8 turnovers. 3 days rest - 18.3 points per game (50% FG), 3.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2 steals, 2.7 turnovers. games played: 0 days rest - 8 games 1 day rest - 15 games 2 days rest - 5 games 3 days rest - 3 games Total: 1 day or less of rest - 23 games 2 days or more of rest - 8 games Hmm...
Awesome work. But how do the rest of the players stack up? Does the majority of the Rockets players, or even the rest of the NBA players, increase their shooting percentage by 16% when they are well rested? Wow though, 23 games with one day or less of rest. How many other teams have to deal with that kind of scheduling?
the problem here is that the only thing that really seems to be affected by rest or not rest is his shooting %. the other numbers stay consistent and show no real pattern. That means that the issue isn't fatigue. What this tells me is that when there is rest, and therefore practice time, he becomes aware, or is made aware of, other options in the offense so he's not forced to jack up shots. As there is less practice he reverts back to his old ways because he forgets about those other options.
I don't think people appreciate just how historically bad Trevor Ariza has been this season. I pointed this out in another thread recently: - He is shooting worse in every category than Rafer Alston did in his first season here, which was the ill-fated 2005-06 mash unit campaign and by far Rafer's worst year. Worse FG%, worse 3FG%, worse from the line. Worse eFG%, worse TS%. Passing less. Turning the ball over more. - His eFG% is somewhere around 43%. If you don't understand how atrocious that number is, consider that even Ryan Bowen in 04-05 had a better eFG%. When Trevor actually has a decent shooting night, it is an aberration, an outlier. Clutch often joked that Rafer had been in a shooting slump his entire career... but even Rafer was capable of stringing together some decent shooting performances in a row. I can't remember the last time there was a Rocket player that made me cringe every single time he touched the ball. That's what Trevor has become. He touches the ball, and instantly I'm anxiously hoping for him to give it up to someone else. I don't understand why they somehow put it in his head after the signed him that he was now "the man" ... I remember those interviews at the start of the season. I thought it was a joke then, and it's even more ridiculous now. And then it annoyed me when Rick would never hesitate to bench Brooks for a couple of turnovers, but left Ariza to roam wild and wreak havoc all over the court. Worst thing is he actually thinks he's entitled to castigate teammates for mistakes. Really?
keep hating but Trev will be on this team for a while and when a star SG getshere you will all eat your words.
