I would take this seriously, but this article is alleging that because DRPM has him below 45 other SF's, he is a lesser defender than those people. This is a hilarious joke of course, Ariza is ten times the defender Chase Budinger is even in his worst season and Budinger's best season. This is why we need Morey, because he understands statistics. I bet people who read statistics like this article does are the same people wishing Morey would be fired. Ariza has lost a step. In 2016, he will make roughly the league average salary, and he is still better than an average player at his position (i.e. he is easily in the top 20 SF's). He is, at least, a fantastic rotation guy whether starting or off the bench. I'll say this for the millionth time, if you watched the games this year, you know that the utility of projecting our defensive players' performance is 0. There is absolutely no chance on earth that every defensive player we had individually got significantly worse over the same summer. Statistically, that's a ridiculous thing to believe. Keep Ariza and get Courtney Lee. Those two will give us options defending bigger perimeter players as well as the smaller/quicker ones that Ariza struggles with now. It gives us the option of playing Harden at the 2 or 3, and I would love to see Harden guarding 3's and 4's instead of 2's, he's better at that.
Ariza got killed off the dribble countless times this season because he is slow footed. His ability to get steals in great but he is more inconsistent than dwight sadly
He's definitely on the decline, still think he can be a solid defender within a team concept, but probably won't be a starting caliber SF after next year. He didn't shoot a bad percentage from 3 this season though.
For what? I doubt that Morey could flip him for anyone better. All the Rockets can hope is that a different coach and lock room will improve Ariza and Brewer's production.
Ariza is proof of how crappy defensive metrics are. He's still a quality defender. Just as Dwight is. But quality defenders playing in a crappy defense surrounded by crappy defensive players are going to show crappy defensive metrics. However offensively is another question. Ariza is probably that worst ball handling and worst passing small forward in the league. He's a total klutz with the basketball in his hands if he ain't shooting it. Just turrible.
Trevor has not looked good defensively playing off the ball. Like so much of the team, he loses players and is vulnerable to cuts. This might be a coaching issue.
It's an attitude issue. When the leader doesn't dig defensively but wants everybody else to dig hard for stops and turnovers so he can run it down and force it to the rim before they get across half-court he will finally get kick back. Guys aren't going to work hard defensively when they know there's one guy that's just letting his man go and finish on them. They're not going to do it. They're going to start doing what the leader does, cheating, playing upright, ball-chasing for steals, and releasing early so they can run with the leader and keep up offensively. Defense is a team thing. There has to be a good defensive scheme and there has to be defensive accountability. We obviously had neither one this past season.
before the playoffs started no. his rs numbers this season are better than last. now i def would for the right price. with the new cba he'd make a good bench player. but we can get something good from him then dont hesitate. he was historically horrible in the playoffs. he did the same last year vs mavs but this was on another level. i defended him all saeson long and he drops a huge diarrhea **** on the playoffs. get him outta here
Touched a nerve I see. Yeah he was the guy demanding the ball and running down 1 on 3 to finish. You're being totally stupid now. Just a Harden apologist.
coming from a typical Dwight apologist, smh are you going to blame Dwight when our offense sucks? cause that's exactly what you're doing with our defensive issue. Dwight is the defensive anchor and leader of this team, not Harden. He should take the most blame when our defense is not clicking right, and it's not like Dwight's defense has been fine this season. He's been just awful, not contesting shots and doesn't even try to box out.
I will say this about Dwight. He was way took nice to be the defensive leader. He should have chewed Hardens Butt out for dumping assignments. He should have been very verbal and forward with Harden right out there on the court ala KG. KG would never in a million years sit still and hold his tongue to Harden about Hardens crappy defensive effort. KG would have burnt Harden up and forced Harden to either change or go pouting to management to get rid of KG. Dwight, as the defensive leader you claim he was, should have confronted Harden very loudly and obnoxiously. He failed to do that. Nobody had the balls to jump him. And he needed to be jumped. This whole organization sucks right now because they give in to Hardens crap. He was awful this year. Just a terrible leader. And the front office and Dwight let it happen.
and I will say this about Dwight. He has completely failed as a defensive leader and showed extremely poor effort on that side of the ball. just terrible all throughout the season. like I said, Dwight doesn't contest shots anymore and is very slow to rotate or switch. Dwight doesn't box out and goes for easy rebounds to pad his stats. Why should anyone play harder on D when your defensive leader doesn't care to do his job right? Add to that Dwight's salary level, and you begin to see why Dwight's influence on this team has been so negative this season. when you're getting killed in rebounds, you blame the rebounder when your team doesn't get as many assists, you blame the point guard when your team is struggling to score, you blame the main scorer and by the same token, when your team is underperforming defensively, you blame the defensive anchor/leader, who is getting paid $22mil to do that job.
Ariza is -3 with D. He needs to be a defensive anchor on the perimeter and not be relied on to score. If he just focused on defense he is more than worth keeping and starting. Like the kid from the Grizzles.
Basketball is a 2-way sport. You cannot absolve Harden and his defensive responsibility. Harden was and is the leader of the team. He can't expect to lead effectively by not working defensively and playing keep-away offensively. Blame Dwight all you want. Unless Harden changes his game this scenario will repeat itself next season without Dwight. You'll be blaming somebody else them I'm sure. Just as an unchanged Harden will. Harden is the key to this whole organization. He along with Les and Daryl are the 3 men responsible for this debacle of a season.
