If Battier+Hayes combination never works, +/- for the pair would be bad on average. Other than last season, it was not bad on average. Therefore the combination, at least, sometimes works.
Ariza is the better defender now... I'm tired of Shane's 'Intangibles' Ariza has those same intangibles. Ppl should count how many deflections he gets in any given night.
Definitely right now. Ariza can consistently guard the best wing player night in and night out. Shane can't do that any more. Ariza did that all last year for the Lakers.
The differences is Ariza coming off the bench for Houston and LA is Ariza would get more shots, and more minutes with Houston than he will in LA. But sooner or later, I believe Ariza will be able to start over Battier but who knows what will happen. Right now the Rockets bench has a big hole but with Lowry back, Chase, Ariza and Hill, our bench finally look rock solid once again. Probably from now on, Ariza is probably going to come off the bench but most likely he will finish games along with Brooks, Martin, Scola and Hill.
It's wrong to assume ariza can and battier cant. the truth is they're both inconsistent. Battier because he's lost a step and ariza because he gambles too much. The difference is Battier never leaves his man, so if his man scores it's obviously visibly over battier. On the other hand, Ariza does leave his man, so when that happens and his man scores Ariza is not in the picture. It'll appear as if the rocket who rotated over was who got scored on, not ariza.
Dellusional hate. Ariza makes critical defensive mistakes at crucial times. He gambles way to much and doesnt rotate. Shane still tackles the opposing teams best player, still does a fantastic job and completely shut down Evans not two games ago. The one game he missed the Jazz shot almost 70% against us. Battier is at a whole over level defensively than Ariza.
A whole other level is sounds like favoritism to me. Crucial times? You mean how Ariza made plays for the Lakers to seal games in the playoffs time and time again? Ariza was also out for that game against the Jazz, and they were chucking passes all over the place. Ariza always rotates and yes he gambles...but so does a lot of the other best defensive players in the NBA. Go back to the time where Ariza in clutch time locked down Kobe, and please reconsider that Shane is on a whole other level than him.
Making a game winning steal in the playoffs does not make someone a better defensive player no matter what ESPN tells you.
But you just said he makes critical mistakes in clutch time. On the offensive end I'd agree but on defense? No way. Not consistently. Again, go back to where he guards Kobe. Shane's little face guarding has no affect at all on Kobe's shot. None. This guy is used to shooting over brooms, blindfolded, whatever. So are most elite guys. Ariza can actually jump up, and tip his shot. He can move with him, and he can make steals. Shane makes no gambles at all on defense. He rarely goes for the steal or block. If a guy can't shoot over him than yes he's going to shut them down on a good night, like Evans (who is a rookie...) all the best D-players make gambles. I hate that "He gambles too much..." then how do you expect him to make plays on defense? Letting a guy shoot over him? Sometimes the EXACT shot that some of these Elite players want? Chuck Hayes gambles too, so does Rondo, so does Billups, anyone worth their salt on defense goes for a steal or block. That's just how it is. Shane isn't as good as he once was. He should have been on 1st team defense last year but this year he has not consistently from night to night played solid defense like Ariza has. I guess we forget that Prince had what 29 points a few nights ago? Someone that isn't even a scorer and more of a defensive player like Shane?
Morey once pointed out that it's just a risk-reward thing. Battier's defense only lowers the rate in which opposing players score. Ariza's defense can lead directly to offense. The basketball equivalent of "pick 6", if you will. IMO, Ariza's type of defense becomes much more useful when you have someone like Yao who can erase mistakes. It was great in LA because Bynum/Odom/Gasol provided a solid 2nd line of defense when Ariza fails. But on the current Rockets, his mistakes become magnified since we have no eraser. Long story short. IMO, Ariza defense > Battier defense if Yao or another true center is in the lineup. Battier defense > Ariza defense if Hayes or Andersen is our center.
If you think good defense is getting a steal or a block then you don't know basketball. Defense is contesting every shot and covering holes in your defensive scheme by rotating and doubling at just the right time. What you are describing is called stat padding, ala Marcus Camby, which is the illusion of good defense.
Funny you mention Marcus Camby ex DPOY. Funny how so many poster are slobbering to get him here next year Funny how Morey values Camby as a great Defensive Big Funny how you think you "know Basketball" and love to blast everyone down with your opinions. I guess Morey isn't a genius guys. We need to hire this guy.
Lol so Camby is the illusion of defense? So if you get steals and blocks it is stat padding and not playing defense? I'm sorry but most defensive players will tell you that gambling isn't the sign of bad defense. Yes guys like Bowen and Battier are good defensive players...but they get old and quickly drop off. This is what is happening to Shane. Thus why I says Ariza is the better defender right now.
I think it is unlikely that Camby is not a very good defender overall. (1) He scores very well by the traditional boxscore defensive benchmarks (rebounds and blocks, in particular) (2) He also has been one of the best players on the defensive end in terms of adjusted +/- over the last 3 or 4 years. My thinking is that if you do very well by both, chances are you are a very good defender. It is quite possible that his excellent rebounding and length around the basket more than makes up for his reluctance to come out on pick and rolls or contest perimeter shots.
Im not blasting anyone, Jay is welcome to his opinion, I just vehemently disagree. Ariza is lazy on defense and it has cost us. You dont have to gamble to get steals and blocks. (see Battier's 7 the other day) I want Camby here too. Despite being a stat padder, he would be one of the best backup bigs we have ever had. Not sure how what posters want has anything to do with this. I also don't know why you think Morey somehow supports your position. He has nothing to do with this conversation nor has he publically said anything. The only thing related to the subject he said was charges are better than blocks, which is the opposite of what your are suggesting. Please don't get me started on voted awards. They are a sham and always have been.
kind of agree with that....without Yao you need better help D and shot blocking, which battier provides. And yeah yao would erase some of Ariza's mistakes, so maybe next year. this year i dont think ariza should start unless he increases his efficiency on either end of the court. Otherwise i rather have battier's d and let scola/brooks/martin have the shots battier doesnt take (compared to ariza).
But you do realize that's going to happen with Ariza, right? I'm just checking because it sounds like you're implying Ariza doesnt share the same fate. Bigs usually dont decline defensively as fast, but perimeter guys will.
