Every NBA team’s most underrated player
By Tom West
Houston Rockets: Trevor Ariza
The Rockets have simply been falling apart this season. Kevin McHale has been fired, James Harden’s shooting has been way off, and they sit 7-11 and a mere 10th in the Western Conference because of it. Their struggles are obvious at both ends of the floor, and regardless of their star players, they haven’t been able to shoot their way out of their early season woes.
With Harden headlining the way, Ty Lawson and Dwight Howard are also two big names that are widely recognized by fans everywhere. As those big names get a lot of the attention, though, players like Trevor Ariza, who are vital to the team’s success (or turnaround in this instance) are left unnoticed.
12.2 points per game and 37.6 percent shooting are partly a product of the Rockets’ poor offense all around this season, as their ball movement and effort all together has been poor. Ariza doesn’t create his shots like Harden, so he benefits far more when teammates are able to find him open looks when he moves around the perimeter. However, throughout his career, Ariza has still operated well as a sharpshooter when necessary, while his main attribute of great defense shines at the other end of the court.
He’s averaging 1.9 steals per game again this season, and at 6’8″ with long arms and some good quickness, he has the length and speed to bother most players on the perimeter. That’s allowed him to force opponents to shoot below their average mark from three this season, which isn’t too bad considering the total collapse of the Rockets defensively so far.
If things can pick up with McHale’s departure, maybe Ariza’s play will rise, too. That being said, he’s still one of the most valuable players on the team due to his great three-and-D ability, and it’s almost always overlooked.
Next: Denver Nuggets