You Think You Know Ariza?

Mamba · Feb 4, 2009

Because of series MVP Pierce, we need to talk about Ariza, who was just easing back from his broken foot late last season and didn't get to do his defensive thing. And if you think the oft-chill Ariza wasn't dying inside for the chance, you just don't know Ariza well enough yet.

So let's do a quick thumbnail on Ariza, and I mean the real stuff, not how many steals he has or how much better his jump shot has become:

•He seems low-key and prefers not to be a starter, but he has enough ego that he's switching to wear No. 1 with the Lakers next season (assuming he re-signs). To those of you whom I've already seen at Staples Center wearing recently purchased No. 3 jerseys, I'm very sorry … especially because I knew this bit of info as far back as last summer. Ariza actually would've switched for this season if he'd gotten his request in with the NBA earlier. He wore No. 1 in Orlando, where he was traded along with Penny Hardaway, the Magic's longtime No. 1-wearer and one of the players after whom Ariza most patterns his game.

•He has a watch-yourself temper. I thought he was going to go bronco-busting on the back of Clippers center DeAndre Jordan in the Fresno exhibition game after absorbing a questionable blow from Jordan, who outweighs him by 45 pounds. Ariza lit into teammate Sasha Vujacic on the court earlier this season for not playing the right way, which was nothing compared to the fury Ariza unleashed on Danny Granger after Indiana's All-Star hit the floor to draw an Ariza foul for what Ariza deemed to be minimal contact. Whereas Chris Paul used the "b" word for Vujacic, Ariza used the "p" word for Granger.

•He hates the Celtics. You know Vujacic does, but Ariza really does and always has. He even hates the Red Sox and the Patriots. Ariza, 23, and Pierce, 31, are both Inglewood cats who grew up near The Forum and loving the Lakers, and whereas Pierce has made a nice life for himself in Boston, Ariza would rather break his foot all the way through than ever be a Celtic.

Obviously because the injured-again Bynum is now holding a question mark in his hand – that's actually what the new-fangled crutch he's carrying looks like – the primary way the Lakers are better now than last time in Boston is Ariza.

Now, don't misunderstand: Bynum was so amped up to step on the parquet floor Thursday night that after he had 27 and 15 in Minnesota to open this trip, he smiled and said: "It would've been nice to do it in Boston and have two (off) days after to think about it."

But Ariza reallyhas a thing for Boston, to the point that he joked he was getting post-concussion headaches again from talking about what I caught him doing before the game in Minnesota.

Ariza had a white No. 32 Celtics jersey and a Sharpie marker in his Lakers locker, and he had gotten Kevin McHale's autograph on it.

What the …?

No way did Ariza want it for himself. He was just too good a friend to say no to the request for a favor. He was, in fact, too sickened by the whole process to do it himself, so he asked a Target Center locker-room attendant to go get the signature from the guy far more famous for being a Celtics legend than the Timberwolves' coach.

"I'm ashamed," Ariza said. "I am. I'm ashamed."

Let the rivalry resume.
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http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ariza-game-boston-2298520-lakers-season

¹²³ · Feb 4, 2009

I can't wait to see Ariza and the Lakers against the Celtics. Should be a great game.

AKIRA · Feb 4, 2009

i never knew ariza was an ingglewood native.

Really Lost One · Feb 4, 2009

lol

He called Granger a pussy? Haha. Ariza doesn't look like someone who talks trash. I wonder if Granger cried like Sasha because someone hurt his feelings?

DaRizzle · Feb 5, 2009

"I'm ashamed," Ariza said. "I am. I'm ashamed."
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You failed us Ariza...redeem yourself tonight and maybe we can forget this ugly incident

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You Think You Know Ariza?

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AKIRA GO LAKERS!!!

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