Starter or Not, Ariza Remains Unselfish

Mamba · Mar 16, 2009

SAN ANTONIO - Had you seen Trevor Ariza before the first game of his new Lakers life, you would know that he is in no way psyched out by having a starting role.

He was sprawled on the floor in the visiting locker room Wednesday night at Houston's Toyota Center, a foam exercise roller as a makeshift pillow. He was doing a killer impression of teammate DJ Mbenga, chatting about all the coaches he has gone through in his career and divulging that his great-grandfather was Spanish. (That's the origin for his surname "Ariza" — but no, he's not related to Pau Gasol … or Rudy Fernandez.)

Ariza had found out that morning he would become the starting small forward after Coach Phil Jackson agreed with Luke Walton's suggestion to swap Walton's and Ariza's rotation roles. In Ariza's words, this is how he felt about it: "Not trippin'."

So before the Lakers' next game Thursday, it was time to stop and chat with Ariza for clarification on just what it was about the starting gig he didn't want. What he had to say should quash this Jackson-driven portrayal of Ariza as some frightened bunny who all season would rather go hopping off the court than take part in the opening tip-off — and it explained an awful lot about a team spirit driving the Lakers toward a championship.

"Everybody wants to start," Ariza said. "I'm not even going to say I didn't, but I figured if I come off the bench, everybody would be happy."

He thought it meant more to some of his teammates to start, so way back in training camp he tried to defuse a potentially negative situation. Vladimir Radmanovic had made clear he loved starting, and Walton has preferred it in the past.

Lamar Odom also squawked when camp opened about being benched before he accepted his reserve fate. Odom eventually earned kudos for accepting his seat, and Ariza actually suggested Thursday night that "it started with Lamar." But let it be known that Ariza quietly had the right attitude all along — even though it's his free-agent season, same as Odom's.

"I'm just really about this team," Ariza said. "I want to win. I feel we have everything, all the tools we need to win a championship."

There's one thing Ariza does allow when pressed, even if it's way in the back of his mind: He would love to be the Lakers' starting small forward forevermore.

"I hope so," he said. "I would love to be here. I've grown to develop relationships with everybody in here, and I'm comfortable. … (But) when you start thinking about stuff like that, that's when you get all (out of sorts).

"You lose focus on what the ultimate goal is. We're too close to reaching our goals to let all that stuff, selfish things take precedence over what we're trying to do."

If you saw him jump up off the bench Thursday night wearing a huge grin when Walton picked Tony Parker's pocket and then rise to his feet with the same smile when Sasha Vujacic capped his effective final minutes in Walton's place with a final rebound, you would believe Ariza completely.

"We're an unselfish team," he said. "There's only one thing we're being selfish about. We all want to win. That's the bottom line."

The Lakers are 3-0 this season when Ariza starts, with a handsome catalog of victories over the Portland Trail Blazers (Ariza started Jan. 4 right after Walton hurt his foot), Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs. Ariza was a stud from the start here Thursday.

He delivered the Lakers' first basket by calmly taking and making a 17-footer when Michael Finley blatantly dropped off Ariza to go help track Odom.

Ariza got his next two open jumpers because of attention paid to Gasol and Kobe Bryant and made those, too. As great as Ariza is at playing the second unit's open-floor game, he can also find his shots in the triangle, thank you very much. Plus, Ariza's anticipatory brilliance was fundamental in some of the best early-game team defense the Lakers have played this season.

This time it's Walton believing everybody would be happy. It sure looks like they will, especially in June.
Click to expand...

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ariza-lakers-walton-2333813-starting-game

Mamba · Mar 16, 2009

The article is a week or so old, but it is a good read. Ariza in the starting lineup should have been done earlier in the year.

huevonkiller · Mar 16, 2009

Thank You Luke for benching yourself, got Ariza right out of his slump.

illmatic · Mar 16, 2009

Black Mamba said: ↑

The article is a week or so old, but it is a good read. Ariza in the starting lineup should have been done earlier in the year.
Click to expand...

Perfect timing though right now, and it was only a matter of time.

With Bynum injured and Radman gone, it was either Luke or Ariza....Phil gave Luke his burn cuz of his undying love for him, and now Ariza gets his turn, and I think we all know that he's going to stay at that spot for a while, where he deserves!

Log in or Sign up

Starter or Not, Ariza Remains Unselfish

Mamba The King is Back Staff Member Global Moderator

Mamba The King is Back Staff Member Global Moderator

huevonkiller Change (Deftones)

illmatic JBB JustBBall Member

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

Starter or Not, Ariza Remains Unselfish

Moderators

Mamba The King is Back Staff Member Global Moderator

Mamba The King is Back Staff Member Global Moderator

huevonkiller Change (Deftones)

illmatic JBB JustBBall Member

Share This Page

Useful Searches