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Trevor Ariza News & Rumors

New Orleans Hornets forward Trevor Ariza excused from joining team on final road trip
"New Orleans Hornets small forward Trevor Ariza was excused from accompany the team on its season-ending three game road trip, Coach Monty Williams said Sunday night. Although Ariza is not injured, he hasn't played since a April 7 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves when he scored four points in 16 minutes. He started 41 games and averaged 10.8 points. There is a chance the Hornets could push to trade Ariza in the offseason. ``My thing is playing basketball, man,'' Ariza said. ``Whatever team I'm on or whoever I play with that's who I play with. I don't make those decisions. I just play.''"
New Orleans Hornets forward Trevor Ariza returns to the lineup
"After missing eight games because of a strained right groin, small forward Trevor Ariza returned to the starting lineup for the Hornets on Wednesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies at the New Orleans Arena. He wasted no time reasserting himself, putting up season-high numbers almost across the board while playing a team-high 40 minutes. Ariza had 18 points, seven assists, four steals — all season highs — and five rebounds in the Hornets' 93-87 loss to the Grizzlies. "None of that really matters to me," Ariza said. "We lost the ball game. We're struggling right now. All I really care about is winning.""
Hornets forward Trevor Ariza participates in practice for first time since injury
"New Orleans Hornets starting small forward Trevor Ariza went through his first full-scaled practice on Tuesday since suffering a groin strain in a Jan. 2 game against Utah. Hornets Coach Monty Williams said he will probably make a decision before Wednesday night's game against Memphis to determine if Ariza plays. "We'll see how he reacts,'' Williams said. "I'm just waiting to talk to (trainer Jon Ishop) to see if it's Ok.''"
Eric Gordon, Trevor Ariza sidelined by injuries
"The Hornets will be without starting shooting guard and leading scorer Eric Gordon for the next two to three weeks. They also will be missing starting small forward Trevor Ariza for an undetermined period of time because of injuries. Yet New Orleans is not alone in losing key players to injuries early in this compressed, lockout-truncated season that followed a drastically shortened training camp and exhibition schedule. The list of players that are missing significant stretches of time is growing daily. Gordon, with swelling on his bruised right knee, was joined Friday by Sacramento Kings forward/center Chuck Hayes, who sustained a separated shoulder in the Kings' win over Milwaukee on"
Hornets forward Trevor Ariza expected to miss second consecutive game with groin strain
"New Orleans Hornets starting small forward Trevor Ariza's is expected to miss his second consecutive game on Friday night against the Denver Nuggets because of a groin strain. Ariza suffered the injury attempting a layup in Monday night's loss to the Utah Jazz and did not play Wednesday night against the Philadelphia 76ers. ``He's probably going to miss a few games,'' Hornets Coach Monty Williams said. ``It's day to day, but it's more likely going to take a little bit.''"
Out-of-work NBA players back in college
"In recent years, Kenny Donaldson gently reminded some of UCLA's former basketball stars that he could help them return to school to finish their degrees. As UCLA's athletics assistant director of academic services, Donaldson hoped that any former Bruins who had left school early to play in the NBA would eventually find their way back to campus and work toward graduating. Thanks, in part, to the NBA lockout, Donaldson's had a handful of players take him up on his offer this summer. UCLA's American Popular Culture class now has four out-of-work NBA players – Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love, New Orleans Hornets forward Trevor Ariza and"
Trevor Ariza again turns scorer against Lakers
"Throughout the season, there have been times when New Orleans Hornets forward Trevor Ariza has been an invisible man offensively. Not in this Western Conference playoff series against his hometown — and former NBA — team, the Lakers. For the second consecutive game, Ariza, a Los Angeles native, put up double-digits in the first quarter, hitting for 10 Tuesday night in Game 5 after scoring 12 in the opening quarter of Sunday night's Game 4 victory by New Orleans. He finished with 22 in Tuesday's 106-90 loss. On top of that, Ariza has been shadowing Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant every second Bryant is on the court. "He's been an unbelievable jolt in the arm for us, attacking the basket,"
Trevor Ariza an L.A. guy, but now at home with Hornets
"Growing up in Los Angeles and then playing at UCLA, New Orleans Hornets forward Trevor Ariza always dreamed of following in the footsteps of Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Byron Scott. Like them, he wanted to play for the Lakers. So when he was traded from the Orlando Magic to the Lakers in 2007, Ariza couldn't have been happier. Playing in front of his hometown fans, Ariza was an integral part of the Lakers' 2009 title. But not long after celebrating the championship, Ariza was in essence shown the door by Lakers management, which chose not to re-sign him. A disappointed Ariza signed with the Houston Rockets after the Lakers decided to go with Ron Artest at small forward. A year later,"
Trevor Ariza making impact in series against the Los Angeles Lakers
"After three playoff games, New Orleans Hornets forward Trevor Ariza has made an impact against the two-time defending champions Los Angeles Lakers, his former team. Ariza has scored in double figures in two consecutive games after finishing with six points in Game 1. He had 12 points, four steals, three assists and two blocks in the Hornets' 100-86 Game 3 loss Friday night. Ariza grabbed 12 rebounds, tying his career high. "Instead of waiting for the game to come to me, I'm really trying to establish my game,'' said Ariza, who scored a playoff career-high 22 points in Game 2."
Trevor Ariza doesn't want payback, only New Orleans Hornets playoff berth
"When Trevor Ariza heard the news in August that he had been traded to the New Orleans Hornets just a year after signing a lucrative, mid-level exception deal with the Houston Rockets, there was a period of disbelief. "In the back of your mind," Ariza said, thinking back to the day of the transaction, "it was like, 'For real?' But then you get past that, especially when you get into the locker room with a group of guys who are good guys and have the same motives as you do." And the primary inducement for the Hornets tonight when they face Houston is collectively universal: a win qualifies New Orleans for the playoffs. Thought to be in a rebuilding posture by NBA observers, the Hornets can"
BACK TO FORM
"After missing three consecutive games with a sprained right ankle, Hornets small forward Trevor Ariza returned to the lineup Friday night. With him the Hornets' defensive intensity improved, and behind a balanced attack and Ariza's defense on the perimeter, the Hornets beat the Orlando Magic 99-93 in front of a sellout crowd of 18,944 at Amway Arena. With the win, the Hornets (33-22) ended a four-game losing streak, in which all four teams had scored more than 100 points. By sweeping the two-game series against the Magic, the Hornets gained momentum going into tonight's game at the New Orleans Arena against the Eastern Conference playoff contending Chicago Bulls (35-16), who have won"
Injured Ariza could miss 2 weeks of action
"Hornets starting small forward Trevor Ariza could be sidelined for two weeks after an MRI exam Thursday revealed a right medial ankle sprain. Ariza's injury occurred in the third quarter Wednesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder, when he stepped on the back of Thunder forward Jeff Green's foot. Ariza wore a protective boot and walked with crutches after the game."
Trevor Ariza sprains right ankle, out indefinitely
"New Orleans Hornets Coach Monty Williams did not want to see another one of his starters grimacing in pain. But with Emeka Okafor already out with a strained oblique muscle, Hornets starting small forward Trevor Ariza severely sprained his right ankle in the third quarter Wednesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and did not return. With a shorter rotation, and with point guard Chris Paul missing more than 10 minutes in the first half after tweaking his left ankle, the Hornets lost the Oklahoma City Thunder 104-93 at the Oklahoma City Arena. The Hornets, 20-5 at home, lost for the third consecutive time on the road. With their injury woes, the Hornets (32-19) play the two-time"
Hornets' Trevor Ariza having success defending OKC Thunder's Kevin Durant
"Only one player this season can lay claim to holding NBA scoring leader Kevin Durant scoreless in the fourth quarter. New Orleans forward Trevor Ariza. In the last meeting between the Thunder and the Hornets on Jan. 24, Ariza's defense helped keep Durant off the scoreboard in a closely-contested final period that featured three ties, two lead changes and neither team holding more than a six-point advantage. Durant went 0-for-5 in the quarter. He played 6 minutes, 58 seconds. Ariza played 6 minutes, 48 seconds. The Hornets won, 91-89, on a game-winner by David West. Remember those facts tonight. While the point guard battle between Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul serves as the sexiest"
Ariza starting to find his groove for New Orleans
"Since Hornets Coach Monty Williams began encouraging him to attack the basket more, forward Trevor Ariza appears to be coming out of a dreadful shooting slump. After enduring an 0-of-18 stretch on 3-pointers last month, Ariza is beating more defenders off the dribble for dunks and making clutch shots. Ariza helped the Hornets upset the Boston Celtics 83-81 at TD Garden on Friday with a 3-pointer with 1:34 remaining that gave New Orleans a 80-77 lead. The win ended a seven-game road losing streak. On Saturday in Washington, Ariza had a season-high 22-point performance in the Hornets' 92-81 victory against the Wizards, sealing New Orleans' first back-to-back road victories since it"
Ariza returns for first game since trade
"Trevor Ariza said that his first game against the Rockets since they traded him would be business as usual in a league in which "Teams make business decisions." But Rockets forward Shane Battier expected some extra motivation to drive Ariza, who had five points. "I think we'll see more than corner 3s from Trevor tonight," Battier said. "I think he'll be aggressive." Ariza, however, said he is happy in New Orleans. "Anywhere I play I feel is a good fit, as long as I get to play," said Ariza, who scored five points Wednesday night. "This is a business. Teams make business decisions. Whatever. I'm just here to play, try to get a win. Everything else I can't really worry about. Players are"
Ariza fits in quickly in role with Hornets
"With the Houston Rockets last season, swingman Trevor Ariza struggled to fill the expectations as a primary scoring option after center Yao Ming was sidelined with a severe foot injury. After signing a five-year, $33 million contract, Ariza was expected to carry the Rockets, but he shot only 33.4 percent from the field as they failed to advance to the playoffs. Ariza found a new home and has adjusted comfortably to his new role with the Hornets after the Rockets included him in a four-team trade. In Hornets Coach Monty Williams' system, Ariza is the third option behind point guard Chris Paul and power forward David West. However, Ariza's biggest impact has been on defense. After three"
Daily Reminder
"Nearly a decade and a half removed from the tragedy, not a day goes by that the memories do not come rushing back, washing over Trevor Ariza, intruding on his thoughts. "I always think about him. Every day," Ariza, vying for a starting position in the Hornets' rotation, said during a training camp break this week. "You don't ever forget losing loved ones. You learn do deal with what you're going through. But you never forget." When death strikes, the harshness of the loss often depends upon many factors. Was it sudden, or the result of an extended illness? Violent or natural causes? Elderly, middle aged, teen-ager, toddler, infant? The degree of pain varies with the circumstances. For"
Trevor Ariza already feels needed, wanted by New Orleans Hornets
"It would be easy to understand if Trevor Ariza, the newest member of the New Orleans Hornets, often has felt unwanted during his NBA career. Having been acquired by his fifth team heading into his seventh season, Ariza, 25, a 6-foot-8 small forward, hasn't had much time to make himself at home in any of his previous NBA spots. He hopes his latest move will be different. Ariza was shipped to the Hornets on Wednesday as part of a five-player, four-team trade that sent Darren Collison and veteran forward James Posey to the Indiana Pacers. Also part of the trade, the Pacers sent Troy Murphy to the New Jersey Nets, who sent Courtney Lee to the Rockets. Ariza said he was caught off guard by the"
Hornets seem like perfect fit for Trevor Ariza
"With five NBA teams on his rèsumè in seven seasons, the name "Trevor Ariza" and the word "stable" can't appear favorably in the same sentence. Even the league's renowned journeymen would call that a nomadic existence. But Ariza feels settled when his name is linked to the words " New Orleans." "I feel like New Orleans is a city kind of like myself, a city that's rebuilding and growing, " he said Saturday. "I feel like, at 25, I have a lot of growing to do." Growing that Coach Monty Williams hopes will occur with the New Orleans Hornets. "He's just like this town, " Williams said. "He's been beat up a little bit, but he's not down and out." Actually, Ariza, acquired in a four-team trade"
Hornets GM Dell Demps already playing his cards right
"Just when it seemed the New Orleans Hornets were going to make more front-office moves than player additions to a needy roster this summer, new general manager Dell Demps hocused and pocused Wednesday and displayed some of the creativity he said he could deliver when he was hired. James Posey and Darren Collison have vanished, gone to the Indiana Pacers in a four-team deal that brought Houston Rockets wing man Trevor Ariza to New Orleans. Julian Wright also disappeared, shipped to Toronto in exchange for Raptors guard Marco Belinelli. "I've always been a fan of his abilities and what he brings to the game, " Demps said of Ariza, the marquee acquisition. "I just think that he's had a lot of"
Rockets finally get Courtney Lee , deal Trevor Ariza
"The Rockets tried to trade to get Courtney Lee in the 2008 NBA Draft. They tried to trade to get him last year before the Orlando Magic traded him to the New Jersey Nets. They tried to trade to get him after he went to the Nets. Finally Wednesday, the Rockets landed Lee, sending forward Trevor Ariza to the New Orleans Hornets after just one season in Houston to complete a four-team, five-player deal. "We really like him," Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said. "We think he's a really solid two-guard. We've liked him since the draft. He's always been a winner, at Western Kentucky and as a rookie with Orlando. He's a really balanced player defensively at two spots, maybe three. He's a"
Hornets trade Darren Collison, James Posey and Julian Wright, get Trevor Ariza, Marco Belinelli
"Just when the rumors of discontent and trade speculation surrounding the New Orleans Hornets seemed to have subsided, new general manager Dell Demps finally relented and traded a point guard. Only not that point guard. Demps shipped Darren Collison and veteran forward James Posey on Wednesday to the Indiana Pacers as part of a four-team, five-player deal that netted New Orleans swingman Trevor Ariza from the Southwest Division-rival Houston Rockets. As part of the trade, the Pacers sent Troy Murphy to the New Jersey Nets, who sent Courtney Lee to the Rockets. The move was Demps' first tinkering of a roster that remained virtually in tact after missing the playoffs, which had been a point"
Hornets involved in four-team deal to pick up Trevor Ariza
"The New Orleans Hornets will obtain swingman Trevor Ariza as part of a four-team deal that will require the Hornets to send emerging talent Darren Collison and veteran James Posey to the Indiana Pacers, an NBA source confirmed Wednesday. The Pacers will send Troy Murphy to the New Jersey Nets and the Nets will send Courtney Lee to the Rockets. This deal will give the Hornets a dynamic playmaker at small forward while allowing them to get rid of an aging and largely unproductive Posey who was due to make $6.4 million this season. Ariza, who will be entering the second year of his six-year-contract, is due to earn $6.3 million."
Trevor Ariza has no regrets about leaving Lakers
"It was your basic swap, Trevor Ariza for Ron Artest. It was basically for the same money, the mid-level exception of $33.5 million over five years. The biggest difference is that Artest will be playing in the playoffs with the Lakers and Ariza probably will not be in the playoffs this season with the Houston Rockets. Even though the Rockets are preparing to be home during the postseason, Ariza said he has no regrets about leaving Los Angeles. "We're a team that has a lot of injuries," Ariza said. "We're fighting. "Like I've said before, it was out of my hands how things went down [with the Lakers]. With that being said, I'm very happy here with the Rockets." Ariza was a cog for the Lakers"
Praise that rings hollow
"Trevor Ariza rolled his eyes and let out the sort of laugh that seemed to say he did not find anything particularly funny. Ron Artest, Ariza's predecessor with the Rockets and successor with the Lakers, had been comparing himself to Ariza again, this time going a different way with the attention-grabbing — imagine that — suggestion that Ariza was not only a better fit for the Lakers but a better player because Ariza has a Lakers championship ring. "He's a better player than me," Artest told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday, well before today's meeting in Toyota Center. "He's a better player. He's won a ring; I haven't. I can't even compare to him. He's a better player." The topic had come"
Ariza shakes off rust, gets in rhythm
"After a few rough early minutes, Trevor Ariza turning things around in his return from six games out with a severe hip pointer. He made just 1 of 7 shots in the first half, but 3 of 6 in the second, scoring 10 of his 13 points. "Early, I was a little shaky, little out of rhythm," said Ariza, who came off the bench for the first time with the Rockets. "Once one shot went in, I started to feel a little better." Asked if he would be all right if Rick Adelman continues to bring him off the bench, Ariza said, "If we're winning, I don't mind, but that's not up to me. "It's good to be at full strength," Ariza said. "Now we have to get in sync, get back to our roles and under-stand what we're"
Ariza still suffering from severe hip pointer, not playing tonight against the Kings
"Rockets guard/forward Trevor Ariza, who has missed the last four games and will be out tonight against the Kings with a severe hip pointer, took part in the Rockets' non-contact drills Tuesday before sitting out portions of the practice specific to preparing for Sacramento."
Trevor Ariza to miss the next three games with a severe left hip pointer
"Rockets guard Trevor Ariza will be out for the remainder of the week, missing games against the Magic, Spurs and Jazz, with a severe left hip pointer. He underwent an MRI on Monday and will be re-evaluated next week. Guard Kevin Martin will move into the starting lineup, coach Rick Adelman said. Ariza has been battling the injury since Feb. 6 and missed the Rockets' next game against Miami. He left Saturday's game after re-aggravating the injury but returned and played Sunday in New Orleans."
Rockets bounce back with throttling of Bucks
"The Rockets had been showing no signs of the offensive performance that blitzed the Milwaukee Bucks 127-99 at the Bradley Center Wednesday night. "The basket gets real big, and anything you put up you feel like you're going to make," Trevor Ariza said. "Man, the hoop was big tonight. We needed to see the ball go in the basket." Barely a week after the Rockets matched a franchise low of 66 points, they had 100 through three quarters. When they cleared their bench with 9:50 to go, they led by 40 points, their largest lead this season, and had made 38 of 60 shots and 16 of 21 3-pointers. Players did not shoot as well in the NBA 3-point contest. For that matter, they did not shoot as well in"
Rockets plumb bench's depth
"In many ways, the Rockets will look like their summer league team when they visit the Miami Heat tonight. Joey Dorsey is playing again. Chase Budinger will start. Jermaine Taylor and Garrett Temple will come off the bench. This is probably not how the Rockets wanted to go into the All-Star break. Then again, their last summer league team was undefeated. "Us young guys are going to have to step up," Budinger said. "I was telling guys they're going to get an opportunity this game. All of us have to be ready to play." With Kyle Lowry (sprained left ankle) and Trevor Ariza (hip pointer) out, Budinger likely will start at shooting guard, with Temple, Monday's NBA Development League call-up, to"
Trevor Ariza will not play Tuesday; out with hip pointer
"In many ways, the Rockets will look like their summer league team when they visit the Miami Heat tonight. Joey Dorsey is playing again. Chase Budinger will start. Jermaine Taylor and Garrett Temple will come off the bench. This is probably not how the Rockets wanted to go into the All-Star break. Then again, their last summer league team was undefeated. "Us young guys are going to have to step up," Budinger said. "I was telling guys they're going to get an opportunity this game. All of us have to be ready to play." With Kyle Lowry (sprained left ankle) and Trevor Ariza (hip pointer) out, Budinger likely will start at shooting guard, with Temple, Monday's NBA Development League call-up, to"
Staying patient with Ariza
"Coach Rick Adelman said the changes to his Rockets rotation, with Trevor Ariza coming out of the game in the first quarter of Monday's Atlanta game and not playing at all in the fourth, were particular to the matchup with the Hawks, and not necessarily an ongoing change. "I think he's just lost a little bit of confidence," Adelman said. "Every player is different in how he gets through it. We've had a number of guys struggle recently, be up and down. Trevor has to play with more aggression and be more positive. "With Trevor, there are so many ways he can help us win. It's not just shooting the ball. He can be a very good rebounder. He can be active defensively. He can be a facilitator with"
Ariza questionable for Bucks
"Rockets guard Trevor Ariza sat out Sunday's practice with a sore right foot and is considered questionable to play this afternoon against the Milwaukee Bucks at Toyota Center. If Ariza is out, the Rockets could start Chase Budinger, who started when Ariza was out with a one-game suspension. Guard Kyle Lowry could get his first start of the season, with the Bucks using a small backcourt of Brandon Jennings and Charlie Bell. The Rockets had hoped to improve their recent starts and seemed to have done just that, averaging 31 points per game in the first quarter of the three games this past week. But coach Rick Adelman said he was not happy with how the Rockets began those games. "It's really"
Ariza tackles recent shooting slump
"Trevor Ariza made his move without hesitation, as if he had been unstoppable throughout the night and knew that with the game on the line he would not be stopped one last time. He bolted past James Posey and with two dribbles was between Darius Songaila and David West, finishing with a two-handed slam. Game over. Ariza ended the Rockets' win over the Hornets with that move and had one like it past Devin Brown earlier in Tuesday's game. By Thursday, he had a similar flourish against the Mavericks, finishing with a spin move. With each, Ariza seemed to be taking small steps back from his shooting slump. But he also added to the oddity of his struggles, as if a player who could score so"
Trevor Ariza lifts Rockets past Thunder
"Trevor Ariza gave the Oklahoma City Thunder every opportunity he could to finally seize an elusive victory against his Rockets on Saturday night in Houston. And Thunder coach Scott Brooks curiously thwarted his efforts with what appeared to be an obvious strategic oversight. Let the second-guessing begin. The Rockets escaped with a 95-90 win over the Thunder at Toyota Center in a game that really shouldn't have been as close as the final margin. But it was, despite all the goofs and gaffes the Thunder committed, no single one more questionable than Brooks' decision to not foul Ariza inside the final minute. Ariza scored a game-high 31 points but was 4-for-10 from the free-throw line. He"
Rockets' Ariza suspended 1 game for forearm
"The Rockets will be without Trevor Ariza when they host the Detroit Pistons tonight after the NBA suspended the forward for one game without pay for swinging his elbow at Toronto's DeMar DeRozan during Sunday's loss to the Raptors. Ariza expressed remorse about the incident, which occurred at the 3:47 mark in the third quarter of the 101-88 loss at the Air Canada Centre, after practice Monday. "It was a heat-of-the-moment thing," said Ariza, who was ejected for the infraction. "I lost my cool for a second. I got my penalty, and I'll do whatever I have to do. I'm just trying to move past it and move forward. I look forward to watching my team play (today) and then playing against Denver (on"
Ariza's frustration stems from struggles
"The Rockets' Trevor Ariza seemed to know immediately he would be ejected after throwing a forearm at DeMar DeRozan in Sunday's third quarter. He will have to wait to learn whether a suspension will come. Ariza was unavailable for comment after Sunday's game, but the cause of his frustration was clear. He had missed all nine of his shots, with the turnover that precipitated his swing at DeRozan his fourth in his 26 minutes. "I think he got frustrated after I got a steal," DeRozan said. "I really didn't know what happened after the fact." Jarrett Jack confronted Ariza, saying: "Why do that? He didn't do anything to you." They were separated, and there was no other altercation. Ariza has"
Ariza ejected in loss to Raptors
"Trevor Ariza, finally more frustrated than he could stand, lost the ball to Toronto's DeMar DeRozan, then angrily threw a forearm in DeRozan's direction. Ariza might have meant no harm. By then, he knew he could not hit a thing. When he was ejected, leaving Air Canada Centre on Sunday without comment but facing the possibility of a one-game suspension, Ariza had missed all nine shots he took, epitomizing the Rockets' latest collapse in Toronto. The Rockets showed up far too late to prevent a 101-88 defeat to the Raptors and have lost four of five games in Toronto by an average of 16.9 points. This one was far from the worst, which says a lot about some of the losses that came before,"
Rockets worn down by Spurs
"They might run more, and they certainly score more. But they are still the Rockets and San Antonio Spurs. Some things never change. When they play one another, the games are still low-scoring and decided in the final minutes, and the Spurs are still the team that won four NBA championships that way. After several offensive power failures and a pair of Rockets comebacks, the Spurs held on through the final half-minute Friday night, sending the Rockets to consecutive losses for the first time this season with a 92-84 victory at Toyota Center. "Same Spurs," Rockets guard Kyle Lowry said. "They're a very, very good defensive team. Coach (Gregg) Popovich is a great coach of that. And they have"
Rockets think they can do more
"They were happy with the win, thrilled with the long-awaited day off. But the Rockets could not celebrate taking a winning record into a three-day break in the schedule. That the Rockets have reached this three-day break in the schedule disappointed with their 8-6 record probably says a great deal about how far they have come, or even more about how they got here. They are short and short-handed, playing with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady — representing more than $39 million of annual salary — sitting out. Yet, because they refused to consider themselves undermanned or overmatched, they cannot be satisfied with the success that has surprised others, but not themselves. "I think we could do"
Timberwolves' Kurt Rambis, Rockets' Trevor Ariza reconnect
"After Houston's Trevor Ariza completed his pregame warm-ups Wednesday night at Target Center, he asked a Wolves official to escort him into the team's locker room. He wanted to say hellow to someone. "He was such a joy to work with," Wolves coach Kurt Rambis said of his relationship with Ariza during his three-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. "He's a unique individual and a terrific human being." Ariza, who signed with Houston as a free agent after last season, chatted for several minutes with Rambis, then led Houston to a 97-84 victory. Rambis and Ariza developed a close relationship while Rambis was a Lakers assistant. Since joining Houston, the 6-foot-8 Ariza has become a go-to"
A ring for Ariza
"Rockets guard Trevor Ariza received his Lakers championship ring, along with a duplicate for his 19-month old son Tajh, from Los Angeles stars Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher in a ceremony before Sunday night's tip-off at Staples Center. The crowd gave Ariza an extended standing ovation. Ariza's role has changed dramatically since he helped the Lakers win a championship last year. He has become a go-to scorer with the Rockets. "I have to do a little more scoring," Ariza said. "It's a lot of fun, but it's still a team game, so I'm still trying to do the things I did here." The key to Ariza's success in that role, Rockets coach Rick Adelman said, is consistency. "He's doing fine," Adelman said."
Rockets show off all-around game
"They don't show it in the championship highlight videos, but the Los Angeles Lakers have seen this act. They, more than any other team the Rockets will face, should have seen it coming. When things seem their worst, the odds longest, the Rockets are at their best. Coming off a loss in Sacramento and seemingly trapped in a game destined to duplicate last season's Game 7 and inspiring flashbacks like recurring nightmares, the Rockets stunned the Lakers 101-91 on Sunday night. It was an L.A. sequel to the Rockets' stunning, short-handed Game 4 and 6 wins over the Lakers last postseason at Toyota Center. "It reminded me of Game 7," said Aaron Brooks, who had a career-high 33 points in an"
Rockets outworked by Kings in defeat
"The Rockets had enjoyed their little overachieving, early-season run, proudly coming up big while short-handed. But they had not patented the formula. The Kings, already without Francisco Garcia, lost Kevin Martin and then remade themselves as the Rockets had without Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. The Kings took their revival to a fourth consecutive win by smacking the Rockets 109-100 with an intensity-filled, house-rocking triumph Friday night in which they beat the Rockets with what had been the Rockets' way. "They beat us to every loose ball," center Chuck Hayes said. "They wanted it more. They cut harder. They committed themselves on the defensive end. I mean, every aspect."
Ariza's shot at victory never comes
"Four months, four quarters and all but four seconds of overtime had passed since Trevor Ariza had learned he was not invited to return to his hometown team when he turned toward the lane and the heart of the Lakers' defense. The Rockets had taken their first meeting with the Lakers since last season's Game 7 – and since Ariza and Ron Artest traded themselves for one another – to overtime. The Lakers had taken a one-point lead. Ariza, who had insisted he only wanted a win, had the ball and his chance. He never got there. As he tried to split Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher, Fisher slapped the ball loose and time ran out on a 103-102 Rockets loss to the Lakers on Wednesday, as Ariza ran out"
New guy out of place in lead role
"Trevor Ariza tried to downplay his first game against the Los Angeles Lakers, the team in the city where he grew up. The team he helped win the NBA championship last summer. The team that shortly after the victory parade told him they would rather spend the money it would take to re-sign him on former Rocket Ron Artest. Ariza pointed out that he now recognizes how "cutthroat" business is in the NBA, but he swore he would feel no extra emotion against his hometown team. Yeah, right. The 103-102 loss to Los Angeles has to hurt more than the season-opening loss at Portland. Especially since he played so poorly. Not according to Ariza, whose off night (5-of-21 from the floor) concluded with a"
Ex-Laker to keep emotions at bay
"Trevor Ariza shrugged his broad shoulders and tilted his head, silently declaring that he really did not know what to say. Minutes later, he shrugged again, and then again, this time smiling, almost apologetically for being unable to play along. "I've done it before," Ariza said of facing a former team, with the Rockets going against the Lakers tonight at Toyota Center for the first time since he left Los Angeles. "They're not my first former team." Ariza would have to possess the world's best poker face to have been pretending when he said he was not especially eager to take on the Lakers for the first time since they shared last season's championship run only to have contract talks"
Ariza, Brooks lead Rockets in home opener
"For all that has changed, this has not. But then, homecoming games are supposed to be sure things. Anywhere else, a meeting with the Portland Trail Blazers would be anything but certain for the retooled Rockets. But against the Trail Blazers in Toyota Center, they remain nearly perfect. Less than a week after it was all the Rockets could do to keep the Trail Blazers from running them off the floor in Portland, they reconvened at Toyota Center on Saturday night for the Rockets' home opener and the Rockets treated the Blazers as they always do, pulling away in the fourth quarter for a 111-107 win. With that, they are 14-1 against the Blazers at Toyota Center, including last season's three"