Filed under: Lakers, Spurs, NBA Injuries, Los Angeles
Lost in Kobe-Manu-Parker-Pau excitement leading into tonight's Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals,
Trevor Ariza's status has escaped the spotlight. An excellent role player who excels on defense and in the open court, this seems like a guy we'd pay more attention to, yes?
Phil Jackson told reporters, including the
Riverside Press-Enterprise's Broderick Turner, Tuesday Ariza will
likely play in the series after missing about four months with a broken foot. No word on whether he'll play tonight, though one'd assume he is a lock for the active roster at the very least.
And let me tell you this: He could be vital.
Kobe Bryant can guard
Manu Ginobili, certainly. But defense against a great slasher slows Kobe down a bit (you'll remember that Kobe mailed in his entire 35 ppg season on defense), and Phil Jackson needs every weapon firing at the vaunted Spurs defense to win. If Manu's working Kobe to the stone, Jackson needs a second option. Vlad Radmanovic? Sasha Vujacic? Luke Walton? Those guys won't be getting things done without a ton of help.
But Ariza could certainly make life difficult for Manu. Trevor's strengths are in man defense. He's quick enough to keep in front of Ginobili and long enough to at least challenge mid-range pull-ups. As for rust, Ariza relies on dunks and putbacks (he's an excellent rebounder) -- he doesn't have a jumper to reclaim through game work. So long as Jackson's liked what he's seen in practice, look Ariza to slide and contribute as soon as a) Manu gets hot, or b) Kobe looks labored on offense.
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