Trevor Ariza, throughout his career, has gambled defensively; more now since he has Dwight for insurance. He’s making more calculated risks this season, forcing turnovers and sparking the fast break. Here’s an example of a defensive coverage from yesterday’s game. Ariza is hovering around Deng in the right corner, slowly sagging off – allowing him to cover more ground. The Rockets double the pick and roll ball handler towards the sideline, forcing a pass back to Bosh. Wade cuts inside, but Ariza recognizes the cut and gets their first. He forces the turnover and ignites the fast break.



Best part of Trevor Ariza’s great defensive performance? He played less than 30 minutes.