Ariza benefited from N.Y. years



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12:05 AM PST on Wednesday, January 28, 2009

By JEFF EISENBERG
The Press-Enterprise

LOS ANGELES - Three years after their acrimonious relationship reached its nadir in New York, Lakers forward Trevor Ariza and Charlotte coach Larry Brown had a reconciliatory meeting that helped heal old scars.

The Lakers and Charlotte Bobcats were warming up for an exhibition game this season in San Diego when Brown sought out Ariza near midcourt. Brown apologized for alienating Ariza by reducing his role without explanation in New York, while the young forward thanked the former Knicks coach for teaching him lessons about hard work and being a team player that only now can he appreciate.

"I thanked him for everything he did for me," Ariza said. "As a young player, I didn't understand everything he was trying to tell me, so I looked at it as he was picking on me instead of listening to what he was saying. Now when I look back on it, I understand what he was saying. He taught me a lot, and I appreciate him for that."

Hailed as an important piece of the Knicks' youth movement after a promising rookie season in 2004-05, Ariza bristled when Brown publicly criticized his practice habits the following year and jettisoned him from the rotation. That didn't sit well with Brown, who three times called Ariza "delusional" in one memorable tirade.

"He's just got to grow up a little bit and understand this is a team and he's got to act like a good teammate," Brown added at the time.

Brown pushed for the Knicks to acquire injury-prone Steve Francis from Orlando before the trade deadline that season, an oft-criticized deal that resulted in Ariza being sent to the Magic. Now Ariza is a key weapon off the bench for the Lakers, averaging nine points, five rebounds and almost two steals for a team with the NBA's best record.

"Here, he's in a perfect situation," Brown said. "He's with a great coach, they play a style that really lends itself to him, and he's a heck of a player."

Ariza played 11 first-half minutes Tuesday night before suffering a concussion during the second quarter that sidelined him the rest of the night. He credits Brown for helping him be more even-keeled in the face of adversity.

"I definitely believe I'd handle myself differently now than I did when I was 19, 20 years old," Ariza said. "I'm 23 now. I have a few more years, a little more wisdom. I definitely could have been a more mature person."

VUJACIC IGNORES PAIN

Despite spraining his left ankle stepping on a teammate's foot in practice Monday, Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic scored 10 points in 30 minutes. It's the same ankle that sidelined Vujacic for much of the preseason.

"It's not like it was the last game, that's for sure,

On a related note, the Cats beat the Lakers again. This time AT Staples. I don't get their problem with Charlotte.

Posted by djsunyc:

"I thanked him for everything he did for me," Ariza said. "As a young player, I didn't understand everything he was trying to tell me, so I looked at it as he was picking on me instead of listening to what he was saying. Now when I look back on it, I understand what he was saying. He taught me a lot, and I appreciate him for that."

seems to be a pretty recurring quote by alot of larry brown's players. heck, even marbury said it.

knicks made a bad choice in 2006.

in related news: cats are now 12-8 in their last 20 games.

and how many of those were after the trade? seems like LB is doing good things again.

I still find it laughable that people like Holfresh and MANY others were saying that the game had passed Larry by and that he was going senile... yeah he's going real senile. He's got the Bobcats playing very tough and he has that team buying into his concepts. Larry Brown has forgot more basketball then this whole board ever knew combined.

larry brown has always had a serious problem with his judgement when it comes to how he deals with people. ask folks in nj, detroit, denver, nyc, etc. it's not soemthing incidental imo - it's greatly lowered his overall effectiveness and legacy as a coach.

Larry is good for about 4 years and then its time to get rid of him.

Maybe true with his marriages.

His mother is like 98 years old. Persistant buggers the Brown family is!

Larry wants a certain type player and is demanding.

The game has not passed him by, he just doe not do well with diva players.

He was an awful hire for our knick team. But a great coach.

Posted by Marv:

larry brown has always had a serious problem with his judgement when it comes to how he deals with people. ask folks in nj, detroit, denver, nyc, etc. it's not soemthing incidental imo - it's greatly lowered his overall effectiveness and legacy as a coach.

yeah, why should anyone have to put up with his crap when there are so many losing coaches with sweet hearts.

Posted by BlueSeats:

Posted by Marv:

larry brown has always had a serious problem with his judgement when it comes to how he deals with people. ask folks in nj, detroit, denver, nyc, etc. it's not soemthing incidental imo - it's greatly lowered his overall effectiveness and legacy as a coach.

yeah, why should anyone have to put up with his crap when there are so many losing coaches with sweet hearts.

several franchises ended up feeling really burned by him. he pulled the rug out from under them, negotiated his next job while still employed, bailed out during playoff runs. left a lot of setbacks in his wake. he was saved for many years by the daily social work that pat croce was doing trying to patch together relationships in philly. if larry's goal in ny was to teach young players the right way to play then he could have gone about that task considerably more effectively and successfully than what he ended up doing.

Posted by Marv:

Posted by BlueSeats:

Posted by Marv:

larry brown has always had a serious problem with his judgement when it comes to how he deals with people. ask folks in nj, detroit, denver, nyc, etc. it's not soemthing incidental imo - it's greatly lowered his overall effectiveness and legacy as a coach.

yeah, why should anyone have to put up with his crap when there are so many losing coaches with sweet hearts.

several franchises ended up feeling really burned by him. he pulled the rug out from under them, negotiated his next job while still employed, bailed out during playoff runs. left a lot of setbacks in his wake. he was saved for many years by the daily social work that pat croce was doing trying to patch together relationships in philly. if larry's goal in ny was to teach young players the right way to play then he could have gone about that task considerably more effectively and successfully than what he ended up doing.

you were funnier before you took your hiatus.

PS: I love Larry

they are now officially called the charlotte browncats...