NBA Playoffs 2018: Top 10 role players who'll make a difference

#9 Trevor Ariza

Ariza is the Rockets' best 3-and-D option

Trevor Ariza has made a career out of his reputation as a good on-ball defender capable of taking various assignments at different points of a game. His athleticism and 3-point shooting ability, added to this, rounds him out as one of the more complete players in the league, and he's put up a regular season campaign that is nearly spotless for the rampaging Houston Rockets.

Ariza is averaging 11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals this season while making 36.8% of his 3-point attempts (over 70% of his shot attempts are from this range) and 50% of his 2-point field goal attempts. In a starting role, Ariza fulfills his role to the T, and his offense will be vitally important to a Rockets team which consists of streaky shooters like Luc Mbah a Moute and PJ Tucker other than him.