On the court or in the locker room, Trevor Ariza's got you covered

— -- Trevor Ariza is the consummate professional.

Every game night, the Houston Rockets small forward is one of the first players on the floor for warm-ups. He's the man who sacrifices the most on defense, often defending players taller and bigger than him for the greater good of the team.

When things go awry, Ariza is the team's calming influence. Have a question, opinion, need to vent? Ariza is your man.

"I have been through a lot and I have seen a lot in my 12 seasons," he said. "Everybody sees that, so if they have a problem with something or see things a little different, players will come to me and ask what I think, what do I see? I just give them my honest opinion."

Ariza will do everything for his team and seemingly has played with everybody, so he knows how to achieve it. Ariza's cool demeanor allows him control with high-profile players and yet, also complement their games. He offers his teams balance and level-headedness.

And that, perhaps is the magic of Ariza.