Thoughts from game 20, Washington-Boston:
- I would be a better commentator than Reggie Miller. So would you. What's that? You don't follow the NBA? You thought this was a cooking blog? It doesn't matter. If you can speak English, or a mellifluous foreign language, TNT should give you a shot.
- Gilbert's not that good at basketball right now. He's good at parts of basketball (shooting when open and dribbling when not pressured are actually the only two things that come to mind). But he's not very good at the sport of basketball. For now.
- Kevin Garnett blocked Randy Foye's layup and screamed "Get that shit out!" loud enough for the TV mikes to pick it up. Wow Kev, you blocked Randy? All by yourself? Stop the presses! If you're not the most mocked NBA star, I am disappointed in today's players.
- We probably shouldn't let Ray Allen take wide open looks. I'm all for playing head games, but not with Jesus.
- I wonder if anyone on the Wizards coaching staff spends any time with Javale anymore. That man is no longer playing basketball. He's playing that basketball-based sport that was on TNT for a while, the one involving trampolines (Slamball?). He is leading the lead in goaltends per 48 hands down. And while that's kinda cool, it's mostly kinda sad.
- Andray Blatche came in to the game and got yammed on by Ray Allen. His body language screamed defeat. But then, somehow, he took Rasheed for a layup. Then he shook Sheed for a jumper. THEN the Wiz went back to Dray for the third straight possession and he drew a foul on Sheed. Flip Saunders punked Rasheed Wallace with Andray Blatche. I am delightfully confused.
- Is there any great NBA player you'd enjoy playing with LESS than Kevin Garnett?
- Why can't Gilbert make free throws? (p.s. unintentional foreshadowing is a mother...)
- Kevin Garnett is a punk. I feel the most appropriate way for his career to end would be to rupture his Achilles jumping to snare a shot after the whistle has blown. Just childish.
- That third quarter run was weird. Every time we did something wrong the officials just called a foul on the Celtics. Um hello NBA? There's a book about this? Lay low for a while.
- If you weren't surprised by that fourth quarter, please contact ZA about becoming a semi-regular contributor. The Wiz got toyed with for three quarters, and then they went toe to toe with the champs.
FINAL: Wizards 102 Celtics 104
IN CONCLUSION
The Wizards lost that game because Gilbert Arenas can't make free throws. There's no need to discuss transition defense, or Randy Foye's failings, or Rondo's joy when he turned the corner and realized it was Blatche and not the Hulk lurking beneath the rim. The point is, we were down two points with less than a minute to go and Gilbert got to the line. So far so great. Then he missed both free throws, the second one by a country mile.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH GILBERT? WHY CAN'T HE MAKE FREE THROWS? Sit down with a shrink already.
Gil, it hurts to see you hurting
Thanks for reading
