Inside Enemy Territory with “DC Pro Sports Report”
Where are the Washington Wizards headed? Beating the Celtics twice in a row this season is no small task and they managed to do so without their biggest offensive threat in Gilbert Arenas, yet they currently sit in sixth place overall in the Eastern Conference, just behind the Raptors. Are they on the road to recovery, or are they just trying to hold it together?
HoopsAddict.com sat down with Tom from DC Pro Sports Report to talk about the Washington Wizards.
Q: What is the latest from Caron Butler’s injury? Will there be enough time for him to get back into shape and play meaningful minutes during the playoffs?
Caron Butler is recovering from his torn labrum injury and has stated that he does not intend to have surgery. He should be back at practice on Monday and if he does not re-aggravate the injury, he could return and play well for Washington in the playoffs. However, there is still no timetable for his return.
Q: Gilbert Arenas’s big mouth is often the subject of much talk in the NBA. Does that mouth act as a distraction to the team, or is it enjoyable opinion that fires up Wizards fans?
Wizards fans love Gilbert, including his big mouth. I think most of us can’t imagine why anyone would take anything he says too seriously. Perhaps it is because we often see the video of him when he speaks, but he is often smiling and/or winking when he speaks, indicating that he’s about to say shouldn’t be regarded as the Gospel truth. Gilbert is the class clown – except this class clown grew up to be a great athlete. Gilbert retains a lot of the child-like happiness that should be a big part of sports, but has largely been drained away by the corporate nature of pro athletics.
Q: Speaking of Arenas, it seems he has had a bit of setback in his recovery. If that is the case, can the current roster hold it together until they get one of Thomas, Arenas or Butler back in the lineup? Where do you see the Wizards finishing in the Eastern Conference as a result?
I don’t think Gil has suffered a setback. He went through his first full practice this week and seems to be coming along. That March 3 return date was always a fantasy – Gil likes to hope for the best – and I never thought it would happen. I can see Gilbert returning by the end of this month. He tried to come back too early in October, and the result was a disaster. He’s naturally fearful of another injury and is going to take all the time he needs. Having erred on the side of recklessness before, Gil now intends to err on the side of caution. Seems like the right thing to do.
The Wizards need to hang on to that sixth spot in the conference. If they can do that and then get Gil and Caron healthy in April, they’ll be a real danger. The team hasn’t been healthy since the All-Star break of last season, when they were atop the Eastern Conference. The Wizards don’t have a lot of firepower with their two best players on the shelf, but they do have two things going for them: The New Jersey Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers. The weakness of the competition is keeping Washington in that sixth spot. With a bit of luck, that’s what will keep them there until they get all their horses back.
Thank you for your time, Tom, and we recommend everyone to please visit DC Pro Sports Report for all your Wizards’ news.
Comments
By podcast directory on September 24th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Couldn’t have said it any better