It's Official: Wizards are Better with Gilbert Arenas

(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

You noticed from the beginning of the Washington Wizards’ loss to the Indiana Pacers last night that the team had a different energy. Maybe its a biased departure from the electricity that ran through Verizon the other night, but this clearly is a different team without Gilbert Arenas in the lineup.

And they clearly aren’t better without him.

He’s not the solution to the chronic defensive lapses that the Wizards go through every night, and in fact, he makes make them more of a defensive liability as he readjusts to running and gunning and a surgically-repaired knee. Minus Gilbert, the Wizards gave up 45 field goals, 26 of which came from assists. That’s no pressure on the ball, and that’s certainly not going to be Gil’s defensive strong suit for the remainder of the season.

The Wizards gave up nine three pointers, a sign of poor rotations and confusion on switches. Gil can’t end that, either.

But what he will bring to the table is the audacity of hope. Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison, try as they might, are not the spark that lets the other team members know that its okay to hang loose and play ball. They are professionals, and they are really good players, but they don’t set the young guns at ease on the floor. Gil on half a leg is still Gil with a full smile and complementary work ethic.

There’s a time to have fun, a time to get serious, and an Arenas that sets the tone for both.

Considering that he plays point gives this perspective more credit, as what the team does on offense rests largely with his decision-making. When he’s delivering the ball, the receiving player should know that its because he’s in the best position for success. That confidence is going to be all the more important as the Wizards shut down their nightmare of a season and prepare for 09-10.

There was a big belief that the Wizards were a better team without Gilbert Arenas dominating the ball, but a lot of people forget that such an argument was formed with the benefit of a healthy Antonio Daniels and a reliable scorer in Roger Mason Jr. in the equation. Both are gone, and there is no veteran presence to replace what those two brought to the table.

The table, for the remainder of this season, will be set by Arenas. And the organization is better off for it.

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