Not everything this Wizard says is wonderful
Gilbert Arenas, the person, is so much fun, it’s hard not to like him. Then there’s Gilbert Arenas, the basketball player.
In his latest prank gone wrong, he vowed to score 50 points against Portland. He missed by 41 as the teed-off Trail Blazers upset his Wizards at home.
With four losses in six games, without captain Antawn Jamison -- whom Coach Eddie Jordan pointedly called their real leader -- and with centers Brendan Haywood and Etan Thomas fighting (again), the team isn’t in a great mood for more of Arenas’ hijinks.
“I’m a goof,” said Arenas. “C’mon, everyone knows that.... How can I tell somebody, ‘Don’t shoot that shot,’ when I’m out there chucking them up? I mean, let’s be real.”
South Beach Scottie
Scottie Pippen’s comeback announcement at 41 piqued old friend Kobe Bryant’s interest and, presumably, that of former coach Phil Jackson, as well.
However, nostalgia notwithstanding, Pippen wants to play in another Finals. Anticipating no interest from Dallas, Phoenix and Detroit, which don’t need guards, he has calculated shrewdly that his best bet is Miami.
“I’d like to go play with Shaq” O’Neal, said Pippen. “That would be the ideal place.”
East is east ...
The Nets, resigning themselves to the fact their costly roster can’t even get it done in the Atlantic Division, are so keen to move Vince Carter, Vince-to-the-Lakers-or-Clippers-for-bupkus rumors are back.... Nets President Rod Thorn: “Vince has said that he had never been a free agent and, before the season, he told us that he wants to be a free agent. Over the next week, we would like to ascertain what his intentions will be and it has nothing to do with the trading deadline. But you want to gather all the information you can.” ... If you ever get another job, think about keeping stuff like this to yourself: Milwaukee Coach Terry Stotts, after Boston’s Gerald Green, who started the night shooting 40% on threes, made four as the Celtics won by 20: “Gerald Green, we knew he could shoot but we didn’t think he would shoot like that.”
... and West is west
Kings co-owner Joe Maloof to the Sacramento Bee’s Sam Amick: “We have to really take a hard look at what our future is. I mean it didn’t work with [Mike] Bibby, Peja [Stojakovic], and Brad [Miller], right? OK, so is it working now? Not really.” ... Bibby, shooting a career-low 39% while begging the Kings for a new deal, told the Bee: “It just shows what type of people you’re dealing with, really. I just have to wait it out, to see if they’re going to turn their back on me or whatever.” ... Johnny Ludden, San Antonio Express-News’ Spurs beat writer, apologizing for not answering readers’ e-mails: “My laptop went the way of the Spurs. Long past its prime and unable to keep up with younger, faster models, it crashed.... Much like the roster of the team I cover, [it] appears in dire need of an overhaul. And I’m not expecting either to rebound anytime soon.”
Famous last words
Philadelphia Coach Maurice Cheeks, asked what he would have said in training camp if he had known he’d lose Allen Iverson and Chris Webber: “I would have said, ‘Don’t wish that on me.’ ”
-- Mark Heisler