GRAY MATTERS
By Mark F. Gray, Host, The SportsGroove
Mon. – Fri. 7-10 pm NewsTalk 1450 WOL-AM
www.wolam.com

Ok Gilbert now blog this.

You wanted the Cleveland Cavaliers. You got the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now you have to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers…period.

The Washington Wizards enter the NBA playoffs for the third straight season facing the daunting task of beating the defending eastern conference champions and LeBron James.   That task – as the Detroit Pistons – a veteran team with championship savvy - found last year is beyond challenging.  James has already proven that he carry a team to the NBA Finals on his back while the Wizards haven’t solved the riddle that is the Cavs in the playoffs.

Down 0-2 to Cleveland in post season should have given them a bite of Bellichick humble pie.   However, Arenas self imposed embargo against local media ended by calling out the Cavs on his blog at NBA.com.   He said they weren’t as good as they were last year following a three team blockbuster midseason trade that brought  D.C.’s DeLonte West, former Maryland star Joe Smith, and former Bullet Ben Wallace to the banks of Lake Erie.  If playoff games in a place you are familiar with isn’t enough to take your game to another level, thank Arenas for giving Cleveland even more motivation for this series.

The time has come for Arenas to shut up and deliver in the playoffs.  Though hurt last year and reduced to innocent bystander, the last image of Agent Zero in post season is making that many free throws with game on the line in 2006.  For a player that wants a maximum contract and issues cyberspace challenges to a team he hasn’t beaten losing is not an option.

It would be much easier to deal with the eccentricities of a quirky superstar if there was more than just a trip to the eastern conference semifinals three years ago on his resume.  To this point that’s as far as the face of the franchise has taken them.  Arenas hasn’t carried his team to 50 wins in a season and has only one playoff victory. The Wizards finished with 43 wins this year while he missed 65 games recovering from two knee surgeries.

To max Agent Zero or not to max Agent Zero that is the question that will be answered in the series.  Giving Arenas the ultimate deal now is to give the keys to your fresh new Bentley to a 15 year old learning how to drive on New York Avenue.  He may look good behind the wheel but, can he handle the responsibilities that go with it.

Arenas says that he would take a pay cut to ensure the Wizards can afford to bring back Antwan Jamison this offseason.  Hopefully, vice president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld will hold him to his word when the negotiations begin especially if they don’t beat Cleveland for a third straight year.

This is a defining moment in the history of the Wizards franchise.  With four consecutive trips to the post season they have become a perennial contender.  They have teased us with moments that lead you to believe they are on the precipice of championship glory and left us with after taste of playoff failure.  Now their narcissistic superstar wants a max contract and the most reliable all star –  Jamison - is at the end of his deal.

Keep your shirt on kid and carry your team to the NBA Finals like LeBron did last year and then you can blog until your heart’s content and earn the max contract for something more than fan friendliness.  Lose in the first round this season, however, and its all on you.