Last Night's Action: King Of The Bottom Feeders

Pacers 114, Wizards 113: Gilbert Arenas' first triple-double in five years and a replay fiasco at the end of the game -- in which video "proved" that Indiana's Mike Dunleavy was fouled with 0.1 seconds left on the clock -- will obviously hog the headlines. But the game that I followed this evening featured an incredibly uneven basketball team, full of individual talent (Antawn Jamison scored 31 and Caron Butler had 23) but nothing if not poor when it came to basic basketball fundamentals. The second quarter was an eye-covering affair, full of terrible, rushed shots and the Wizards throwing away the ball -- the Wizards shot 4-20 from the field and committed eight turnovers in that twelve minute period. Let's not forget the two free throws which Arenas missed at the end of the game. An elite player would have stepped to the line and sunk those shots -- it just shows that while he may be full of explosive potential, Gilbert Arenas isn't carrying any team to a title on his own. So Washington's a "bottom-feeder team," eh? Well, it all starts at the top, buddy.

Maple Leafs 6, Capitals 3: What a strange game this was. The Caps had a fantastic first period in Toronto, but then it all went to pieces. Toronto scored six times in the second and third periods, while Washington lost leads of 2-0 and 3-2 to get their four-game road trip off to a bad start. It was certainly not how the Caps -- who have roadies at Colorado, Vancouver, and Edmonton in the next week -- wanted to spend their Saturday night. Third-string goaltender Michal Neuvirth looked fine in the first period, but then struggled mightily in his second start of the season, allowing six goals on 36 shots. Matt Stajan and Toronto special teams proved to be the difference, the former chipping in two goals and the latter scoring twice on the power-play and once while shorthanded. Alex Ovechkin (goal, two assists) and Nicklas Backstrom (two goals) both found their way onto the scoresheet, despite the loss. But, for whatever reason, the wheels just kind of fell off after the first period for the Caps -- here's to chalking it up to an off night and moving westward.