Wizards coach Flip Saunders certainly has a long road to haul. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)Cavaliers 121, Wizards 98: So, any lingering reservations that life after Gilbert shouldn’t involve blowing up the team and starting fresh? Wednesday night’s loss to the hated Cavaliers did little to reinforce positivity about the remainder of the season. It was understandable that the offense would struggle after losing Arenas’ 22.6 points and 7.2 assists per game. But on the tail end of back-to-back road games, the defense was completely scattershot: 121 points was a season high for Cleveland, Shaq had 17 points in 17 minutes, the Cavs shot 57.3% from the field, and the notorious crab dribbler was but two rebounds and three assists shy of a triple double — even though he only played three quarters. Perhaps one of the few interesting things aside from how soon the Wizards front office implodes the team by trading Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, or both, is who will step into Arenas’ spot in the starting lineup. Earl Boykins got the call last night, and Nick Young will be in the mix. But Randy Foye had 18 points against Cleveland and looks the safer bet — younger and more explosive — to take over full time at the point. Coach Flip Saunders certainly has some work to do to keep this house of cards together.
Oh, and if any of you haven’t read Mike Wise’s incredible piece of reportage — including the revelation that Javaris Crittenton claiming “he would shoot Arenas in his surgically repaired knee” after Arenas needled him regarding his debt, and that Crittenton also loaded his gun and cocked it in the locker room — you really should get on that.
