The will-he-or-won’t-he-play drama surrounding the return of Gilbert Arenas from knee surgery is having little effect on the resurgent Wizards.
With six wins in its last seven games, Washington (36-33) has vaulted past struggling Toronto (35-35) in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Even with the daunting prospect of five road games in the next seven days, the Wizards can consider catching fourth-place Cleveland (40-31) and earn home-court advantage in a first-round playoff series.
The catalyst for the recent surge has been Caron Butler. With the All-star forward back from a torn labrum (hip), the Wizards have re-gained their toughness. Evidence came in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 95-83 win over Detroit when Butler took Richard Hamilton to the floor with a forearm to the All-Star’s chest.
“[With Caron] we’ve got a certain quote, unquote swagger about ourselves,” said Wizards forward Antawn Jamison. “We have a lot to prove and I think being healthy, we can beat any team. Things are starting to form. We’re starting to feel good about ourselves.”
Center Brendan Haywood also got into the act Sunday. He took a hard foul against Detroit center Rasheed Wallace, who took offense and drew a technical foul.
“We are underrated when it comes to the physical aspect of the game,” said Haywood, who scored 16 points Sunday. “We’re not going to back down from anyone. If someone comes at us, we’re going to go right back at them.”
In the last three games, Washington has allowed an average of 85 points on 40.8 percent shooting from the floor and has out-scored opponents in the paint, 132-70. It’s a formula the Wizards used in January to topple teams such as Boston (back-to-back) and Dallas.
“That’s when Caron was healthy,” said Wizards coach Eddie Jordan. “That’s where we are right now, with that toughness from Caron that we missed dearly when he was out.”
So even with Arenas’ return more likely to happen later in this road trip than sooner, the Wizards are in a positive frame of mind, with or without their All-Star guard.
“Once he comes out here and we’re whole again, I think we can beat anybody,” said Butler. “We’re clicking on all cylinders right now ….Everybody’s always saying, finish .500 on a road trip, but I think we can get every win.”
