In the halls of Verizon Center the morning after learning they were selected for the NBA All-Star Game, Wizards Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler were a study in contrast.
While Jamison wore Mardi Gras beads, a huge smile and slapped hands with a flood of well wishers, the usually-affable Butler was sullen as he limped on his sore left hip, disappearing into a training room with barely a word.
Two weeks later, little has changed. While Jamison will play in his second All-Star Game Sunday in New Orleans, Butler will watch his second from the bench, still waiting for his stubborn left hip to heal.
“I am disappointed to miss the All-Star Game,” said Butler who has missed the last five games. “It is best for me to get the proper rest in preparation for the second half of the season.”
Jamison is flying high after tipping-in the game winner Wednesday night in Los Angeles, as the Wizards edged the Clippers, 91-89. The 6-9 forward scored 14 of his game-high 29 points in the fourth quarter as Washington (25-27) halted its eight-game losing streak.
Jamison and Butler are the second pair of forwards in franchise history to make the All-Star team in the same season. There is little question about their credentials. Jamison is averaging 21.5 points and a career-high 10.3 rebounds per game.
Butler is averaging career highs in points (21.4), assists (4.5) and steals (2.4) while shooting career-bests from the field (47.6 percent), arc (36.5 percent) and free-throw line (91.3 percent).
“Just to make the team says a lot, but to have a teammate there with you, it really says a lot about the type of team you have and the type of guys that you are surrounded by,” said Jamison. “Not too many teams have more than one representative and for the last three out of four years we have had two guys representing our team.”
