Agent Zero Comes Up Empty

By Rashad Mobley
for HOOPSADDICT.com

Published: December 13, 2009

22 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds.

That’s a stat line that any player not named Jason Kidd or LeBron James would kill to have, and its a stat line that Gilbert Arenas worked hard to achieve during the Wizards’ 114-113 loss to the visiting Indiana Pacers.

5-for-13.

Those numbers represent what Arenas has shot from the the free throw line the past two games. For his career, Arenas averages 80% from the line. This season, he’s been shooting significantly lower at 70%. The past two games, that percentage has sank to a Ben Wallace-like 38%.

Even more telling than Arenas’ paltry percentage from the line is when these misses are occurring. Against the Celtics, Arenas went to the line with 26 seconds left in the game, his team down two points, and he missed both free throws. In the contest against the Pacers, there were only six seconds left in the fourth quarter, and the Wizards were only ahead one point. His twice behind-the-back routine looked the same, his face looked calm, the follow through looked true, but again, he missed them both.

After the Pacers’ loss, a frustrated Flip Saunders addressed Arenas’ misses.

“He’s the man. He has to make those plays, ” the embattled Saunders said during one of his quickest post game press conferences. “You put the ball in the hands of your superstar. I have confidence if we put the ball in his hands, and if he got fouled, he would make that play again. He just didn’t make them. He is going to keep on having it in his hands. He needs to make those plays.”

After Arenas missed the two free throws, the Wizards fouled the Pacers and eventually called timeout. Arenas sat on the bench seemingly in a daze the entire time, and Coach Saunders had to yell at him to get back in the game during the last few controversial tenths of a second.

“”Yeah, I was [in a daze],” Arenas said after the game. “First he[Saunders] said I was out, then he said I was in, I was just sitting there thinking about the free throws.”

When both the game and Coach Saunders’ post game press conference were over, the media went into the locker room, and in his customary corner spot, was a completely downtrodden Arenas. He was draped in towels, his shoulders were slumped, his eyes barely made contact with anyone asking him questions, and he spoke in a low, Antawn Jamison-like tone the entire time he was interviewed.

Clearly, the events of the last two games weighed heavily on his mind.

“It’s really frustrating,” the glum Arenas said in front of his locker. “I’m shooting them (free throws) all day. I mean, I don’t even know why I’m sitting here talking about some free throws. I never fathomed that I’d be missing free throws again. Maybe it’s just mental, because I’m making them in practice.”

Washington Times beat writer, Mike Jones, asked Arenas what was going through his mind when he stepped up to the free throw line during the Indiana game. Without looking up or missing a beat, Arenas simply shrugged and gave a quick one word answer: “Nothing.”

As frustrated as Arenas and Saunders seem to be over the free throws, his teammates still seem to be 100% confident in their star player’s abilities.

DeShawn Stevenson, who has been Arenas starting backcourt mate many times over the years, was unwavering in his support.

“Everybody in this arena knows what he can do. He hasn’t played in two years. You have to understand that. You mess up, you mess up. At the end of the day everyone in this locker room knows what he can do. Look at his numbers and the things he’s done for this organization. He can do it every single day. He has to believe in himself.”

His fellow All-Star teammate, Antawn Jamison struggled from the line during the Pacers game (1-for-5) and is also shooting a lower percentage overall this season from the line (55% down from a career 73%).

Still, he didn’t seem very concerned about this affecting the team long term.

“It’s just one of those things,” Jamison said after the game. “I’m struggling from the line, so its just [one of those] things that happens. We just gotta continue to work on the things we need to work on and just hopefully this stretch can makes us a better team and pull us together and show us some character.”

Jamison was also quick to refute the notion that he should say anything directly to Arenas about his recent struggles.

“Situations like that you leave it alone, start joking around tomorrow on the plane.”

Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers offered some interesting perspective about Arenas struggles this season, after his team defeated the Wizards. Rivers’ best player, Kevin Garnett, is coming off major knee surgery just as Arenas is, and he’s had to be patient with Garnett as he struggles to regain his All-Star form.

Rivers’ words can serve as minor encouragement to frustrated Wizards’ fans, players and coaches alike.

“Their best player, Gilbert Arenas, missed two years, and its just going to take him time,” Rivers said. “Its funny no wants to be patient, but we’re patient with Kevin. Kevin is playing unbelievable right now, but early on, there was really a question of what’s wrong with Kevin, and I just kept saying, he missed half a year, it takes time. Gilbert missed two years. So he’s gonna have good nights, bad nights, and you just have to be patient.”

The Wizards’ confidence and patience regarding Gilbert Arenas’ game and free throw shooting will be on display Monday night against the Clippers–in Arenas’ hometown of Los Angeles.