Updated Jan. 22
Washington's season sweep of Dallas was its first over the Mavericks in 11 years, feeding the ever-developing confidence monster that has been growing as the team continues to keep it together without Gilbert Arenas.
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| Caron Butler has his game face on as he leads the Wizards. (AP) |
How have they been able to manage? It goes way beyond Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison having career years, though that's certainly helped. The difference has simply been defense, a facet of the game that has been overlooked in the past. Last season, the team was 28th in points allowed and 27th in opponent field-goal percentage. The Wizards weren't only giving up a lot of baskets, they were giving up a lot of easy ones.
This season, they're in the top 10 in both categories.
Sure, Butler becoming one of the best forwards in the Eastern Conference has helped. So has the fact Jamison ranks second in the conference behind Dwight Howard in double-doubles and is hustling on the boards to the tune of 10.6 a night, nearly three higher than his career average.
But it's the contributions of Antonio Daniels, DeShawn Stevenson and Brendan Haywood on the defensive end that has supplied the difference. It has more to do with Butler recording at least one steal a game in the last 22 contests than it does with him scoring 20.
Washington has a new identity. Arenas will have to buy in when he returns and he's smart and hungry enough to know that.
Bottom line, come April, Eddie Jordan will finally have the roster he envisioned during training camp. Arenas will be back from his knee surgery. Etan Thomas, already back on the bench, gives the team another post defender. They Wizards will have a few weeks to gel before the postseason and should be in the mix for the Southeast Division title.
Will it all come together? That remains to be seen, but at least the Wizards are halfway there. They now know what it takes to win. Plugging in their best player and another rugged big man shouldn't hurt matters, so long as those currently on the mend are observant.
The week's Power Rankings:
| Power Rankings | ||||||||||
| Current | Team | Previous | ||||||||
 | 1 | Lakers · Trends | 1 | |||||||
| Knicks, Warriors, Nets -- it's been a while since Lakers faced a real team. ... Best passing big man in game? Pau Gasol averaging 4.2 assists. | ||||||||||
 | 2 | Magic · Trends | 2 | |||||||
| Battle of Florida, Round 1, ends in controversy; no Magic in referee's non-call. ... Last road loss: Nov. 8 at Oklahoma City. | ||||||||||
 | 3 | Suns · Trends | 5 | |||||||
| Tweet: NBA blows whistle on multitasking Amare Stoudemire, but he says he's innocent (and $7,500 poorer). ... Average score in four-game win streak: 119-98. | ||||||||||
 | 4 | Cavaliers · Trends | 3 | |||||||
| LeBron in the NFL? Might be great tight end, but why take paycut?. ... No consistency: Inexcusable losses at Toronto, Washington, Charlotte. | ||||||||||
 | 5 | Celtics · Trends | 7 | |||||||
| Truth has $30,000 price: Rasheed Wallace labels "Turkododo" a flopper. ... Time to get serious: Kevin Garnett ties season-high with 35 minutes in win at Miami. | ||||||||||
 | 6 | Hawks · Trends | 4 | |||||||
| First crack: Joe Johnson shoots 23 for 66, club loses three of four. ... Easy to figure out these guys: 9-1 when scoring 100 or more, 3-4 when held to double digits. | ||||||||||
 | 7 | Mavericks · Trends | 8 | |||||||
| Wrong side of history: Warriors play just six players, win at Dallas. ... Blowout loss to Cavs nothing new: That's four straight by average of 17.5 points. | ||||||||||
 | 8 | Nuggets · Trends | 6 | |||||||
| M-V-P? Fans shout it out as Carmelo Anthony scorches Knicks for 50. ... Shocking end to 17-game home streak; club had beaten Timberwolves 10 straight. | ||||||||||
 | 9 | Jazz · Trends | 11 | |||||||
| Carlos Boozer averaging 23.7-11.1 double-double in club's six-of-seven march up standings. ... Jazz have 36 assists, Blazers 34 hoops in 16-point drubbing. | ||||||||||
 | 10 | Spurs · Trends | 14 | |||||||
| Room for improvement: Richard Jefferson has nine field goals last four games. ... Softies devoured, three heavyweights (Celtics, Nuggets, Jazz) await in five-day stretch. | ||||||||||
 | 11 | Trail Blazers · Trends | 9 | |||||||
| Last quality win (at home vs. Spurs) now almost month away. ... Zach Randolph (remember him?) enjoys homecoming at Blazers' expense. | ||||||||||
 | 12 | Heat · Trends | 13 | |||||||
| Too much stuffing? Heat among seven home losers (to Wizards) on day after Thanksgiving. ... Hope to avoid you in April: Club has lost nine of 10 to Celtics. | ||||||||||
 | 13 | Rockets · Trends | 10 | |||||||
| Honeymoon's over: Early surprise team hasn't won back-to-back in a month. ... Where's Tracy McGrady? Club shoots 71 of 175 in home losses to Mavericks, Spurs. | ||||||||||
 | 14 | Thunder · Trends | 15 | |||||||
| Giant-killing continues: Add Jazz to list that includes Magic, Spurs, Heat. ... He can pass, too: Kevin Durant has at least a handful of assists in five of last seven. | ||||||||||
 | 15 | Bobcats · Trends | 19 | |||||||
| Trade paying dividends: Stephen Jackson averaging 40 minutes for club that's won four straight. ... Gerald Wallace takes Michael Jordan's advice, outplays LeBron James in win over Cavaliers. | ||||||||||
 | 16 | Bucks · Trends | 12 | |||||||
| Four-game losing streak includes two-, three-point losses. ... What's problem? Brandon Jennings since 55-point explosion: 59 of 160 (369). | ||||||||||
 | 17 | Bulls · Trends | 17 | |||||||
| Time to move up: After 10 of first 15 on road, nine of next 11 at home. ... No laughing matter: Club now 10-61 last 10 "Circus Trips." | ||||||||||
 | 18 | Kings · Trends | 24 | |||||||
| Bring on New England: Club sweeps three against New York, New Jersey, New Orleans. ... Another surprise for surprising team: Sergio Rodriguez impresses at point guard. | ||||||||||
 | 19 | Hornets · Trends | 18 | |||||||
| Last four road games: 0-4, 15.0 average margin of defeat. Next visit: Lakers. ... Good time for Chris Paul to rest: Club follows two-game week with two-game week. | ||||||||||
 | 20 | Raptors · Trends | 16 | |||||||
| Blown-out club glad Canadian Steve Nash (20 points, 16 assists) comes north just once a year. ... Only Warriors (112.4 ppg) worse defensively than Raptors (109.3). | ||||||||||
 | 21 | Wizards · Trends | 21 | |||||||
| Antawn Jamison doubles up on double-doubles in two wins, goes double-single in loss to Bobcats. ... Time to make move: Celtics, Suns only elite foes in December. | ||||||||||
 | 22 | Clippers · Trends | 25 | |||||||
| Marcus Camby climbing rebound list: 62 in last four games. ... Is .500 in their future? The 8-10 club gets next five at home. | ||||||||||
 | 23 | Warriors · Trends | 26 | |||||||
| Short-handed travelers make total of seven substitutions in shocker at Dallas. ... Scorching Monta Ellis goes for 34, 37, 42, 45 in five-game stretch. | ||||||||||
 | 24 | Pistons · Trends | 22 | |||||||
| Bloody Charlie Villanueva helps in win over Hawks, then has surgery on broken nose. ... TV truck catches fire, Pistons don't in viewer-less home loss to Clippers. | ||||||||||
 | 25 | Pacers · Trends | 20 | |||||||
| League leader in free throws allowed puts Monta Ellis on line 16 times in loss to Warriors. ... Mike Dunleavy hits first 11 foul shots after nearly 10-month absence. | ||||||||||
 | 26 | 76ers · Trends | 23 | |||||||
| A.I. II: Ay yi yi. ... Knew it wouldn't be easy: Seven-game losing streak includes Cavaliers, Celtics, Hawks, Spurs, Mavericks. | ||||||||||
 | 27 | Grizzlies · Trends | 27 | |||||||
| Improvement noted: Club is 5-4 after 1-8 start. ... Jamaal Tinsley puts PT over W's, signs with Grizzlies. | ||||||||||
 | 28 | Knicks · Trends | 28 | |||||||
| Double your pleasure: Sunday duel with lowly Nets one of two this month. ... Anthony adds to infamy: Four of last 10 to score 50 have faced Knicks. | ||||||||||
 | 29 | Timberwolves · Trends | 29 | |||||||
| Don't want to make them mad: Club avenges home loss to Nuggets with stunner at Denver. ... Improving Ramon Sessions cutting into Jonny Flynn's playing time. | ||||||||||
 | 30 | Nets · Trends | 30 | |||||||
| Frank-ly speaking, change needed after noncompetitive Western swing. ... Good news for new coach Kiki Vandeweghe: Bobcats, Knicks, Bulls, Warriors, Pacers in eight-day stretch | ||||||||||
R U Kidding 
