What Would Wilbon Write?

Here is the Wilbon column if the Wizards lose opening night…

The NBA season is underway, and the hopes & dreams of 30 professional franchises are beginning to be shaped. The sky is the limit for many of these teams, and we will soon see which teams will be contenders.

In Chicago, the Bulls won their first game. This is a clear sign that they will win the NBA Finals. Its just a matter of by how much and in how many games. Houston also won their first game, proving to everyone that this could be the year they bust out of the first round. Even the screwball New York Knicks picked up an opening game win, which is rocketing them towards the playoffs.

And then there are the Wizards. At 0-1 things do not look good. A heartbreaking loss at the buzzer to the New Jersey Nets has put the Wizards playoff hopes seemingly out of reach. The Wizards may be able to win without All Star & blogger, Gilbert Arenas, but you cannot win without a force in the paint. That force in the paint was Brendan Haywood, but a preseason injury is keeping him out for 6 months.

Being in last place is somewhat new to the Wizards, but realistically, it is where you would expect them to be. Without Haywood’s 9 points per game, and classic power jams, the Wizards look lost.

Etan Thomas has attempted to fill the Haywood void, but with his measly 9 points per game and semi power jams, he may not be the immediate answer the Wizards need.

So what should the Wizards do the rest of the 81 games this season? Play for Tyler Hansbrough.

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