<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas, who recently completed the finest statistical season of his career, was named yesterday to the All-NBA third team for the second straight year. Arenas, who in February also made his second consecutive All-Star appearance, became the franchise's first player to be selected to the team in back-to-back seasons since Elvin Hayes was honored five consecutive years from 1973 to 1977. "I am very excited," the 24-year-old Arenas said in a statement released by the team. "It's a thrill to be mentioned with the names of the great players that made the team this year, and I'm very proud to be talked about in the same breath as some of the franchise's all-time legends. Being selected to the All-NBA team is a tribute to the hard work and support of my teammates, as well as our coaches and staff throughout the season. Individual awards are a reflection of the effort of the whole team." Arenas this season averaged a career-high 29.3 points per game, along with 6.1 assists and 2.0 steals. He finished the year as the NBA's fourth-leading scorer. Arenas' scoring average ranks second in franchise history to the 31.6 Walt Bellamy notched during the 1961-62 season. Arenas scored at least 30 points in 42 of his 80 games, and his 11 games with 40-plus points this season ranked him third in the league. A three-time Eastern Conference Player of the Week, Arenas also finished among the league leaders in 3-point field goals made (second), minutes a game (third), free throws made (third), steals a game (fourth) and assists a game (18th), and with Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison, Arenas was a part of the NBA's highest scoring trio of teammates (67.4 ppg). Arenas helped guide the Wizards to the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Washington finished with the Eastern Conference's fifth-best record and second place in the Southeast Division. "We're very proud of Gilbert's great accomplishment," Washington Wizards president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld said. "Through hard work and dedication, Gilbert has grown into an elite player in this league. He is a tremendous competitor and this great honor is a testament to his hard work and the effort of the entire team this season." </div> Source
Wow, Gilbert to me was a lock for 2nd team. He was all heart, all year, and brought a pretty bad team into the 5th seed in the playoffs. It was a snub.
Arenas > Billups. I'm depressed, I really thought he had a 2nd team lock, but this just proves to the doubters that he's a top 15 in the league, arguably a top 10.
Wow, what really impresses me is that he's only 24! Isn't Dwyane Wade 24 also? I always thought he was a little older.
Yup, Gilly's 24. I think he's like two months older than Dwyane, I'm not sure on that. Dwyane, Gilly, and Chris Paul are going to be the most exciting GUARDS for years to come. Especially the Gilly/Wade matches in the Eastern Conference.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheBlackMamba:</div><div class="quote_post">Yup, Gilly's 24. I think he's like two months older than Dwyane, I'm not sure on that. Dwyane, Gilly, and Chris Paul are going to be the most exciting GUARDS for years to come. Especially the Gilly/Wade matches in the Eastern Conference.</div> Yeah, this was a big snub. How can Billups be there over Gil? I can't wait for all the years of Gil vs. DWade.
Good job Gilbert. You deserve it and you should've been there in the 2nd. Not Billups. Exciting player with a good game-style and a great scorer. He puts up 30 every night.
Arenas not > Billups, winning is a big part of the All NBA teams, and Billups did that to the max, so Billups definately should've been second team. Arenas was well deserved at third team though.
