The Hibachi is out of service and will not be making a playoff appearance. And with Gilbert Arenas sidelined for 2-3 months due to a knee injury, the Washington Wizards won’t be making much of a playoff appearance, either.

This is a devastating blow for the Wizards’ franchise. Sure, Arenas is their high scorer. But he’s also their end-of-game closer, the guy who wants the ball in pressure situations.

 Who can forget his series winning shot against the Bulls in the 2005 playoffs? Last year, he engaged LeBron James in a legendary playoff duel that’s destined for ESPN Classic Television.

With Agent Zero out, the Wizards aren’t likely to make much noise in the post season.

Here’s some reaction to the news of Arenas’ injury:

Gilbert Arenas, himself, describing how the injury happened to NBA.com:

"One minute and 50 seconds later, I got hit. It was one of those freak accidents. It’s not one of them career-ending injuries. Mostly it was just a cleanup. I didn’t tear anything, it’s mostly stretched so that was good news.”

Eddie Jordan, Washington’s coach, describing to reporters how his team will adjust:

“It is an unfortunate incident, and as players in the NBA, and as coaches in the NBA, you have to be prepared for something like this at times. I think we are prepared. We have 12 guys ready to play because of the injuries to Gilbert, Caron and Andray (Blatche). We are going to tweak some things to feature some of our strengths, and we just have to defend a little bit better, and we will move forward.”

Marty Burns, analyst for CNNSI.com:

“Gilbert Arenas’ knee injury is more than a devastating blow to the Wizards. It’s a loss for NBA fans everywhere. Without Agent Zero on the court (he’s expected to miss two to three months), the upcoming playoffs won’t be nearly as much fun.”

Sean Deveney, analyst for SportingNews.com:

"He’ll be out for two or three months. If the Wizards reach the Finals, we may see Gil again this year. But you almost have as good a chance of seeing the Wizards in the NHL Finals as the NBA Finals.

The Washington Wizards have lost their Agent Zero. Gilbert Arenas is out for the next 2-3 months after injuring his left knee in last night’s game against the Charlotte Bobcats.

 An MRI exam revealed that Arenas tore his meniscus ligament. He’s scheduled to have surgery on Thursday.

Ernie Grunfeld, Washington’s President of Basketball Operations, released this statement to the media:

 "Gilbert was performing at an elite level. It’s unfortunate that this injury occurred, but being the competitor that he is, Gilbert will approach his rehab regimen with the same work ethic that has made him one of the league’s most outstanding performers. We expect him to make a full recovery, and we know that his teammates will be up to the challenge to respond in his absence."

This year, Arenas was named to his third straight all star game. He was averaging 28.5 points and 6 assists per contest.

 Stay tuned to hoopsvibe, the blog. I’ll have more on this story later in the day.

Kevin Garnett didn’t cry like his last interview with John Thompson. He did, however, discuss his state of mind and future in an exclusive chat with ESPN’s Marc Stein.

Two main points came out of this interview. First, Garnett is extremely frustrated with the Wolves missing out on the playoffs for the third straight year. Second, he expects major changes in Minnesota and is unsure of his future with the franchise.

The Big Ticket also promised to give his full effort for the rest of the season.

Garnett deserves credit for being such a professional. He could have sulked. He could have pulled a Vince Carter and floated through games. He could have demanded a trade to a contender. He could have blamed his teammates and management.

Garnett did nothing of the sort. Through all the controversy, he’s remained loyal to his team and the game. That loyalty is why we love him. But it could also prevent him from winning an NBA Title.

-The Pistons have been getting contributions from their second unit. With such a deep rotation, Detroit can match up with any team in the Western Conference. Remember, back in 2004, Motown’s bench helped them win an NBA Title.

-Chicago’s got an excellent defensive team. Offense is a different story. The Bulls need a player who can create shots for others.

-Larry Hughes and Sasha Pavlovic are an upgrade at point guard and small forward for Cleveland, but neither is the long term answer. The Cavaliers need to find the right combination to play with LeBron James.

-Miami’s waiting for the post-season to turn it on. At times, they’ve looked too old for another playoff run. We’ll see what happens when D-Wade returns.

-The Raptors were flying high until injuries decimated their team. This group must get healthy for the playoffs.

-Caron Butler’s injury hurts Washington. He defends, scores, rebounds, and provides toughness. Jarvis Hayes, Butler’s replacement, has to stay healthy and score points.

-Last night, things got even worse for the Wizards. Gilbert Arenas hurt his knee in a game against the Charlotte Bobcats. No word on the extent of The Hibachi’s injury.

-Orlando hasn’t gotten much from Jameer Nelson and Carlos Arroyo at the 1-spot. The Magic will be on the lookout for a new point guard in the off-season.

 -It’s official. The Pacers will miss the playoffs for the first time in ten years. Larry Bird and Donnie Walsh, Indiana’s front office execs, must make changes. Coach Rick Carlisle, Bird’s good friend and former teammate with the Celtics, may be the first to go.

Kobe Bryant has never been simple or straightforward. His career has been filled with controversy, making him difficult to evaluate as a player and person.

Part of this is Bryant’s doing. His actions and attitude have often left something to be desired.

Part of this is our doing. Many of us, starting with his days at Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia, wanted to see him fail.

How could we not hate on him? After all, who was this teenager taking Brandy to the prom on network television? And who was this teenager declaring himself eligible for the draft in black sunglasses? And what right did he have to force a trade to the Lakers?

Bryant made a bad first impression. Things went from bad to worse with the Shaq feud. His image then hit rock bottom when he was charged with sexual assault.

Enough time has gone by. He should receive a full pardon from the court of public opinion. But some will never forget his past, forever complicating Bryant’s legacy.

This year, for once, Bryant’s play has been simple to evaluate. He’s been outstanding. Here’s why he should be included in any MVP discussion:

1) Bryant’s the only MVP candidate capable of dominating on defense. He’s an excellent individual and team defender. Nash is a poor defender, while Nowitzki holds his own.

2) Bryant’s role changed during the season. For the first thirty games, he was Kobe the Facilitator, dropping dimes and hitting the open man.

His role changed when Luke Walton and Lamar Odom went on injured reserve. Kobe the Facilitator had to become Kobe the Scoring Assassin. And the 2-guard certainly scored, running off several 50 point games and forcing the league’s shutdown defenders to seek new forms of employment.

Most importantly, Kobe the Scoring Assassin saved Los Angeles’ season. Bryant’s been a chameleon, changing his role to help the Lakers win.

3) Bryant’s finally acting like an MVP. He gets his teammates involved. He encourages instead of alienating. He’s a leader.

 Nash or Nowitzki will win MVP. But Kobe Bean deserves consideration. His past shouldn’t matter. But like everything with Bryant, it’s never simple or straight forward.

Sunday’s game between Dallas and Phoenix confirmed one thing: the Mavericks have no answer for the Suns’ fast lineup.

Let me explain. After beating Dallas on March 14th, Steve Nash’s crew hit a rough patch, dropping games to weaker teams like Golden State and Sacramento.

 And whenever the Suns lose a few games, the doubters come out of the closet. Critics dismiss Phoenix as a novelty act. Fans appreciate the entertainment, but wonder if 7 seconds to shoot can actually deliver an NBA Title.

 Give Coach Mike D’Antoni his due. He could have listened to the doubters and implemented elements of a more traditional system.

But the Suns’ sideline boss came to a different conclusion: the league’s fastest team had to get faster.

D’Antoni felt his team needed an injection of energy and enthusiasm-nothing more. There would be no major changes, only tweaks. The Suns would keep their identity.

So Boris Diaw was dropped from the starting lineup. Leandro Barbosa, the NBA’s fastest player, took his place in the opening five.

The decision to tweak paid dividends in Sunday’s game. Dallas couldn’t stop or even contain Barbosa. The ‘Brazilian blur’ went off, hitting a bevy of shots to finish with 29 points. Most importantly, his speed and quickness created a tempo that favored Phoenix.

Steve Nash makes the Suns go. But Barbosa’s quickness puts pressure on the defense, forcing opponents to play at an unfamiliar pace.

Dallas and Phoenix won’t face each other for the rest of the regular season. If they meet in the playoffs, the Mavericks better adjust to the faster version of the Suns.

Many years ago, I was playing pickup at a well-known run in Vancouver, Canada. A skinny kid with a familiar smile and recognizable eyes showed up. He was new to the area and had just enrolled at a local high school.

There was a buzz about this kid, something different. Then the word dropped: he was the son of Sidney Lowe, the current sideline boss for the Vancouver Grizzlies.

Sidney Lowe Jr. was a quiet kid with an excellent, son-of-a-coach style game. He moved well and made excellent decisions as a lead guard-exactly like his father who starred at North Carolina State and went on to spend six season in the NBA.

He also kicked my team’s ass. But Lowe Jr. never talked trash or showed us up, so we accepted our fate as losers and left the court for the next team.

I never saw Sid Lowe Jr. again, until last week. The coach’s son was charged with a number of crimes in the state of North Carolina. If convicted, he’s looking at serious jail time.

(Here’s the link)

All I saw was a decent kid with a Division-1 caliber game. That’s why last week’s accusations were so surprising. And that’s why last week’s accusations were so sad.

Hopefully, this is a mistake. And someday his smile will return.

Several months ago, I was sipping ice water in the press box, watching the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds play the Arizona Wildcats as part of a pre-season practice tournament in my hometown of Vancouver, Canada.

Lute Olson, Arizona’s legendary coach, was directing traffic from the sideline. The Wildcats were loaded with wily veterans, all of whom under normal circumstances would be worth watching closely.

Reggie Theus, a former NBA star and the current coach of the rapidly improving New Mexico State Aggies, was relaxing in a corner of the arena. Theus’ Aggies were also taking part in the tournament.

Nobody cared about Olson, the Wildcats’ established stars or even a mellowed out Theus. The crowd had gathered to watch one player: Chase Budinger, Arizona’s first year swingman.

After all, this incoming class had hype. There was Greg Oden, the stud centre for Ohio State. There was Kevin Durant, the athletic swingman for Texas. And there was also Budinger, Arizona’s prize recruit and a supposed lock for the NBA lottery.

The former California prep star began the game on the bench. After a few minutes, Coach Olson motioned for Budinger to check in.

He nailed his first three shots in spectacular fashion. The stadium was buzzing. Fans and local media were stunned at what they had just seen.

Arizona’s traveling media weren’t surprised. They were chuckling at the reaction Budinger’s play was getting. One of the Wildcats’ beat writers then turned to me and dropped a shocking statement.

“You know what? Chase’s been sick all day,” the reporter said. “He’s got an upset stomach and a bad headache. I don’t know how he’s even playing, let alone doing that.”

Following the game, a ‘sic’-playing and sick-looking Chase Budinger answered a few quick questions.

Oly Sandor: How you feeling?

Chase Budinger: Pretty bad. I’ve got a virus. I’ve been very sick for the last couple of days. This was the first time I’ve played basketball in four days. So it’s tough for me. I’m under the weather. I’m just trying to go out there and do as much as I can.

OS: What position will you end up playing this year?

CB: I think the wing, 2-3. That’s what they (the Arizona coaching staff) have been saying.

OS: What made you pick Arizona?

CB: The style of offense. Coach Olson is a great coach. I don’t think they’ve had a losing record, ever. I wanted to play with the best players. I wanted to play with and against the best teams. Arizona was just a great match for me.

OS: Was your decision Arizona or the NBA?

CB: No. I also wanted to go to college. It was between UCLA, USC, and Arizona. Those were my three choices.

OS: Good luck this year.

CB: Thanks.

After years of the free-lance hustle, Oly Sandor has signed a ‘max’ contract to bring his cutting-edge NBA analysis to HoopsVibe.com, the hottest basketball website in the game.

• Hoopsvibe agrees to pay Oly the maximum money available under the salary cap. This works out to 84 million dollars over the next 6 years.
• Hoopsvibe agrees to provide Oly with a mansion on Miami’s Star Island. Oly’s new neighbors include Shaquille O’Neal, Anna Kournikova, and Gloria Estefan.
• Hoopsvibe agrees to supply Oly with a lifetime supply of blue M&Ms. Remember, Oly only eats the blue ones.
• Hoopsvibe agrees to hook Oly up with Eva Mendes’ home phone number. Not her cell number, but her actual home phone number. 
• Finally, Hoopsvibe agrees to let Oly refer to himself in the third person.

There’s been significant interest surrounding my recent posts on NBAblog.HoopsVibe.com. Here’s the deal: HoopsVibe.com and I are combining forces to hit you with the tightest NBA blog.

This will not be the typical blog that recycles the same old opinions. 

We are committed to making this the best NBA blog on-line. We’ll cover the hottest issues. We’ll cover the biggest stories. We’ll cover the things you want to read about. And we’ll always do it in a way that’s fresh and innovative.

Satisfy your daily NBA fix through reading hoopsvibe’s official blog, so bookmark http://NBAblog.hoopsvibe.com. Feel free to email me anytime at olysandor@hoopsvibe.com.

The choice for MVP comes down to Steve Nash or Dirk Nowitzki. And Sunday’s game between Nash’s Phoenix Suns and Nowitzki’s Dallas Mavericks could determine which of these two players wins the MVP hardware at season’s end.

The Nash or Nowitzki debate has split the NBA into two camps.

One camp supports Nash for MVP because they feel the award should go to the player with the greatest value to his team.

 The other camp supports Nowitzki for MVP because he’s the best player on the league’s best team.

Here’s why Nash should win MVP:

1) The Suns are all about offense. That’s their identity. Nash’s vision and basketball IQ makes the whole thing go. Take Nash out of Phoenix’s line-up and 7 seconds to shoot is 7 seconds from the NBA lottery.

2) This year, Nash is averaging 19 points and 12 assists per game. Both are career highs. If Nash’s numbers are better than his MVP seasons, then he should be in line for a three-peat.

 3) Nash has MVP presence. He plays the game properly. He has a positive on-court demeanor. He finds the open man. And he knows when to assert himself and when to defer to teammates.

Here’s why Nowitzki should win MVP:

1) The German has been Dallas’ best player. Dallas has been the NBA’s best team. Do the math.

2) Nowitzki is a better defensive player than Nash. He can lock down most forwards, while the Suns often have to hide Nash on defense by using Shawn Marion to cover opposing point guards.

3) Nowitzki has displayed MVP toughness by playing on a severely sprained ankle. He’s never complained about this injury. He’s never asked for or expected sympathy. Nowitzki’s just fought the pain and done everything in his power to help his team win.

Right now, the MVP race is close. Too close to call. Sunday’s game could tilt things in favor of Nash or Nowitzki.