If you called Roy Hibbert the worst player in the NBA right now, you wouldn’t get much of an argument from basketball fans.
You certainly wouldn’t hear any disagreement from Indiana Pacers supporters, who had to watch their big man turn in another zero-point, zero-rebound performance — his second of the playoffs — Monday night in a 102-96 loss to the Washington Wizards in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Hibbert was as invisible as a 7-foot-2 man can be during the series-opening loss, but he caught the attention of former NBA All-Stars Tracy McGrady and Gilbert Arenas, who were among the scores of viewers to rip the slumping center on social media. (It’s worth pointing out, though, that Arenas spent the bulk of his career with the Wizards, so he isn’t exactly an unbiased observer.)
[tweet https://twitter.com/Real_T_Mac/statuses/463497226082607104 align=’center’]
The caption for this one: “They just caught Roy Hibbert outside for an interview.” Well played, Mr. Arenas.
While the postgame chatter in the Pacers locker room wasn’t as bombastic as the comments of the two former pros, it’s very clear that Hibbert’s teammates are not happy with his performance, either.
“He’s got to be part of the fight,” said David West, whom Pacers.com’s Scott Agness described as “beyond furious.” “He’s got to be part of this thing for us to go anywhere.”
Indiana will look to even the series in Game 2 at home Wednesday night.
