Arenas
You watch the games, you see the scores, but how do you really know what's going on in NBA Playoffs 2005? NBA.com has infiltrated the action with the ultimate insiders -- the players themselves. We're giving you an exclusive look at the postseason with a roster of player mailboxes.

Washington's Gilbert Arenas, an All-Star for the first time this season, was a major part of the Wizards's first drive to the playoffs since 1997. Send Gilbert a question via e-mail and we'll post his answers to the best questions at least once for each round of the Playoffs the Wizards reach.

Arenas answered your first round of questions on Wednesday, May 4:

Q: yo gilbert you da man kidd i've been a fan since your first season n i think u have become 1 of the best point guards in the leauge ...n since havin your past season on below .500 teams how does it feel to finally be in the playoffs
-– John Edler

Arenas: It feels great. You're not on vacation, you're in the postseason. Everyone in the world has a chance to watch you. It just shows that you're becoming a winner in everyone's eyes and that the franchise is turning around.

Q: Hey Gilbert, I just wanted to thank you. You really inspire me to work for my dream of playing in the NBA. We don't get many wizards games in Australia. But i love when we do. I've read articles about you and they always talk about how tirelessly you work at your game and how dedicated you are to being the best ball player you can be. I really respect you, for how much passion and intensity you play the game with. I'm the very same way, i work really hard at my game everyday. Shooting jumpers sometimes till the early hours of the mourning. I was also just wondering if you could tell me some of the drills you do, when your by yourself in the gym and the kind of mind set your in when you training. Thank you very much, keep up the hard work.
-– Jesse

Arenas: My mindset is that I'm trying to get better however long it takes me. You've got to practice like you're gonna play because it's easy to lose focus when you're by yourself. As far as drills, it really doesn't matter what you're doing as long as you're doing it at a high level, a high speed and you're getting after it.

Q: What are the main major adjustment that you and your team are having to deal with now that your'e playing against the bulls in the first round?
-– Eitan Reiffman

Arenas: When you have to play a team seven times, you have to make adjustments every game because the other team adapts to what you're doing. It's been an up and down series and we've been making changes each game.

Q: First, I would like to say congratulations Gilbert on an extraordinary season! Second, I was wondering what keeps you motivated to compete despite bad games, bad press, etc.? Do you come from a strong family or is it simply internal drive?
-– Katie Huber

Arenas: Internal drive. Whatever your mind is set to do, that's what you're gonna do. Everyone is gonna have a bad day, everyone is gonna have a bad game. The questions are how do you recover? What builds your character?

Q: If you get by the first round, What different could you and the team do to stop the heat, who swept you guys 4-0 in the regular season, and who will guard Shaq?
-– Matthew Counts

Arenas: If we get past the first round, we'll be ready for them. But no one has guarded Shaq well since Dennis Rodman was in the league (laughs). But we've got to worry about the Bulls first before we think about Miami.