In the locker room before tonight's game, Gilbert Arenas gave another update on his comeback from a Nov. 21 knee surgery. He said that he expects to be back "way before the playoffs" and "hopefully within this week, maybe that West Coast road trip."
What exactly "within this week" means is a bit perplexing. Arenas -- who had an MRI on his surgically repaired left knee and got a clean bill of health but said yesterday he would probably wait another week before considering returning -- has already ruled himself out of Friday's game in Miami, so the earliest he could return if it is indeed “within this week” would be Sunday night's home game against Detroit. And the Wizards then begin a five-game, seven-day road trip Tuesday night in Seattle.
Agent Zero remains confident in his team's chances this postseason, even ranking them among the favorites.
"We're not scared of any team." he said. "There's not a team that actually frightens us out there. When you have three guys that score 20, we're more frightening because no one has actually seen us as a whole group yet. Everyone has seen a scouting report of our team, but if you have a scouting report it's a report from last year, or the beginning of the season. . . . We're kinda a favorite going in if you look at it in that aspect, no one knows what we do yet."
A member of the Orlando media asked Arenas about his cautious approach and admitted fear of hurting his value this summer when he opts out should he suffer yet another injury this spring.
Agent Zero was kind enough to elaborate.
"What would y'all do? Let's be honest. Sit there! I guarantee, you'd be scared to walk outside. I know when my contract was up [in 2004] and I signed here, and I had to drive to meet Ernie [Grunfeld]. I stopped at greens, reds, yellows. Wanted to make sure nothing happen 'til I got my contract signed. I went the speed limit that day. Didn't hit no freeways, no nothin'."
In other Wizards news . . . Coach Eddie Jordan said his players responded well to last night's 1 a.m. curfew, but that he'll allow them to have some fun in Miami when they arive tonight, following the flight from Orlando.
"Curfew, I think they liked it," Jordan said. "I think they understand that we care, that we're doing everything that we can to make this a business approach. Tonight when we get to Miami, they can have some fun and then Thursday night they'll have another curfew. But I think they like it, they understand it. Players always want discipline and they know that we're all in this together to perform as well as we can."
-- Mike Jones
