Gilbert Arenas’s availability for the Wizards regular-season opener at Orlando on Thursday remains in question after he missed a second straight practice on Monday with soreness in his right ankle.
Arenas hasn’t played since his Washington’s preseason game against Milwaukee on Oct. 14 in which he lasted only three minutes before leaving with an injured right groin. He also hasn’t spoken to the media since apologizing the day after faking an injury to allow Nick Young to start the Wizard’s preseason game on Oct. 12.
Arenas essentially declined to talk to the media after practice on Monday. Asked as he made his way from the Verizon Center practice court to the Wizards locker room about his ankle, Arenas stared blankly ahead then turned right into the locker room. As he disappeared from view, he was overheard saying in a sing-song voice, “You’ll see.”
Arenas was the only player to miss practice on Monday, as Kirk Hinrich (hip) and John Wall (groin) were both back in action. Al Thornton is also back to full strength after missing a couple of preseason games with an ankle injury.
“He’s got soreness in his ankle, a little bit of fluid,” said Wizards head coach Flip Saunders. “It’s kind of day to day. Kind of wait to see how it is. We’re going down there Tuesday, playing Thrusday. I have no idea if he’s going to be ready or not ready.”
Is Saunders concerned?
“Not really, we’ve prepared, we’ve played a lot without him. I think now, Al’s back. He’s healthy. Al’s played extremely well the last week, got his legs under him from when he was hurt. Kirk’s back, John’s back. So, we’d love to have him. If we don’t have him, I still think we can go out there and be effective.”
