After two failed attempts, guard trusts his rehab
Three knee surgeries. Two failed comebacks. What will be different this time for Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas?
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After playing well (15 points, 10 assists) in Washington’s 98-96 loss to Detroit Saturday, in his first game this season, Arenas sounded convinced that his left knee troubles are behind him. His next test will likely come Thursday against visiting Cleveland.
“The best part of this return is I actually stuck to the program in rehabbing,” said Arenas. “My legs are ten times stronger than they were. And I think the pressure wasn’t on as much this time around.”
With no reason to rush back to a team mired in last place in the Eastern Conference, Arenas spent more time than ever in the weight room, pointing to his new ability to squat 500 pounds.
When Arenas returned at the start of the 2007-08 season, six months after surgery and following a summer of unrestrained and unsupervised rehab, he lasted eight games before requiring microfracture surgery.
Then when Arenas returned last spring, there was urgency attached as Washington faced nemesis Cleveland in the playoffs.
According to Arenas, a painkiller he was taking for a wrist injury prevented him from knowing he was hurt when he jammed his knee in a collision with Wizards forward Antawn Jamison in Game Two of the Cleveland series.
“Looking back now, I should have scoped it, and cleaned it out as soon as the season was over with,” said Arenas.
Part of the reason he is coming back now, Arenas said, is to avoid another summer of uncertainty.
“I have to find out where it’s at,” said Arenas. “I can’t go all the way into the summer, going into next season, not knowing if I can jump, run, or do any of those things.”
