Arenas resigned to let injury heal

Gilbert Arenas is finished trying to fool everybody, himself included.

The Wizards placed the guard on the injured list Saturday for the third time this season because of a chronically strained abdomen, and he finally is content to let nature take its course — no matter how long it takes.

“I just can’t keep fighting the pain and keep performing like I am,” Arenas said following treatment yesterday for his ailing abdomen and groin. “We’re losing games because of it, so I’m going to have to sit out.”

Arenas finally appears to have acquiesced to the injury he originally suffered against Seattle just 13 games into the regular season.

Wizards doctors have said Arenas, who has appeared in 20 games since signing a $64million-plus contract before the season, will be out for a minimum of three to six weeks. And at least two team sources have indicated it could be longer.

Although more willing to honor the team’s time frame for his return than he was earlier, when he admits he came back too soon, Arenas still hedges on his return date.

“After All-Star,” Arenas said, targeting a return following the All-Star Game break that could have him back on the court by Feb.17.

Arenas, who was replaced in the starting lineup by Brevin Knight in the Wizards’ 94-87 win over Philadelphia on Saturday, said he finally accepted that his body was not fully healed after the Wizards lost to Orlando on Friday.

In that game, Arenas said, “I got caught on the break by two slow centers. That’s a bad feeling. That’s when you know you’ve got to shut it down.”

Knight will start again tonight when the Wizards (10-25) take on Houston (20-16) at MCI Center.

When he suffered the injury Nov.23, Arenas felt he would be able to return within a week. But he was placed on the injured list and wound up missing eight games.

At that time Arenas was off to a hot start, leading the team in both scoring (20.0) and assists (5.4).

Arenas returned for one game against Minnesota on Dec.12, scoring just nine points and committing five turnovers while aggravating the injury. He returned to the injured list the following day, missed seven more games and returned to face his former team, Golden State, on Jan.2.

But Arenas has been a shell of his former self in the five games since he was reactivated, averaging 14 points while making just 25 of 75 shots (33 percent) from the floor. In that span he also has averaged 4.2 turnovers and 3.4 assists.

With Arenas out for the Philadelphia game, Larry Hughes had the best game of his two-year career with the Wizards, finishing with 43 points.

However, the Wizards are still without last season’s leading scorer, Jerry Stackhouse (knee), and his return date is uncertain.

Thus, the Wizards will need someone to step up immediately to replace the 18.2 points Arenas has averaged this season.

Hughes feels it may be Kwame Brown’s turn. Brown, back in the starting lineup after coming off the bench for 16 games, has averaged 13.8 points and 7.8 rebounds in the last five.

“I really like what Kwame has been doing in the post lately,” Hughes said. “The whole game, really. But it’s not really one guy I’m looking to for help. Everybody just has to do what they do best to help us win.”