Gilbert Arenas just returned my phone call and said that Saturday's game against Detroit isn't set in stone for his return date, but that "that game, playing against Detroit, Saturday's the plan."

Arenas said he must sit down with the team's medical staff this afternoon and discuss his return, and then hopes to prove himself with three strong practices (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday) and then return to the court Saturday. Arenas said the only way he doesn't play Saturday is if his knee hits a glitch after three rigorous practices. In that case, his return would be pushed back.

Arenas said the original plan was for him to come back tonight against Chicago, but that the team trainers and doctors wanted to have a sit-down with him this afternoon to map out a plan and then limit his minutes. "But I wasn't going for that," Arenas said. "I don't have discussions on game days. And I don't want them to monitor my minutes. I want them to treat me like a normal player. Monitoring my minutes was part of my problem last year. I'd go in for six minutes, sit for 12 minutes, be cold. I want to just play." Word is that when Arenas comes back, he likely will do so as a starter.

Arenas said he will in fact play just the home games and also the April 8 game at Cleveland, and that he is "50-50 about the Boston game" at the end of the season on April 15.

More later . . .

- Mike Jones

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