Questionable return

Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas yesterday declined to answer questions about the circumstances of his return to the court Wednesday night after a 66-game layoff because of left knee surgery.

Arenas — 24 hours after telling reporters he wouldn’t play against the Bucks — took the floor for the Wizards’ 110-109 loss to the visiting Milwaukee Bucks — an appearance that caught his coaches by surprise.

When coach Eddie Jordan learned Arenas intended to play remains unclear — Jordan, who’s battling a sinus infection, did not attend yesterday’s practice.

Jordan said after the game, however, he had “just found out” his star guard would play.

“He didn’t really tell me, but that’s Gil,” the fifth-year coach said. “I found out. Let’s say it wasn’t the normal proper channels, but I found out.”

A team source said yesterday Arenas had a message relayed to Jordan, informing the coach he would to play, within the last 90 minutes before tipoff.

Associate head coach Mike O’Koren — who filled in for Jordan during practice yesterday — said he didn’t learn Arenas would play until he joined the bench in uniform with 5:30 left in the first quarter.

“I told you guys before the game that he would play when he was ready,” O’Koren said. “I didn’t think he was going to play last night, but he did. He felt ready, and I’m glad he did. He was really good.”

Wizards team president Ernie Grunfeld said yesterday he saw no reason for concern over how Arenas handled his return. He didn’t consider Arenas’ late arrival to the bench bothersome, either.

“He was out there in the gym — you know, we have a practice gym,” he said. “He was out there loosening up, getting warmed up during that time, and then when he was ready, he came out.”

Yesterday marked the second straight day Arenas declined to talk to reporters. The three-time All-Star told reporters in the locker room before the loss to the Bucks he couldn’t comment on his playing status.

After the game, Arenas left Verizon Center before the locker room opened for postgame interviews.

Arenas, who did not return a phone message last night, received clearance from the team’s medical staff via a phone call Saturday afternoon while he and the Wizards were in Los Angeles. The team’s doctor told Arenas he could return to game action as soon as he felt ready.

But Arenas told reporters Sunday he still hadn’t heard from the doctors and had to wait until he returned to the District.

Grunfeld said the organization learned of Arenas’ clearance Saturday. Guard DeShawn Stevenson said he knew “a long time ago” Arenas would come back against Milwaukee “but didn’t want to say anything, because I know he likes to make a grand entrance.”

Arenas’ “grand entrance” included skipping the traditional warmups before tipoff and emerging from the locker room 11 seconds before he checked into the game. Arenas took the floor to a standing ovation from the fans and made his first four shots. He finished with 17 points on 5-for-9 shooting, including two 3-pointers, but committed four turnovers in 20 minutes.

The uncertainty of Arenas’ return and the “grand entrance” didn’t distract the Wizards, according to his teammates.

“Nah, I think everybody expects that from him,” Stevenson said. “When you have a guy that you expect things from, you just look over it. Some teams, it probably would be a distraction. But we know Gil a lot, and we just look over it. He can do whatever he do, but when he comes on the court, he’s ready to play, so I think that’s why nobody really pays attention to it.”

Said center Brendan Haywood: “Only Gilbert would do something like that, so we’re used to that type of thing. We were looking for him before the game, and he was down there on the practice court warming up, and so he wants to make his grand entrance, so he had his time. Now it’s time to get back to business.”

O’Koren said he didn’t know whether Arenas would start in tonight’s home game against the Miami Heat, deferring instead to Jordan, who should return by then. He said the guard probably will log similar minutes to those he played against Milwaukee, however.