More Pain: Wizards Lose Arenas, Then the Game

Guard Sprains Left Knee in 2nd Straight Defeat vs. Bobcats: Bobcats 108, Wizards 100

Gilbert Arenas displays a pained expression after realizing his season was likely over after a collision with Charlotte's Gerald Wallace during a Wednesday night loss at Verizon Center. (Toni L. Sandys - The Post)

Consecutive losses to the lottery-bound Charlotte Bobcats would have been painful enough for the slumping Washington Wizards, but the outcome of last night's game at Verizon Center was reduced to secondary status the moment three-time all-star guard Gilbert Arenas fell to the court clutching his left knee late in the first quarter.

Arenas, who didn't start the game as punishment for missing a pregame shoot-around, suffered a sprained left knee when Charlotte's Gerald Wallace fell into the side of Arenas's leg after making a sensational reverse layup.

Arenas limped off the court with some assistance, did not return and will undergo an MRI exam today. The team is expected to announce a timetable for his recovery based on the test results.

Forward Antawn Jamison missed 12 games with a sprained left knee in February. Forward Andray Blatche missed his sixth straight game with the same injury last night and is expected to miss at least 10 more days. So, depending on the severity of Arenas's sprain, the Wizards could be without the league's third-leading scorer (28.8 points per game) through the final eight games of the regular season and perhaps into the playoffs.

Last night's 108-100 loss dropped the Wizards (39-35) a game behind Miami in the Southeast Division and left them in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Washington's next game is at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers tomorrow night. A victory would clinch a playoff spot for the Wizards, but they are going to have to do it without their best player.

Antonio Daniels, who started in place of Arenas, finished with 18 points and a career-high 17 assists. Center Etan Thomas added a season-high 19 points with 10 rebounds. Jamison finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds.

Thomas gave the Wizards momentum when he followed DeShawn Stevenson's three-pointer by emphatically blocking a dunk attempt by Wallace. The block sparked a fast break that Stevenson finished with another three-pointer, giving the Wizards a 92-91 lead with 5 minutes 16 seconds remaining.

Charlotte came back with an offensive flurry that included a three-pointer by Raymond Felton, a drive and layup by Wallace, a baseline jumper by Felton and a three-point play by Wallace on which he made an amazing shot while drawing contact from Thomas.

After three Washington misses, Charlotte's lead reached 102-96 with 1:44 left when Emeka Okafor drew a foul on Thomas and made 1 of 2 free throws. After a pair of free throws by Darius Songaila and a Daniels layup drew the Wizards within two, Wallace put away the game when he took a pass from Brevin Knight and made a layup with 24 seconds left.

"Down the stretch, the same things that have been hurting us, hurt us again," Jamison said.

Arenas has been the team's most durable player. He and Stevenson are the only players who have appeared in every game, and Arenas entered the game averaging a team-high 40.3 minutes. He leads all NBA players with 35 games of at least 30 points and the Wizards are 26-9 in those games.

The Wizards already are playing the remainder of the regular season, and likely will have to make any playoff run, without all-star forward Caron Butler, who suffered a broken bone in his right hand during Sunday's win at Milwaukee.

The Bobcats (30-46) weren't as sharp as Tuesday night, when they shot 57 percent in a 122-102 victory in Charlotte, but they did shoot 50 percent last night while having five players score in double figures, led by Wallace, who finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists.

"We have to trust the system," Coach Eddie Jordan said of playing without two all-stars. "We have to trust each other. We have to do things harder and do things better. We have to go to our strength, which is Antawn in the post, Etan in the paint and pick-and-rolls with Antonio Daniels. Hopefully, our bench will come in and make some shots and make some plays. Fifteen guys need to be ready to step up and play."