Arenas Eyes Return 'Way Before' Playoffs

ORLANDO, March 19 -- Another day produced another update on the possible return of three-time all-star guard Gilbert Arenas, who continues to test his surgically repaired left knee with workouts like the one he went through before Wednesday night's game against the Orlando Magic (shooting drills and one-on-one moves with a trainer).

"I'll be back way before the playoffs," Arenas said. "Hopefully, within this week I'll be playing or maybe on the that West Coast road trip."

The Wizards play at Miami on Friday, host Detroit on Sunday and open a five-game trip at Portland on Tuesday night.

Arenas also spoke about the possibility of facing the Magic in the first round of the playoffs.

The Wizards would be an underdog in such a series, as they would in potential matchups with fourth-place Cleveland, second-place Detroit or first-place Boston. But Arenas doesn't see things that way.

"We're not scared of any team," Arenas said matter-of-factly. "There's no team that actually frightens us out there. When you have three guys that can score 20, we're more frightening because no one has actually seen us as a whole group yet. Everyone has seen spurts of our team but they don't have a scouting report. If they have a scouting report, it's from last year so we're kind of a favorite going in if you look at it from that aspect."

UP NEXT: Friday at Heat 7:30 p.m. Comcast SportsNet, WTEM-980

Sunday vs. Pistons 8 p.m. Comcast SportsNet, ESPN, WTEM-980