Blatche to Miss 2-4 Weeks With a Knee Injury

Washington Wizards forward Andray Blatche had a left knee strain diagnosed yesterday and will miss two to four weeks. Blatche injured his knee with 4 minutes 11 seconds left in the fourth quarter of Monday's 103-87 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Blatche was attempting to drive around Shaquille O'Neal and bumped into O'Neal twice before eventually flying into the advertising signs along the baseline. He was assisted off the floor by head athletic trainer Eric Waters. Blatche has played in all 44 games this season, starting 23, and averaged 10.1 points and 5.4 rebounds.

Interim coach Ed Tapscott said either JaVale McGee or Darius Songaila will start tonight in Miami. Blatche joins centers Brendan Haywood (right wrist) and Etan Thomas (left knee) on the shelf, and leaves the Wizards with just 10 healthy players against the Heat. Guards DeShawn Stevenson (back) and Gilbert Arenas (left knee) are also out.

Stevenson practiced for the first time in three weeks yesterday and Tapscott said he looked good. "As you know, I'm a big DeShawn Stevenson fan, so I thought practice looked better because of his presence. I'm happy to have him back," Tapscott said. "I said to one of our assistants, in jest, do you think DeShawn can play a little five for us?"

Stevenson said he felt encouraged after a pain-free practice and plans to play in back-to-back games against Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday and Saturday. "I feel great," he said. "I thought I would feel a little more pain, but I didn't. I should play on this road trip. I hope that I can. If I don't feel pain those two games, I'll keep it going."

Stevenson added that his back problems will likely remain for the rest of his career. He said that it's been difficult watching his team fall to the worst record in the NBA. "It [stinks] seeing the guys' faces and knowing I can't help or be there with them. You don't wish that on nobody," he said.

Tapscott also said the team is hopeful that Thomas will not need surgery to repair the torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Tapscott said Thomas is at least two to four weeks from running, and another two to four weeks from practicing after he begins running again.

Thomas has been out since Jan. 12.