Wizards Notebook: Butler Hoping to Play on Friday

OKLAHOMA CITY, March 4 -- Caron Butler was forced to miss his second consecutive game with a left hamstring injury, but said he hopes that the pain will subside enough for him to be available when the Washington Wizards face the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.

Butler, who had an MRI exam on Tuesday that revealed some inflammation in his left leg, said he first felt complications during the Wizards' victory over Chicago on Friday. He added that he played through the pain because the Wizards were home and President Obama was in attendance.

"Otherwise, I would've been like, 'Aw heck with that,' " said Butler, who worked out pregame with head athletic trainer Eric Water, stretching with resistance bands. "I felt a little tightness. I was feeling a crazy sensation down my leg. They told me to sit it until it gets better."

With DeShawn Stevenson expected to have season-ending back surgery on Thursday, the Wizards had only 12 players in Oklahoma City. Tapscott joked about putting center Brendan Haywood on the active roster for the first time this season, although Haywood is still out with his right wrist injury. "He's here. The other guys aren't," Tapscott joked, before leaving Stevenson on the active list.

Tapscott added that Stevenson provided several intangibles that will be missed. "I have always been a fan of DeShawn Stevenson in terms of what he brings both as a player and his presence. That will be a loss for us, but hopefully that [surgery] will get him healthy so that he can play without pain and be the player that we all want him to be."

Up Next: Friday at Spurs 8:30 p.m. Comcast SportsNet, WTEM-980

Saturday at Mavericks 8:30 p.m. Comcast SportsNet, WTEM-980