USA - Team USA's Arenas faces spell on sidelines

WASHINGTON (NBA) - Team USA guard Gilbert Arenas, the Washington Wizard who is fourth in the NBA in scoring, has sustained a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee and will be sidelined two to three months.

The three-time All Star Arenas suffered the injury in a collision with forward Gerald Wallace in the first quarter of Wednesday's 108-100 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats.

An MRI revealed the tear. Arenas will undergo surgery at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington.

The loss of Arenas comes three days after the Wizards announced that All-Star forward Caron Butler will be sidelined six weeks with a broken right hand.

The Wizards (39-35) are on the verge of clinching their third straight playoff berth but have dropped behind the first-place Miami Heat (40-34) in the Southeast Division. Arenas averaged 28.4 points and 6.0 assists in 74 games this season.

"Gilbert was performing at an elite level," Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said.

"It's unfortunate that this injury occurred, but being the competitor that he is, Gilbert will approach his rehab regimen with the same work ethic that has made him one of the league's most outstanding performers. "We expect him to make a full recovery, and we know that his teammates will be up to the challenge to respond in his absence."

Though his participation in this year's play-offs is now doubtful, Arenas should be fit in time for this summer's FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas.

He was the last cut by Team USA ahead of last summer's FIBA World Championship but is still in the overall squad.

FIBA