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Wizards set to take on Kings

Mar 28, 2008 - 10:36 AM Washington (37-34) at Sacramento (32-39) 10:00 pm EDT

SACRAMENTO, California (Ticker) -- The Washington Wizards have won four of their last five games, but need Gilbert Arenas to return soon.

The Wizards try to complete back-to-back wins when they visit the Sacramento Kings on Friday in the third of a five-game West Coast road trip.

Washington has been without Arenas for nearly the entire season. He underwent successful surgery on November 21 to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.

The 25-year-old point guard has joined the team for the road trip but it is still uncertain when he will return.

Arenas was averaging team highs of 22.4 points and 5.9 assists in eight games before suffering the injury this season. In 2006-07, he averaged 28.5 points per game, the third-best total in the NBA.

The Wizards (37-34), who are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, need Arenas back after enduring one blowout loss and narrowly escaping another.

In its 20-point loss to Portland on Tuesday, Washington shot just 36 percent (29-for-81) from the field, was outrebounded, 55-36, and could not take advantage of a Trail Blazers team which was without leading scorer Brandon Roy for the better part of the final three quarters due to injury.

On Wednesday, the Wizards were dominated on the glass, 49-32, and shot just 39 percent (24-for-62) through three quarters before Roger Mason scored 17 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter to lead Washington back from a 17-point second-half deficit en route to a 104-99 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics.

Meanwhile, the Kings earned their 19th consecutive home victory against the Memphis Grizzlies with a 107-106 overtime victory on Wednesday.

Kevin Martin poured in 36 points, including the game-winning free throws in overtime, while Brad Miller just missed a triple-double with 15, 17 rebounds and eight assists