Washington Wizards' Owners Abe and Irene Pollin and the Washington Wizards' organization will retire legendary Baltimore Bullet Earl Monroe?s uniform number 10.  Monroe?s number will officially be retired in a special halftime ceremony on Saturday, December 1st when the Wizards host the Toronto Raptors.  December 1st will also mark the celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the opening of Verizon Center which hosted its first NBA game on December 2, 1997.  

?This is a great honor,? said Monroe.  ?I was drafted by the Bullets, and it was in Baltimore where I started my professional career.  It was four great years with a lot of fond memories.  It was a wonderful experience.  My four years with the Bullets set the tone for the rest of my career, and now it brings me full circle with my number being retired.?

Monroe, who was drafted by the Bullets out of Winston-Salem State University with the second overall pick in the first round of the 1967 NBA Draft, was dubbed ?Earl The Pearl? during his playing career.  As a Baltimore Bullet, he won NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 1968 after averaging 24.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game in his first professional season.  

In four-plus seasons as a Bullet, Monroe averaged 23.7 points per game, and alongside Bullets' legends like Wes Unseld, Gus Johnson, Jack Marin and Kevin Loughery, Monroe and the Bullets advanced to the 1970-71 NBA Finals.  His then-franchise record of 56 points in a single game (2/13/68 vs. LA Lakers) stood for nearly four decades until Gilbert Arenas edged Monroe with 60 points at Los Angeles on December 17, 2006.  In Monroe?s four full seasons in Baltimore (1967-68 through 1970-71), he led the Bullets in points and assists each season.

Monroe was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1990 and was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996.  His uniform #10 will join Wes Unseld?s #41, Elvin Hayes? #11 and Gus Johnson?s #25 among the franchise?s retired numbers.

In a rare instance of double triple-doubles, Baron Davis and the Warriors got the better of Caron Butler and the Wizards.

Davis had 33 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds, Stephen Jackson scored 28 points, and Golden State beat Washington 123-115 on Friday night, ending the Wizards' six-game winning streak.

Butler, coming off a career-high 39-point effort Wednesday, did his best to keep Washington unbeaten without sidelined Gilbert Arenas, but it wasn't quite enough. Butler finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, while Antawn Jamison had 30 points and 12 rebounds.

Davis and Butler are the first pair of opponents with triple-doubles in the same game in more than 4 1/2 years. Orlando's Tracy McGrady and New Jersey's Jason Kidd did it on Feb. 23, 2003.

Washington Wizards' guard Gilbert Arenas said yesterday he still wants to re-sign with the Wizards next summer after he opts out of his contract, and he believes the team is good enough to make the playoffs without him in the lineup for the next three months.

"If everything goes like it's supposed to, I'm going to re-sign here," Arenas said in a telephone interview. "If everything goes well I'm going to re-sign. We're going to build something, and hopefully my number one day will go up in the rafters."

The Wizards (6-5) can offer Arenas more money than any other team.

The big news Wednesday was that Wizards' guard Gilbert Arenas is expected to miss at least three months after surgery to repair a torn left meniscus, but Washington also played without center Brendan Haywood against the Charlotte Bobcats.

Haywood, who is averaging career highs of 9.8 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks, sprained his left ankle during Tuesday's home win over Philadelphia. He tested it Wednesday afternoon but said he couldn't play.

"It's still too sore," Haywood said before the game. "Maybe I can go Friday night [against Golden State]. It should get better with a couple of days of rest."

Haywood suffered the injury when he came down on the foot of teammate Andray Blatche, who finished with a career-high 26 points on 12-of-14 shooting against Philadelphia.

Bobcats' forward Gerald Wallace left Wednesday's game against the Wizards with 38 seconds left in the second quarter after hitting his head on the backboard and landing awkwardly.

Gilbert Arenas had surgery Wednesday to repair or torn meniscus and says he'll be out for three months, according to report on the Washington Post's Web site.

Arenas originally hurt his knee last April. He hurt it again last Friday at Minnesota and underwent an MRI in Washington on Wednesday, which found the tear.

"It's a downer because I really thought I was getting back," Arenas said. "It's a big setback, but I guess I'll start all over again."

The Post said Arenas won't be able to handle any basketball-related activity for at least three weeks and could be cleared to practice in three months.

Washington Wizards' point guard Gilbert Arenas missed his second consecutive game Tuesday night, the latest setback in his recovery from a knee injury.

Coach Eddie Jordan made the announcement less than an hour before tip-off of the game against the Philadelphia 76ers. The news came as a surprise, given that Arenas had three days of rest since his previous game.

"He's just not ready to play," Jordan said before the Wizards took out the Sixers 116-101. "He doesn't feel that his knee is capable of being good tonight, so we're going to give him another day."

Gilbert Arenas sat out practice Monday to rest his left knee, but the Washington Wizards expect him to play against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.

Arenas missed a game for the first time this season Saturday because his surgically repaired knee was feeling sore. The Wizards beat the Portland Trail Blazers 109-90 that night for their fourth consecutive victory after opening the season 0-5.

Arenas has been getting some extra rest this season, missing practices to let his knee recover.

"It seems like he's going to play against Philadelphia," Wizards' Coach Eddie Jordan said after practice. "Our policy is that whenever we can give him some time off, we will."

Washington Wizards' guard Gilbert Arenas missed Saturday night's 109-90 win against the Portland Trail Blazers because of a sore left knee.

Wizards' Coach Eddie Jordan said the entire team participated in a shootaround before the game. But Arenas' injury was disclosed when the lineups were announced.

"We have just-in-case plans in place," Jordan said when asked before the game about Arenas. "We know it's a tough deal for him."

Antonio Daniels started in place of Arenas, scoring 10 points while grabbing 10 boards.

Washington Wizards' Owners Abe and Irene Pollin announced today that the Wizards will retire legendary Baltimore Bullet Earl Monroe?s uniform number 10.  

Wizards' President Ernie Grunfeld and legendary Bullet and current Wizards' broadcaster Phil Chenier will be on hand with Monroe for the official press conference on Tuesday, November 20th at 5:30 PM prior to Washington?s home game vs. Philadelphia.  Monroe?s number will officially be retired in a special ceremony on the night of Saturday, December 1st when the Wizards host the Toronto Raptors.  December 1st will also mark the celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the opening of Verizon Center, which hosted its first NBA game on December 2, 1997.  

?This is a great honor,? said Monroe.  ?I was drafted by the Bullets, and it was in Baltimore where I started my professional career.  It was four great years with a lot of fond memories.  It was a wonderful experience.  My four years with the Bullets set the tone for the rest of my career, and now it brings me full circle with my number being retired.?

?We?re extremely proud to announce that we are recognizing legendary Bullet Earl Monroe with our highest honor: the retirement of his uniform number,? said Wizards' Chairman Abe Pollin.  ?Earl thrilled basketball fans around the country for many years, and his time in Baltimore with the Bullets was spectacular.  I have always considered Earl a Bullet, as well as a good friend, and I know he holds his time with our franchise in high regard.  Honoring Earl Monroe and celebrating the Verizon Center?s 10th anniversary will make December 1st a most memorable evening at Verizon Center.?

Monroe, who was drafted by the Bullets out of Winston-Salem State University with the second overall pick in the first round of the 1967 NBA Draft, was dubbed ?Earl The Pearl? during his playing career.  As a Baltimore Bullet, he won NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 1968 after averaging 24.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game in his first professional season.  

In four-plus seasons as a Bullet, Monroe averaged 23.7 points per game, and alongside Bullets' legends like Wes Unseld, Gus Johnson, Jack Marin and Kevin Loughery, Monroe and the Bullets advanced to the 1970-71 NBA Finals.  His then-franchise record of 56 points in a single game (2/13/68 vs. LA Lakers) stood for nearly four decades until Gilbert Arenas edged Monroe with 60 points at Los Angeles on December 17, 2006.  In Monroe?s four full seasons in Baltimore (1967-68 through 1970-71), he led the Bullets in points and assists each season.

Monroe was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1990 and was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996.  His uniform #10 will join Wes Unseld?s #41, Elvin Hayes? #11 and Gus Johnson?s #25 among the franchise?s retired numbers.