Gilbert Arenas says the weather has affected his left knee

For weeks now, NBA observers have noted that Gilbert Arenas doesn't appear to have the same quickness and explosiveness that he showed before he injured his left knee in April 2007.

But Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard indicated that that Arenas is playing hurt when he answered a question Friday afternoon about the team's new backup point guard.

"He hasn't had a great opportunity to do all the things that he wants to do, but it'll come with time," Howard said. "I think once his knee gets a lot better, he'll be better. He's playing on one leg right now. Once he gets the other leg straight, I think we'll see a new Gilbert."

About an hour before Friday's game against the Chicago Bulls, Arenas said his knee's comfort level and flexion fluctuates daily, depending on the weather conditions. He said it was feeling great on Friday, but felt awful Wednesday when Orlando played in Indianapolis.

"Really high humidity and places that's cold, it gets in my joints," Arenas said. "You know how they say, 'I know when it's going to rain'? Well, I know when it's raining.

"In Indiana, it was bad. The joint swells, so it stays stiff, so I can't really get the flexion that I need. But as soon as we landed here, it was fine."

Arenas insisted that there's "nothing structurally wrong" with the knee and that he'll feel better from February through November.