Brandon Roy says he will play against Wizards; Blazers overrule him, Jerryd Bayless will start

Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy came close to playing Monday's game against Washington, but was overruled at the last minute by coach Nate McMillan and athletic trainer Jay Jensen.

After a 30-minute pregame workout at the Verizon Center, Roy declared his strained right hamstring fit enough to play.

"I'm going to go,'' Roy said. "I feel like I'm good enough to try and go, and hopefully I can play through the game. It's one of those things where unless I play I just really don't know, so I would rather go out there and give it a shot.''

However, after a meeting with McMillan and Jensen, the trio decided it was best to wait one more game before Roy returned. The Blazers play next Wednesday in Philadelphia.

Roy, who missed the Blazers last game on Friday against Orlando because of the injury, went through a light workout with lead assistant Dean Demopoulos on the court, which consisted mostly of shooting jumpers. At times, he flexed his right leg and grimaced, but he said the workout told him enough that he could play.

"It's still a little tight. It's not back to normal, still tight,'' Roy said as he headed back to the locker room. "I'm going to talk to coach and tell him I'm good to go. I don't know, he will have the last say. He says I do, but I think he will have the last say.''

McMillan, who was in his office finalizing his game plan, said he had yet to talk to Roy, but when he was told that Roy said he was going to play, he smiled, got up and went to the locker room to talk to his star.

"If he says he is going to go, that's all I need to hear,'' McMillan said.

About 10 minutes later, Roy came out of the locker room to do abdominal exercises in the hall and said that McMillan and Jensen had overruled him.

"I know where he is coming from,'' Roy said between crunches. "They said 'One more day, let's not risk it.' ''

Jerryd Bayless will start in Roy's place.