Webber Back and Appears Ready to Go : Pro basketball: Bullets plan to start injured forward against Cavaliers on Thursday.

Alone on a fast break during his first day back to practice, Washington Bullets forward Chris Webber did something unusual. Instead of slamming the ball with his right hand or with two hands, he went in with his left--immediately testing the left shoulder he dislocated during the preseason.

“When he went up for that left-handed jam,” said J. Gregory Bennett, Webber’s physical therapist, “it made me nervous.”

But that nervousness proved to be unfounded--at least Monday. Although the risk is high that another dislocation may occur, and he eventually he will need surgery, Webber was impressive enough that he was activated off the injured list Monday night.

He won’t play tonight against the New Jersey Nets because he has to serve a one-game suspension for his preseason fight with Chicago Bulls center Luc Longley, but Webber will start Thursday when the Bullets play the Cleveland Cavaliers at USAir Arena.

And he expects to play a lot.

“If I don’t play my normal time, I don’t want to play,” Webber said. “Put me back in there when I’m ready to play. This is something you can’t baby. If I can’t get the time I want to play, it’s not good for me to come back.”

Webber will have no problem with playing time, said Coach Jim Lynam.

“I don’t have a number, but my guess is he’ll play somewhere between 30 and 40 minutes,” Lynam said. “I think he felt good, but I also think he felt rusty. He didn’t seem to get unduly tired, which is one of the things you look for. I thought he looked terrific.”

To make room for Webber, the Bullets waived Mike Peplowski, who signed Nov. 9 and was scoreless in five minutes of play. Webber practiced with the second team on Monday.