Steve Nash’s first season in Los Angeles hasn’t gone the way he had hoped.
His team is fighting with the Utah Jazz for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, and he has not been able to help in his teams efforts much this season due to injuries. Nash has played in just 50 of the Lakers’ 76 games this season due to multiple injuries. The latest, a hip injury suffered on March 25, is expected to keep Nash out of the lineup yet again when his team faces the L.A. Clippers Sunday afternoon in a must win game for the Lakers.
It will mark the fourth straight game that Nash will miss. Sure, he played less than two minutes against Sacramento on March 30, but does that really count as a game played?
Head Coach Mike D’Antoni said that he is hopeful that Nash can return on Tuesday when the Lakers take on New Orleans.
Courtesy of Arash Markazi of ESPN.com:
"“It’s serious because he’s not playing,” D’Antoni said when asking about the severity of the injury. “Hopefully not too serious. He’ll probably try tomorrow morning, but since he hasn’t (practiced), I think he’s very doubtful (to play Sunday).”"
The Lakers have won three straight without Nash, and Steve Blake has done an admirable job starting in place of Nash. In the three games without Nash, Blake is averaging just under 11 points per game which is on par for what Nash has averaged all season.
It’s no secret that the Lakers would like to have, and need, Nash back for a playoff run, but playing it safe with the 39-year old’s health is the smarter route to take.
The Lakers and Clippers tip off at 3:30pm EST on ABC.