Steve Nash Might Sit Out Second Game of Back-to-Backs


With health and age being major concerns for Steve Nash, the Los Angeles Lakers’ point guard says he’s ready to sit out the back-end of games on consecutive nights (though head coach Mike D’Antoni hasn’t made a final decision.) Per the LA Times: “I want to play them all, but if missing the back end of some or all the back-to-backs prevents me from missing a month or two because of injury, then I think it’s something you’ve got to look at,’ Nash said Tuesday. The Lakers play 19 sets of back-to-backs this season. That would be a lot of games to miss. Nash is under contract next season too. Basically, Nash and Lakers Coach Mike D’Antoni will get together on the second day of consecutive games and determine whether the NBA’s oldest point guard will play that night. ‘What you don’t want is for the body to be really stiff and not be able to gain that mobility and then go out there and do some damage,’ Nash said. He was bothered by a sore ankle and stiff neck this month and stalled by injuries throughout last season — a broken leg, followed by nerve damage resulting from the fracture, then a different nerve problem that required epidural shots because of hip pain and hamstring weakness. Even if he is supposed to sit out, Nash will suit up in case of an in-game injury or early foul trouble for other Lakers point guards. ‘If you get somebody hurt right in the first minute, then he’s going to have to play,’ D’Antoni said.”