Steve Nash Out With Nerve Irritation in Left Knee

Los Angeles Lakers point guard and all-around old guy Steve Nash was hurt in a 92-86 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. Nash suffered nerve irritation in his left leg on a slow drive to the cup. Per the LA Times:

Nash experienced nerve irritation in his left knee, the same place where he sustained a fracture last season. He later said the nerve was “on fire” when he was kneed by Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich, but he stayed in the game for about four minutes.

“I don’t think it’s going to be a long-term thing at all,” Nash said after his third game back from almost three months of inactivity because of back pain. “It wasn’t like I broke it again. I just kind of irritated the nerve. . . . I think it’s kind of transient and hopefully I’ll wake up [Monday] and feel better.”

Nash initially hurt his left knee in October 2012 when he collided with Portland guard Damian Lillard. It was a bizarre injury that included nerve damage in addition to the fracture and ultimately cost Nash 24 games last season.

He had eight points and two assists in 22 minutes against Chicago, throwing some behind-the-back passes and making three of four shots before leaving.

Nash also felt soreness in his back Sunday, the result of trying to limp through his sore knee, essentially throwing his whole body out of whack.