DUNCANownsKOBE2
12-30-2008, 04:24 PM
by Paul Coro - Dec. 30, 2008 11:59 AM
The Arizona Republic
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Suns guard Steve Nash will sit out tonight's game at Memphis after leaving Monday's game in the first quarter because of back spasms.
Nash's back was improving Tuesday but the staff decided to let him rest it more and aim for a return in Friday's home game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Guard Leandro Barbosa would likely start in his place with the newest Suns addition, Dee Brown, also seeing action again. In his Suns debut, Brown had three points, one assist, no turnovers and three fouls in 13 minutes of Monday's win at Oklahoma City.
Nash said he felt the spasm just a little to the left of his spine's bottom vertebrae during a stop in play of Monday's first quarter. He did not think that any particular contact or move caused it and tried to see if it would warm up in a few plays. When it did not, Nash pulled himself out of the game.
Nash has a slipped vertebrae, 1 or 2 millimeters out of alignment, that can occasionally cause spasms. It rarely does so because of how Nash and Suns head athletic trainer Aaron Nelson have learned to handle it with workouts and therapy that proactively counteract possible problems.
Nash said Monday's injury was atypical because he first felt it on a dead ball.
"The negative is that I didn't get to contribute but the positive is that I didn't have one incident that jarred it and was a huge reaction that could keep me out for an extended period of time," Nash said Monday night when he called his availability "very questionable" for tonight but thought he would "definitely" return for Friday's game.
"I have a bad back," Nash said. "Luckily with education and training and our staff, it's under control. Once in a blue moon, once a year, maybe once every two years, I get back spasms. Tonight, it kind of crept up on me and I caught it early enough that I might not have done damage where I'd have to sit out for an extended period."
The Suns will have 10 available players tonight because Goran Dragic did not make the trip due to a virus and rash and Alando Tucker is on a D-League assignment.
Suns center Shaquille O'Neal said he wanted to play again tonight. He will technically be a game-time decision but it was likely he would play both games of this back-to-back set because of the rest days preceding and following it. He also becomes an important option for Barbosa's time at the point, with coach Terry Porter saying he essentially became the Suns' center and point guard when Nash went out Monday.
Looks like Amare is destined for a poor shooting night given how he's done without Nash this year.
The Arizona Republic
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Suns guard Steve Nash will sit out tonight's game at Memphis after leaving Monday's game in the first quarter because of back spasms.
Nash's back was improving Tuesday but the staff decided to let him rest it more and aim for a return in Friday's home game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Guard Leandro Barbosa would likely start in his place with the newest Suns addition, Dee Brown, also seeing action again. In his Suns debut, Brown had three points, one assist, no turnovers and three fouls in 13 minutes of Monday's win at Oklahoma City.
Nash said he felt the spasm just a little to the left of his spine's bottom vertebrae during a stop in play of Monday's first quarter. He did not think that any particular contact or move caused it and tried to see if it would warm up in a few plays. When it did not, Nash pulled himself out of the game.
Nash has a slipped vertebrae, 1 or 2 millimeters out of alignment, that can occasionally cause spasms. It rarely does so because of how Nash and Suns head athletic trainer Aaron Nelson have learned to handle it with workouts and therapy that proactively counteract possible problems.
Nash said Monday's injury was atypical because he first felt it on a dead ball.
"The negative is that I didn't get to contribute but the positive is that I didn't have one incident that jarred it and was a huge reaction that could keep me out for an extended period of time," Nash said Monday night when he called his availability "very questionable" for tonight but thought he would "definitely" return for Friday's game.
"I have a bad back," Nash said. "Luckily with education and training and our staff, it's under control. Once in a blue moon, once a year, maybe once every two years, I get back spasms. Tonight, it kind of crept up on me and I caught it early enough that I might not have done damage where I'd have to sit out for an extended period."
The Suns will have 10 available players tonight because Goran Dragic did not make the trip due to a virus and rash and Alando Tucker is on a D-League assignment.
Suns center Shaquille O'Neal said he wanted to play again tonight. He will technically be a game-time decision but it was likely he would play both games of this back-to-back set because of the rest days preceding and following it. He also becomes an important option for Barbosa's time at the point, with coach Terry Porter saying he essentially became the Suns' center and point guard when Nash went out Monday.
Looks like Amare is destined for a poor shooting night given how he's done without Nash this year.