Return Unknown for 2 Suns

[jbeecham]

Return Unknown For Two Suns

By Jerry Brown
East Valley Tribune
Feb. 12, 2007

They’ve both been cleared by MRI exams, listed as day-to-day and have the same course of action for their muscle spasms — rest and treatment.

But no one is quite sure when the Suns’ two best playmakers — NBA assist leader Steve Nash and Boris Diaw — will be able to play again. The Suns have just one game before the All-Star break (Wednesday night in Seattle) and it’s possible one or both will sit again to take advantage of an eight-day break in the schedule to recover.

“At this point, they would play if they are completely well,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “If not we’ll go the other way.”

Unlike the past when teams had to place players on the now-defunct injury reserve list for five games, the NBA has no rules that would prevent Nash from skipping the All-Star game and then returning to action with his team immediately after.

Nash said his right shoulder and neck felt a little better Sunday but he’s still having problems with free movement and hasn’t responded quickly to treatment.

“I’m just not ready right now,” he said. “I’d like to play (against Seattle) but I can’t say that with any certainty. We have three days and we’ll take each one as it comes.”

Diaw took part in Saturday’s light practice but woke up Sunday with the worst pain in his back that he has had since twisting it in Portland last Tuesday. He was moving gingerly before the game and had to miss his first game this season.

“I woke up and my back was just locked up,” Diaw said. “I felt better (Saturday) and I thought I would be able to play, but once I felt this there was no way. I don’t know how long I’ll be out, because I might wake up tomorrow feeling better. We’re working on it, getting the muscles to relax. It stinks because I hate to miss games, and I know we need everyone with Steve out.”

DOMINO EFFECT

The loss of Nash has had a domino effect on players who are on the receiving end of his passes. Shawn Marion had 11 points for the second straight game Sunday and is averaging 11.3 points in the three games Nash has missed.

Marion had 18 rebounds, four steals and four assists, but took only nine shots — many desperation heaves with the shot clock winding down.

“Even before Steve went down, we were having a hard time getting Shawn involved,” D’Antoni said. “We’re going to have to look at that and see what we can do there. We need the easy baskets he provides.”

REMEMBER WHEN?

As with the Hawks on Friday night, the Suns lost to an opponent they had beaten five straight times. And the Bulls won in Phoenix for the first time since Nov. 20, 1996, when Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen had 37 each in a 113-99 victory. The Bulls went on to win their sixth and final NBA title with Jordan.

BONUS SHOTS

The Suns are 4-11 (.267) in the 15 games Steve Nash has missed over the past three seasons. When he plays, they are 151-49 (.755). …

The Suns have now lost three straight home games for the first time since losing the first three home games of last season. …

Suns assistant Mark Iavaroni missed Sunday’s game to be with his son, in the hospital after an accident. …

Chicago forward P.J. Brown missed the game with a back injury.

http://www.nba.com/suns/news/tribune_notebook_070212.html

 

[dreamcastrocks]

The timing of Nash/Diaw's injury, as well as our schedule could not have been planned better. We only have 1 game in the next 8 days and Nash could even sit out of the all star game if he wanted to.

To add, KT should be back shortly after the all star break, and things could look really good again within the next 2 weeks.

 

[The Commish]

They’ve both been cleared by MRI exams, listed as day-to-day and have the same course of action for their muscle spasms — rest and treatment.

I hope this quiets those who insist there is a Suns conspiracy relating to Nash's shoulder.

 

[elindholm]

The beauty of conspiracy theories is that they cannot be disproved.

 

[justAndy]

I'll be ecstatic if Nash doesn't play until a game or two after the allstar break.
Look at how Miami let Shaq take his time coming back.
It's better to let your aging star rest and come back when it MATTERS.

 

[Skkorpion]

The beauty of conspiracy theories is that they cannot be disproved.

The problem with MRIs is they are not perfect and show only soft tissues. X-rays and CT scans would show disc and vetebrae damage, I believe. Any doctors on here?

 

[msdundee]

The problem with MRIs is they are not perfect and show only soft tissues. X-rays and CT scans would show disc and vetebrae damage, I believe. Any doctors on here?

I'm not an MD but I do know MRIs show both bone and soft tissue images and are much preferred concerning the soft tissue. I had a lumbosacral spine MRI to look at vertebrae, spaces between vertebrae, the spinal cord, and surrounding musculature. The MRI will also show fluids, swelling, etc. Sometimes they do both CT and MRI.

 

[TJ]

I hope this does not have an effect on the rest of the season. The KEY is to get into the playoffs with all key personell healthy and ready to go

 

[jbeecham]

Update on injuries

Thomas near return, joins team

Doug Haller
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 14, 2007 12:00 AM

After losing their top two playmakers in less than a week, the Suns received good news Tuesday: Kurt Thomas is back.

The sturdy center practiced at US Airways Center for the first time since injuring his left elbow Jan. 15 at Memphis. The Suns expect him to spend this week conditioning and polishing his skills so he can rejoin the rotation next Tuesday against the Clippers.

"The guys kind of pushed me around a little bit, but it was a lot of fun to be back out there," said Thomas, adding that he's still somewhat limited from the injury.

When healthy, Thomas brings toughness to the Suns interior, but Mike D'Antoni said the veteran's impact goes beyond the low post.

"Savvy, open shots, knowing how to move the ball," the Suns coach said, listing Thomas' attributes. "The guy's a smart basketball player. When he gets on the floor, good things happen. You miss that."

Finding the open man
Steve Nash (right shoulder) won't return until after the All-Star break. Boris Diaw (back spasms) is improving, according to D'Antoni, but likely will miss his second straight game tonight at Seattle.

That means the Suns again could be without their top two playmakers, a major hurdle for the league's highest scoring offense. But D'Antoni doesn't plan to slow the team's pace. Others, he said, just have to be more aware of their surroundings.

"Amaré (Stoudemire) will be more of a focal point; obviously he can distribute a little more," D'Antoni said. "It takes a little getting used to, because when Boris and the other distributors go to Amaré, he wants to finish. Well, now, he has to know (defenses) are going to collapse on him and he has to be a distributor. It takes awhile. It's just hard to think sometimes in the middle of a game. Tendencies take awhile to catch on."

In Nash's absence, Leandro Barbosa and Marcus Banks have assumed primary playmaking roles. Barbosa, with 16 assists in his past three games, said he doesn't feel added pressure.

"I'm just trying to run the club and make everybody comfortable," he said.

Jones starting?
James Jones scrimmaged with the Suns starters Tuesday and could get his first start of the season. Jones averages 5.8 points and 2.1 rebounds in 15.8 minutes.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0214sunsnb0214.html

 

[jbeecham]

Nash aiming for Feb. 20 return

Andrew Bagnato
AP Sports Writer
Feb. 13, 2007 04:28 PM

PHOENIX - Steve Nash hopes to return to the line-up when the Phoenix Suns visit the Los Angeles Clippers Feb. 20, their first game after the NBA All-Star break.

But the reigning two-time NBA MVP would not rule out a longer absence if his inflamed right shoulder continues to nag him.

"We'd love to play after the All-Star break, but that would be determined (by) whether it strengthens and the pain goes away," Nash said after practice Tuesday. "Hopefully, I'll feel great and I'll be able to play on Tuesday after the All-Star break. But if it's not ready, we'll play whenever that is. We'll stay positive and hope I'll be back right after the break."

Nash has missed the last 3 1/2 games and will not dress for Wednesday night's game at Seattle, Phoenix's last game before the All-Star break. Nash will also miss the All-Star Game and skills competition but plans to attend other events during the weekend in Las Vegas.

For the Suns, Nash's absence may be a mixed blessing. Without Nash directing the league's most potent offense, the Suns looked awful in back-to-back home losses to Atlanta and Chicago, and they have fallen three games behind Dallas in the race for the Western Conference's top playoff seed.

The Suns are 4-11 without Nash since he returned from Dallas three years ago, 2-3 this season.

"Any time you lose arguably one of the best players that have played the game in the last 10 years, there's going to be a drop off," coach Mike D'Antoni said.

But Nash, who turned 33 last week, may need the rest if the Suns make another long playoff run. Two years ago, after missing seven regular-season games, Nash posted his highest career playoff averages in scoring and assists.

"He had a better playoff two years ago than he did last year, and maybe one of the reasons was he had a three-week break in the middle (of the season)," D'Antoni said. "We'll see. It's hard to scientifically prove that, but hopefully that's the case.

"You can't do this by design," D'Antoni said. "It just happens. We joke about sending him to Cabo (San Lucas). But you do take advantage of it. That's why we're not rushing him back, making sure the shoulder is completely healed."

Nash said it's frustrating to watch the Suns struggle in his absence. But he acknowledged that the midseason rest may help him.

"It's obviously never the right time to be injured, but if you had to pick one, this is it," Nash said.

The Suns also have been without starting forward Boris Diaw, who missed the last game with back spasms, and reserve center Kurt Thomas, who has missed 14 games with an elbow injury. Thomas practiced Tuesday for the first time since dislocating his elbow Jan. 14 at Memphis.

Nash, Diaw and Thomas all could be back for the Suns' trip to Los Angeles next week, D'Antoni said.

If they aren't, the Suns will have to adjust. The biggest question mark is Nash, whose shoulder has not responded to treatment as quickly as the team had hoped.

"We're so accustomed to playing with Steve, once he's gone, it's kind of hard to play without him," center Amare Stoudemire said. "With him being out, we have to pretty much become a better defensive team mentally."

The Suns have a long way to go defensively. In their last two losses, the Suns conceded 120 points to the woeful Atlanta Hawks and 116 to the Chicago Bulls.

Nash said it is frustrating to watch his teammates flounder. But he said they should be able to win without him.

"I hate sitting over there and not being able to contribute," Nash said. "They're more than capable of winning without me. I think it's just they're uncomfortable without me. They haven't played a lot without me."

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0213nash-ON.html