While Steve Blake is expected to back in the starting lineup sometime after the three game road trip, no timetable has been set for the return of Steve Nash
The Los Angeles Lakers played their first game under new head coach Mike D’Antoni on Tuesday night, but the players who will be the most integral under his offensive system, are still out injured.
They are the Steves of Los Angeles Lakers – veteran point guards Steve Nash and Steve Blake.
Blake has missed the last four games for the Lakers due to an abdominal strain, and D’Antoni believes that there is still time before he can be game ready;
"Whether it's tomorrow or next week or next month, we'll just take our time and he'll eventually be there. As soon as he gets there, I know, give him an hour and a half and he'll have the offense down and running it like a clock.
So we can wait on that."
About Nash, the new Lakers coach seemed less committal. The point guard, who won two MVP’s under D’Antoni back when the duo used to represent the Phoenix Suns, fractured the fibula in his left leg on Oct 31, and after leaving early
in the Lakers’ second game of the season, he has not been in the playing lineup. There have been numerous rumours about his comeback, but the Lakers have not yet given a concrete time table about his return. The player refused to speak with the media after
Tuesday’s win against the Brooklyn Nets and is expected to undergo a medical check up on Friday.
"The other Steve is coming along," D'Antoni referring to Nash said after the Brooklyn game. "I don't think we have a timetable. He feels some nerve endings that are tingling and when they go away, we'll start ramping it up and
he'll be fine.
"I would like to see him practice before he plays," D'Antoni said. "We had four games in five nights and then we don't practice on Thanksgiving, so I would rule him out for the next four games and then after that, it should be
day to day hopefully, and that will get him going."
Judging by D’Antoni, it is clear that the Lakers want to give Nash as much time as possible so that he can return to the court fully fit and with proper conditioning. He is after all the man, around who D’Antoni plans to execute
his plays.
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