Steve Nash, although not 100 percent, is trying his best to keep it together and play for his Lakers this playoff season. This season has seen a myriad of injuries, a few of which were dealt Nash’s way. Being unable to play as a cohesive unit has hindered the Lakers ability to win this season. Nash said he wants to do what it takes to help this team overcome its challenges:
“I love to play and I love this team,” Nash said. “I want to fight for these guys and be a part of this team having some happy times. We’ve had a lot of down days and we’ve stuck with it. . . . We’ve had a lot of ups and downs and a lot of tough nights, so I want to turn that around and be a part of helping these guys enjoy this.”
Against the Spurs, Steve had 16 points on 6-15 shooting and earned three assists. Nash didn’t play in the final eight games of the Lakers’ regular season. Many predict the PG is still not healthy enough to step back onto the court but he doing it for the sake of playoffs. Mike D’Antoni agrees, and exclaims that the Lakers won’t come close to performing well against the Spurs without Nash:
“He gives us that threat on the floor that’s good and I think he’ll get better as his leg gets better,” D’Antoni said Monday after the Lakers’ practice. “We’re not going to do it without him. He’ll battle through some injuries that he has, but he’ll be ready to go Wednesday [for Game 2].”
The controversial Mike Rice left Rutgers weeks ago, and unfortunately for the Lakers, Eddie Jordan is filling his shoes. Jordan was a player for the Lakers in 1984 and came in to coach the team with Mike Brown this season. An alum of Rutgers (class of 1977), the chance to coach at his Alma Mater was just too tempting. Besides the Lakers, Jordan was also an assistant coach at Sacramento and New Jersey, helping the Nets reach the NBA Finals twice (2002, 2003).
Lakers Nation News
Lakers News: Team Releases Statement On Eddie Jordan
NBA News: Cavaliers Close To Hiring Former Lakers Coach Mike Brown
Jerry West: “There’s Far Too Much Criticism” of Mike D’Antoni
Lakers News: Pau Gasol Says Nash Would Still Be Out In Regular Season
Steve Nash: “I Want to Fight for These Guys”
D’Antoni on Steve Nash: “We’re Not Going To Do It Without Him”
NBA News: Marc Gasol To Receive Defensive Player Of The Year Award
Lakers News
Video Breakdown: Spurs Gambled in Game One and it Paid Off [Silver Screen and Roll]
Bereft of Chemistry and Consistency, the Lakers Have to Start Producing More on Offense [Silver Screen and Roll]
An Ode to Kobe Bryant: Fanpost [Silver Screen and Roll]
Finding the Right Personnel Groupings [Forum Blue and Gold]
The Lakers Need to Get it Together [LA Times]
Practice: Dwight Howard | video [THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS]
Kobe Bryant’s Tweets, Steve Nash’s Return to Lineup Can’t Help Lakers Find Offense in Game 1 Loss [Yahoo! Sports]
Lakers Prep for Game 2 [Lakers Blog]
Lakers Have No Real Chance Against San Antonio, Analysts Say [LA Times]
Lakers Issue Fraud Alert [THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS]
Kobe: No Tweets During Game 2 [Los Angeles Lakers Blog]
Practice: Pau Gasol | video [THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS]
Report: Cavaliers Reach “handshake” Deal to Hire Mike Brown [ProBasketballTalk]
Lakers’ Steve Nash Trying to Beat Old Nemesis in Spurs [USA Today]
Steve Nash of Los Angeles Lakers Plans to Play Game 2 [ESPN]
Kobe Bryant Swears Off Twitter — At Least During Games [LA Times]
Lakers’ Problems Bigger than Kobe’s Tweets [Yahoo! Sports]
Time for Mike D’Antoni to Earn It [ESPN]
Kobe Bryant Says He’s Done Tweeting During Lakers’ Games [ProBasketballTalk]
Lakers’ Steve Nash in a World of Hurt [Yahoo! Sports]
Practice: Steve Nash | video [THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS]
Lakers Need to be in a Less Giving Mode in Game 2 [LA Times]
Let Kobe Tweet [Sports on Earth]
Who Stands to Earn Most Money in 2013 NBA Playoffs? [USA Today]
What Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol are Facing Defensively [Forum Blue and Gold]
Hobbling Nash Won’t Give Up The Fight [Hang Time Blog]
Phil Jackson Tweets About Chris Paul’s Shot, Jordan’s Push Off of Russell [ProBasketballTalk]
Practice: Mike D’Antoni | video [THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS]
NBA News
Chris Paul With Crazy Game Winner to Put Clippers Up 2-0 (VIDEO) [ProBasketballTalk]
Chris Paul Banks in a Buzzer-Beater to Give the Clippers a 2-0 Lead Over the Grizzlies [Ball Don’t Lie]
New York Knicks Guard J.R. Smith Wins 2013 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award [Yahoo! Sports]
Pacers’ Paul George to Win Most Improved Player Award [SI Tracking Blog]
Phil Jackson Says MJ Didn’t Push Off in 1998 Finals [For The Win]
Chicago Bulls vs. Brooklyn Nets – Recap [ESPN]
Kevin Durant: “I’m tired of being second… I’m done with it” [ProBasketballTalk]
The Celtics Vs. Father Time [Sports on Earth]
Mike Dunlap Fired as Bobcats Coach After One Season [ProBasketballTalk]
Our Experts Review the Opening Weekend of the Playoffs [ESPN]
Hawks coach Drew calls out team for playing soft [Yahoo! Sports]
Ewing Set Precedent For Bulls’ Rose, If Mid-Playoffs Comeback Happens [NBA.com]
Shane Battier Gets Truck Load of Free Bud Light [ProBasketballTalk]
Bucks’ Sanders Has To Be A Factor [Hang Time Blog]
With Tom Thibodeau Grinding Away, Bulls Even First-Round Series with Nets [Yahoo! Sports]
Coach Larry Drew Says Atlanta Hawks Were ‘physically manhandled’ by Indiana Pacers [ESPN]
LeBron James is a Mediocre Personal Trainer [For The Win]
Bucks’ Samuel Dalembert Interested in Joining the Heat Next Year [SI Tracking Blog]
Suns, GM Part Ways After Second-Worst Season [Yahoo! Sports]
J.R. Smith of New York Knicks Wins Sixth Man Award [ESPN New York]
