Steve Nash’s return is not going to be the cavalry charging over the hill to save the Lakers day that some fans (and maybe a certain head coach) seem to think it will be. Not when their defense gave up 31 points in the last 6 minutes of the game to lowly Orlando and Lakers players were constantly pointing at each other on that end of the court.
But man, they could use him.
And they are not going to have him for a three-game road trip this week, he told Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
“Another 10 days to two weeks?” Nash wondered aloud. “That’s a total guess. Since I can’t run, I’m not going to play this week….
“The recovery time is getting better,” Nash said. “But it’s a small improvement.”
The Lakers have a three game road trip this week (Houston, New Orleans and Oklahoma City), return home for one game then are back on the road for another four.
Nash has missed 15 games with a non-displaced fracture in his left leg and the Lakers continue to be very inconsistent, very up and down.
Nash can help steady the team, but he is no cure all. Nash is not going to fix a Lakers defense that looks confused. He’s not going to hit Dwight Howard’s free throws. He’s not going to get Pau Gasol to accept a role outside the post. He’s not going to get the bench to knock down shots.
Nash is part of the solution to the Lakers issues, but he is not all of it. Still the Lakers need him back and they are just waiting. As is he.