Still sore after having his knee banged in Wednesday night’s game, Los Angeles Lakers point guard Steve Nash said he is “questionable” for Friday’s home game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
“Luckily, it’s not anything major or structural. It’s just a contusion in a bad area,” Nash told ESPN.com. “Maybe I’m too optimistic to say doubtful, but it’s definitely touch and go.”
Nash did not practice Thursday after he bumped knees with Portland Trail Blazers rookie Damian Lillard in the second quarter of the Blazers’ 116-106 victory that left the Lakers with a 0-2 start.
Guard Steve Blake would start if Nash cannot play.
Nash, 38, was acquired in a sign-and-trade deal with the Phoenix Suns last July, giving the Lakers the true point guard they had been seeking to complement Kobe Bryant.
“By the time I got off of the training table, there was almost no time on the clock to warm up at halftime,” Nash said. “So I ran out there and got some shots up, but I didn’t have any time to test it laterally. As soon as I did some lateral movement, it just gave out on me.
“I thought I was going to be able to finish the game but I didn’t obviously get enough time to really warm up and it just wasn’t ready last night.”