Nash injured his hamstring against the Sacramento Kings last month. He left that game early and has missed five consecutive games since. According to the Lakers' official Twitter page, Nash will be missing even more time.
Fortunately for the Lakers, the injury hasn’t ruined their playoff chances, and it won’t make an impact even if Nash misses the remainder of the season.
Including the game against the Kings, the Lakers have gone 5-1 without Nash. In those six games, they have averaged 100.3 points per game. The team has averaged 102.2 points per game over the year. While Nash is considered to be one of the best distributors of the ball in the NBA, his absence hasn’t exactly been noticed on offense.
On the defensive side of the ball, the defense has actually improved. In those six games, the team has allowed only 95.7 points per game in comparison to the 101.1 points per game over the year.
Nash has never been a good defender throughout his career. This season has been no different. According to Basketball-Reference.com, his defensive rating this season is at an estimated 111 points per 100 possessions, the worst rating on the Lakers. Over the course of his entire career, his defensive rating has never been lower than 105.
With their final three games against the Warriors, Spurs and Rockets, the Lakers need solid play out of the point guard position.
Since the loss of Nash, Steve Blake has done a pretty solid job. He’s averaged 9.2 points, 2.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game. While none of these numbers jump out, he’s understood his role with the team and focused on ef...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
