Lakers guard Steve Nash out

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LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Steve Nash did not play against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night after being a game-time decision.

Nash did not participate in the Lakers' morning shootaround, instead using the time to undergo treatment on the contusion on the lower portion of his left leg that he suffered in the second quarter of the team's 116-106 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.

Nash is listed as day to day.

Steve Blake started in Nash's place at point guard.

"(Nash) didn't do anything (on the court) this morning, he didn't do anything yesterday neither," Lakers coach Mike Brown said.

Lakers trainer Gary Vitti informed Brown shortly after the coach arrived at Staples Center for the game that Nash would not be available to play.

Brown said Nash has made progress with the injury by treating it with ice, stretching, electro-stimulation and also through leg-strengthening exercises under the supervision of Lakers strength and conditioning coach Tim DiFrancesco.

"He got dinged pretty good, but he has made progress," Brown said.

Nash, 38, collided with Portland rookie Damian Lillard and left with 2:26 remaining in the second quarter Wednesday night. He tried to play again after halftime, but lasted just more than a minute before Blake subbed in for him. Nash spent the rest of the game icing his leg and getting treatment in the locker room.

Brown was not sure if Nash would be able to practice Saturday. The Lakers' next game is Sunday at home against the Detroit Pistons.

Blake was sidelined by a bizarre foot injury that occurred shortly before training camp began when he stepped on a spike strip in a parking lot when he was making his way back to his car after a day at the beach with his children.

"He's getting back in the groove," Brown said of Blake, who is averaging 3.5 points and 4.5 assists through the Lakers' first two games. "He's starting to look like what he did before he got hurt."

There is one more candidate who put his hat in the ring for point guard duties: Lakers starting center Dwight Howard.

"If (Nash) doesn't play tonight, we've been going over a lot of film in the back and I've been working on my guard skills the last two days," Howard said. "Right now, we just want the win and I'll be the point. ... Tragic Johnson, that's what they'll call me."

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Dave McMenamin

ESPNLosAngeles.com

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Dave McMenamin spent five seasons as a staff writer for NBA.com in New York and Los Angeles before joining ESPNLosAngeles.com to cover the Lakers and the NBA.