The Los Angeles Lakers are already down 2-0 in their series against the San Antonio Spurs, but now they'll have to try to salvage what's left of their season with an even more depleted roster.
Having already have lost All-Star guard Kobe Bryant to an Achilles tear, now the Lakers will be without Steve Blake for Game 3 Friday night, and he could be joined by both Steve Nash and Jodie Meeks on the sidelines.
ESPN is reporting that Blake is out indefinitely after an ultrasound Thursday confirmed a moderate strain on his right hamstring.
Blake left Wednesday's Game 2 loss to the Spurs with 4:51 remaining in the fourth quarter and had to be helped off the court by teammates after the game. He hurt his hamstring while driving to his right and trying to beat his man off the dribble when he felt a "sharp pain."
Meanwhile, Nash has received two epidural injections in his back and a cortisone shot in his right hip Thursday and is now listed doubtful for Friday's game.
"I'm not too bad," said Nash, who tweaked his right hamstring pushing the ball up the court just before halftime Wednesday. "Obviously I wish I felt a lot better, but I got the procedure done [Thursday] morning and fingers crossed it will help.
"I have been called a doctor of chemistry by some people in the media, but I couldn't make a prediction."
Nash, who missed the Lakers' final eight regular-season games because of nerve damage in his right hamstring stemming from a right hip injury before coming back to average 12.5 points and 4.5 assists in the postseason, said there is "absolutely" a chance he does not play Friday.
"I'm very concerned," Nash said. "It's really frustrating. Very, very frustrating. Especially because I was at the point where I was actually excited with the way I felt to start the last two games even though I still couldn't sprint completely and I was not moving as well as I'd like, I felt like I could still be effective and find a way to help the team and impact the game."
Meeks, who suffered a sprain left ankle in a Game 1 loss, did not play in the Lakers 102-91 Game 2 loss and was scheduled to have an MRI on Thursday. He too is also listed as doubtful for Game 3.
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