Loss to Kings is difficult for Suns' Nash to swallow

Published: Monday, Mar. 30, 2009 - 12:00 am | Page 5C

Steve Nash hunched over his seat and took a gulp of his beer. Disappointment showed in his face Sunday night as he tried to ingest the Phoenix Suns' 126-118 loss to the Kings, the worst team in the NBA.

"I don't know what to say," said Nash, who finished with 31 points, one shy of his season high. "We just laid an egg. That's very frustrating. I know it's difficult, we're tired, but we have to fight through it."

Nash said he wasn't sure where things went wrong for the Suns, who were coming off a 104-99 overtime loss to the Utah Jazz the night before.

"No offense to that young team over there, but we weren't playing the Lakers or the Celtics," Nash said.

Face off – Bobby Jackson predicted he would tire of the clear protective mask his doctor told him to wear during games after he broke his cheekbone.

Following a missed 17-footer at the end of the first quarter against the Suns, Jackson officially had enough. He threw his mask into a group of fans sitting courtside and did not put it back on.

Jackson said before the game that he was having a hard time seeing with the mask and adjusting to shooting in it. In his first game wearing it, he went 0 of 3 from the field Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Jackson missed his first three attempts Sunday before deciding to toss the mask. He was 1 of 3 without it.

Jackson acknowledged there are risks to not wearing the mask. He said a hit to his cheekbone could cause problems such as nerve damage.

"Every time I move or shoot, the mask is going up in my vision," Jackson said Saturday. "I'm closing my eyes because I'm afraid the mask is going to hit me."

Getting back – Andres Nocioni returned to the starting lineup for the first time since missing three games with right quadriceps tendinitis. Nocioni came off the bench and played 27 minutes in Friday's 113-95 loss to Memphis.

In 32 minutes against the Suns, Nocioni scored 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field. He also had nine rebounds and three blocks.

Everyone in – Each Kings starter scored 15 points or more for the second time this season. The other time it happened was March 20 against the New York Knicks with Francisco García in the starting lineup.

Throwback time – Vlade Divac sat courtside in the seats typically occupied by Joe and Gavin Maloof. Divac is in Sacramento for a host of festivities leading up to his jersey retirement Tuesday night when the Kings face the New Orleans Hornets at Arco Arena.

Source: SacBee