A right thigh bruise earlier in the month kept Steve Nash
on the sidelines for one game. Now, a left thigh bruise is
bothering the two-time MVP and may delay him becoming the
franchise’s all-time career leader in assists.

Despite a day off Sunday, Nash — who is seven assists shy
of passing Kevin Johnson — said he is still “very, very
sore” after taking a Marc Gasol knee coming off a screen
on the game’s final play against Memphis Saturday night.

“I need to be able to run. Right now I can’t really run,”
he said following shoot-around. “Hopefully if I get more
flexibility I can start running. There’s just swelling in
there that you need to get out or else it’s going to limit
my flexibility.”

Nash’s former team and the defending NBA champions make
their first trip to US Airways Center this season.

The Suns have lost seven straight to the Mavericks,
including one week ago in Dallas when Shawn Marion scored
a season-high 29 points (4-6 3s) against his former club.

The Suns missed Dirk Nowitzki that day as part of a
planned four-game absence to rest a sore right knee. He
returned Sunday against San Antonio with 10 points and 13
rebounds in 38 minutes.

The Suns will miss Jason Kidd however. The one-time Sun
will sit for the second straight game due to a strained
right calf.

Another ex-Sun, Vince Carter, will make his first
appearance back in the Valley since being waived once the
lockout ended. Carter averaged 13.5 points in 51 games (41
starts) after he was aquired as part of a six-player trade
from the Orlando Magic.

The Mavericks are 5-2 in the second game of a back-to-
back. However, given their earlier tip-off Sunday and even
the game going into overtime Dallas still managed to
arrive in Phoenix just after 11 p.m.

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