Often times fans and analysts suspend reality when discussing athletes.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Steve Nash, who has been shut down for the season, battled the backlash that comes with that approach in the third episode of Grantland's "The Finish Line" series, which chronicles his approach to coming back from injury.
Nash has been criticized for refusing to retire and trying to come back this season, and his teammate Kobe Bryant has taken on similar critiques.
If a player loves the game and is under contract, there isn't much reason for him to retire from basketball. There is also the fact that Nash is being paid $9.3 million this season and could bring in $9.8 million next year.
At 40 years old, Nash is old in NBA years, but he is still young in life. Basketball careers are short-lived, and there is often a lot of life to live after basketball is done. Nash was honest in discussion this, saying bluntly that there is a side of his decision not to retire that is about salary.
"On the other hand, it's just a reality, I'm not going to retire because I want the money," Nash said. "It's honest."
Bryant made a similar statement when he signed a two-year, $48.5 million contract that will kick in next season. There is not much logic in millionaires making concessions for billionaires. It only takes basic common sense to understand that, and Nash has it.
"At the same time, you're going to have people out there who are like, 'Oh, man, he's so greedy," Nash said, "'He's already made X amount of money in his career and he has to take that last little bit'. Yes, I do have to take that last little bit."
ALDRIDGE SETBACK
Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge took a hard fall and left with a bruised back early in the second half of his team's 103-90 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Aldridge's status was not initially known after X-rays on his back were negative. He was taken to the locker room and X-ray room in a wheelchair. It was later determined that he suffered a back contusion and will miss two games, according to David Aldridge of NBA.com.
Portland opened the third quarter on an 8-0 run after trailing by as many as 17 in the first half, but lost Aldridge 43 seconds into the quarter.
Aldridge drove the lane and rose for a running, 6-foot jumper, but tumbled backward after having his right knee hit Aron Baynes' side. Unable to brace himself, Aldridge took the brunt of the fall on his left hip. He remained on the court for 3 minutes, grabbing his lower back before being helped off the court by teammates.
"When a guy takes a tough fall like that, when you're airborne, you just don't know what can happen when you land," Portland coach Terry Stotts said. "The longer he stayed down, you just don't know."
With Aldridge unable to continue, Thomas Robinson replaced him and made the ensuing free throw.
Aldridge finished with 14 points and four rebounds in 21 minutes.
With Aldridge out, fellow All-Star Lillard took over in the third. The speedy point guard scored 10 points, hitting a pair of 3s and throwing down a hard dunk while shooting 4 for 9 in the quarter. His second 3 pulled Portland within 61-55 with 5:45 left in third, but the Trail Blazers got no closer.
"We played small," Stotts said. "There were a couple of points in the half that I thought we were climbing back in, but San Antonio, in beginning of the fourth, hits two 3s right when we're in the thick of it. It was tough to get over the hump."
NEAL BENCHED
The Charlotte Bobcats don't have the type of team where they can afford to be without any rotation member as they continue to fight for playoff position in the East, but they were forced to play the Wizards on Wednesday without the services of backup guard Gary Neal. What's strange is the reason why.
The Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell wrote on his Twitter account: Bobcats say guard Gary Neal won't play tonight due to "an internal team matter." I have no clue what that means."
It sounds like some kind of team rules violation — late to a practice or film session, that type of thing — but the Bobcats didn't disclose the exact nature of Neal's suspension.
Neal, who Charlotte brought in via trade from the Bucks at the deadline in order to add some 3-point shooting, made some disparaging remarks on his way out of Milwaukee, criticizing the team for its current tanking strategy.
While the Bobcats aren't really a serious contender this season, you'd think he'd be happy enough to now be on a playoff team where he wouldn't be breaking any team rules, especially so early in his tenure with Charlotte. But without any concrete information on what exactly Neal did, it's tough to criticize him for anything just yet.
Based on his behavior during Wednesday night's game, this may not be a big deal. Bonnell later wrote on his Twitter account: "Neal on Bobcats' bench, interacting with teammates. If this were a big deal, doubt he'd be suited-up on the bench. But that's intuition."
Neal has averaged 11.9 points in seven games for the Bobcats since joining Charlotte.
EVERYBODY HATES BLAKE
Blake Griffin and Jermaine O'Neal shared words on the basketball court after the Golden State Warriors center was given a technical foul in the fourth quarter.
That exchange spilled off the court when O'Neal got dressed and waited for Griffin outside the Clippers locker room. O'Neal approached Griffin as he was walking to speak to media members.
The Los Angeles Times' Brad Turner was there and gave a play-by-play rundown of the run-in in real time. "Griffin to O'Neal: "Why you want to walk up on me? Leave that (stuff) on the court." O'Neal to Blake: "I'm a monster off the court."
Later: "Jermaine O'Neal approches Blake Griffin in hallway after game. Two face to face." And "Blake Griffin didn't want to talk about incident with Jermanie O'Neal."
WALL FINED
Washington Wizards guard John Wall was fined $15,000 by the NBA on Thursday for inappropriate comments toward game officials.
Wall made the remarks after the Wizards' 98-85 home loss to the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night.
Contributors: DeAntae Prince, Ben Estes, The Associated Press
