Steve Nash didn’t practice Thursday but was shooting around afterward. He’ll be a game-time decision for tomorrow’s contest against Memphis.

Defense wins championships
Mike D’Antoni’s teams have never been known for their defense, and it shows, but he thinks you’ll see an improved Lakers defense over the final month.
“I don’t think Pau was 100 percent earlier in the year. That alone will help,” D’Antoni said. “I don’t think Metta (World Peace) was 100 percent. He was having trouble guarding guys on the perimeter.
“So we had a lot of breakdowns and stuff that wasn’t going. I think they’ve kind of corrected themselves lately. Pau has to get back to (game) condition, but Metta’s good on the perimeter and Dwight’s patrolling the middle, so we should be very good defensively.”
World Peace revealed recently that earlier in the season he popped something in his right fibula, but that it didn’t tear. He was struggling, but he didn’t reveal the injury until earlier this week, saying he didn’t want to make excuses.

Kobe Bryant (flu, ankle) and Pau Gasol (foot) both scrimmaged in practice today and are expected back for tomorrow’s home game versus Washington.
If you’re a Lakers fan, that’s good news as the stretch run is upon the NBA.