Phoenix Suns' Grant Hill can understand Steve Nash's pain

Suns guard Steve Nash did not play in Sunday's loss to Orlando and might not play Monday at Houston, and teammate Grant Hill can understand why.

It might seem rare to hear about a player sidelined with pubic-symphysis irritation, at least that specifically, but Hill went through it as recently as the 2008 playoffs.

"I had surgery on it my second-to-last year in Orlando," Hill said of the 2005-06 season. "After the surgery, I tried to come back. It didn't work. I basically had to shut it down and go to Vancouver for three months for rehab in the off-season. It flared up in the (2008) playoffs.

"It got worse and worse to the point where I was getting injections and it didn't help. You've got to be careful with that injury and be smart. We want him out there, but he has to get that right because it can spiral and get really bad."

Nash said playing Monday at Houston "is probably 50-50 or even doubtful, but I feel really positive that I'll be back by Wednesday (at New Orleans) at the latest. I feel like I'm making progress. If I don't play (Monday), with a couple days I should be ready to go."

Nash battled the injury for two weeks, shooting 35 percent over eight games. He said he has played through pain and it would hurt the team to continue.

"He's playing in so much pain," coach Alvin Gentry said. "The shots he's missed and the shots he's passed up, anybody who's seen him in the last seven years knows he's not right.

"It's not going to be right until after the season. We know that. We don't have the luxury of having him rest."