Suns Expecting to Be Without Robin Lopez for Playoffs

Filed under: Suns, NBA Injuries

PHOENIX -- The Suns have long been guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, and after a 116-106 home win over the Rockets on Sunday, they'll finish no worse than fifth, and possibly as high as second in the Western Conference standings. But how far the Suns can go without their starting center once they get there remains to be seen.



Phoenix took care of Houston without Robin Lopez, who sat out his eighth consecutive came with back issues. The team had hoped to get Lopez back for its playoff run, but as of right now, the Suns are preparing to enter the postseason as if he won't be returning at all.



"He's going to be evaluated [Monday], then we'll see from there what happens," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "He's making some progress, but we have to assume that he's not going to be with us. And then if he ends up being with us, then that would be a huge bonus for us."



Phoenix has managed just fine since Lopez went down with a bulging disc in his back eight games ago, and is now 6-2 in his absence. But only one of those wins came against a legitimate playoff team (San Antonio), and the schedule gets much tougher in a hurry, with a home game against Denver on Tuesday, followed by one in Utah the very next night to end the regular season.

 

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Full story at http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/04/12/suns-expecting-to-be-without-robin-lopez-for-playoffs/