Suns notebook: Diaw’s back spasms continue

LOS ANGELES - Boris Diaw knows that any day, he could wake up to relief in his back and start the countdown to his return to the lineup. But that day wasn’t Tuesday.

Obviously still experiencing discomfort just walking, Diaw missed his third straight game with back spasms that have lasted two weeks and he is already a scratch for tonight’s game with the Celtics.

“This is the longest I’ve ever had something like this,” said Diaw, who is still unable to put his hands past his shins when he bends over. “Sometimes I feel like I’m getting better, then I’ll just make a move laying down and it comes back.”

Diaw was replaced in the starting lineup by Kurt Thomas, but the Suns want to get their “seven starters” back on the floor for the first time in more than a month as soon as possible.

“I guess we’ll hope for Friday,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “It’s too bad, because we need him. He’s an important part of what we do.”

The Suns did get Thomas back for the first time since Jan. 15, but Thomas said his hyperextended left elbow will not completely heal until it gets a summer of rest and he will wear a protective brace the rest of the year.

“If it was my dominant (shooting) elbow, I’d still be out for sure,” Thomas said. “I’ve never had an injury like this before, so I don’t really know how it will react.”

Deep thoughts

D’Antoni spent most of his weekly radio show answering more questions about his playing rotation, especially after TNT commentator Charles Barkley chastised him for “only playing seven guys,” and wearing out his players, which he said led to the injuries to Diaw and Steve Nash.

“If people keep talking about it, perception becomes reality,” D’Antoni said. “But Charles is wrong. We play eight guys, we always play eight. I think we played seven in one game when we had injuries, and we played nine guys until December.

“People used to ask me about winning streaks. Now all they care about is how many guys we play. I know what’s best, I know what I’m doing. We don’t have one guy in the top 10 in minutes. Dirk Nowitzki plays 37 minutes, is he being worn out? Kobe (Bryant) plays 40. Washington has three guys playing (38 minutes) a night. Are they wearing out? The argument doesn’t hold water.”

Trade talk

With less than 48 hours to the trade deadline, the Suns were little more than interested bystanders Tuesday, waiting like the rest of the league to see if big deals involving the likes of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Pau Gasol wound up shaking someone loose that would interest them.

League sources say the Suns are talking with several teams as Thursday’s 1 p.m. trade deadline nears, and that guard Marcus Banks and Thomas loom as the major players other teams are bringing up in the discussions.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and at least two other teams have inquired about Banks, and the Suns might be willing to move him as a way to shed payroll — he makes more than $20 million over the next four years — without getting anything back. But Phoenix would require a significant contributor in return to consider moving Thomas, who still has one year left on his contract at $8 million.

Bonus shot

Elton Brand (back) returned for the Clippers but they had to go without Chris Kaman, who had a bad case of the flu and didn’t come to the arena Tuesday. Guard Cuttino Mobley (groin) worked out before the game but remained on the inactive list.

Celtics at Suns

When: 7 p.m. today

Where: US Airways Center

TV: FSN Arizona

Radio: KTAR (620 AM)

Series history: The Suns have won 18 of the last 28 meetings and eight of the last 10, including a 116-111 win in Boston on Dec. 8. Shawn Marion had 29 points and 12 rebounds including a huge 3-pointer that steered the team out of danger. Steve Nash had 16 points and 14 assists as the Suns had six players in double figures. Paul Pierce had 36 points for the Celtics, who forced 21 turnovers.

Scouting report: Celtics – Boston has gone 3-25 since Christmas including a franchise-record 18-game losing streak that was finally snapped on Valentine’s Day against Milwaukee. Now the question is whether Boston will beat out Philadelphia and Memphis for the worst record in the league. Slam Dunk champion Gerald Green had some fun in Las Vegas, but he goes back to the grind now. Pierce leads the team in scoring (26.2) and Boston is 11-15 when he’s in the lineup, 2-23 when he’s not.

Suns – Boris Diaw (back) is expected to miss his fourth straight game tonight. The Suns will honor their 1976 team — which lost to the Celtics in the NBA Finals — with Alvan Adams, Curtis Perry, Dick Van Arsdale, Garfield Heard, Ricky Sobers, Dennis Awtrey, coaches John MacLeod and Al Bianchi and trainer Joe Proski in attendance.