QUOTE
Reality bites
After suffering a chipped tooth when he took an inadvertent elbow from Carlos Boozer late in the first half of the Suns' victory Friday over the Jazz, Steve Nash made like one of those hockey players from his native Canada. He handed the piece of tooth to the Suns' trainer, then went out and finished with 29 points and 11 assists.
"I get to spend some of my day off at the dentist," quipped a gap-toothed Nash, looking like an NBA version of Alfred E. Neuman.
Nash's dental misadventure is an underrated occupational hazard of NBA life. I recall once asking Chris Webber if he'd ever lost a tooth while playing hoops and he answered instantly, even though the incident had occurred 10 years prior.
"Eric Riley," Webber said of his 7-foot former Michigan teammate. "During practice. Yep. He got me good. I can still remember it."
A couple of Webber's teammates standing nearby shook their heads in understanding. Makes you wonder why more guys don't wear mouthguards.
Speaking of which, strictly off the top of my head, here is the NBA's All-Mouthguard Team -- with extra credit given to those who have been known to throw one in anger:
C-Jeff Foster
F-Udonis Haslem
F-Dirk Nowitzki
G-Kirk Hinrich
G-Chauncey Billups
After suffering a chipped tooth when he took an inadvertent elbow from Carlos Boozer late in the first half of the Suns' victory Friday over the Jazz, Steve Nash made like one of those hockey players from his native Canada. He handed the piece of tooth to the Suns' trainer, then went out and finished with 29 points and 11 assists.
"I get to spend some of my day off at the dentist," quipped a gap-toothed Nash, looking like an NBA version of Alfred E. Neuman.
Nash's dental misadventure is an underrated occupational hazard of NBA life. I recall once asking Chris Webber if he'd ever lost a tooth while playing hoops and he answered instantly, even though the incident had occurred 10 years prior.
"Eric Riley," Webber said of his 7-foot former Michigan teammate. "During practice. Yep. He got me good. I can still remember it."
A couple of Webber's teammates standing nearby shook their heads in understanding. Makes you wonder why more guys don't wear mouthguards.
Speaking of which, strictly off the top of my head, here is the NBA's All-Mouthguard Team -- with extra credit given to those who have been known to throw one in anger:
C-Jeff Foster
F-Udonis Haslem
F-Dirk Nowitzki
G-Kirk Hinrich
G-Chauncey Billups
looks like hes in pretty good company. remember when haslem threw his mouthpiece at the ref in the playoffs?
