Is the end of the road approaching for Canadas greatest basketball player? According to veteran basketball columnist Peter Vecsey, Lakers guard Steve Nash is close to retirement. T.Y. Hilton Colts Jersey . The former New York Post columnist and NBA TV analyst tweeted out the following statement early Tuesday morning: "Im hearing Nashs pain is forcing him 2 seriously consider calling it a career. Hed still get $ this yr & next & LAd get cap relief next." The 39-year-old Nash is sidelined indefinitely with a back injury and has been limited to just six games so far in the 2013-14 NBA season, averaging just 22.5 minutes-per-game. Lakers head coach Mike DAntoni spoke out last week about rumours of Nashs retirement, trying to temper the situation to the Los Angeles Times. "Theres always going to be a debate but were not going to debate it, talk about it," DAntoni told the Times last Tuesday. "Hes going to try to get ready, hes going to try to play and were going to try to win. Its really simple for us. Its not real difficult." Still, Nashs time in Los Angeles has not been up to the lofty standards he set during his MVP years with the Phoenix Suns, as the Victoria Native appeared in just 50 games for the Lakers in 2012-13 posting a 12.7 points-per-game average (his second-lowest total since 1999-2000) and 6.7 assists per game (his lowest total over that span). Nash has three years remaining on his contract including the current NBA season, worth a total of just over $28.3 million. Winning back-to-back MVP Awards in 2004-05 and 2005-06, Nash has put together a Hall of Fame-worthy career. He is a veteran of 18 NBA seasons with the Lakers, Suns and Dallas Mavericks and has been selected to 8 NBA All-Star Games, averaging 14.3 PPG, 8.5 APG with a career free throw percentage of 90.4 per cent. Matt Bosher Falcons Jersey . The hearing is set for 1pm et on Friday afternoon in New York City. Thornton was offered the opportunity for an in-person hearing as required by provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement for any suspension that can exceed five games. L... Alworth Black Friday Jersey . Their 9-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday did, however, make the prospect of taking a cross-country trip home a whole lot more palatable. Owen Daniels Ravens Jersey . Jones made 24 saves for his third shutout in five games, and the remarkable rookie led the Los Angeles Kings to a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Ju... Durant Black Friday Jersey . Ryan Hamilton scored midway through the third to lift the Toronto Marlies over the Hamilton Bulldogs 3-1 on Sunday afternoon in their final home game of the regular season at Ricoh Coliseum.NEW YORK -- Jabari Parker is already in the Duke record book. The heralded freshman matched his season-high with 27 points, setting the school record for consecutive 20-point games to start a career and the sixth-ranked Blue Devils beat Alabama 74-64 on Wednesday night in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off. "I think Ive got a long ways to go," the 6-foot-8 forward said after his seventh 20-point effort. "I need to be sharper in the beginning of the game. Nothing is ever too easy. I get open looks when they look at Rodney (Hood) or Q (Quinn Cook). I get those opportunities as much as possible." He takes advantage at an alarming rate. He entered the game shooting 58 per cent from the field and he improved that number by going 9 of 12 from the field. He had eight rebounds and was 9 of 10 from the free throw line in matching his point total in the Blue Devils only loss, 83-54 to No. 2 Kansas. "He gets his points in the flow of the offence and we should go through him a lot," coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "We had foul trouble with Rodney. Usually its through them. We went to Jabari even more." The Blue Devils (6-1), who committed a season-high 19 turnovers, will face No. 4 Arizona, which beat Drexel 66-62, in the championship game on Friday at Madison Square Garden. Its a matchup of the program with the most NIT Season Tip-Off titles -- Duke with four -- against one of three programs tied for second with three. "Arizona is older and they are really big for us," Krzyzewski said. "Over the years, we have always played really difficult schedules and this year is no different. Im just glad we have an opportunity to play for a championship. "Arizona is probably ahead of some other teams. Arizona, Michigan State, because they have guys who have played prominent roles, back. And then they have added a great guard and a great wing to their lineup, and so they are big. It will be completely different, from playing this game. They can post three guys from their starting lineup. They post their front line. Thats where we are not real big. That will be interesting how we try to get that going." Nick Jacobs led Alabama (3-2) with 18 points and seven rebounnds while Trevor Releford and Algie Key added 11 points each. Br... Roby Broncos Jersey. Duke is 25-2 in the NIT Season Tip-Off and has won 14 straight games in the tournament. The Blue Devils were coming off a 91-90 home victory over Vermont, a game that ended with the Catamounts having the ball but not getting off a final shot. It didnt get that close at the end Wednesday, but the Crimson Tide took advantage of the turnovers to be within 56-51 with 5:19 left. Alabama was within six points three times in the final 3:18 but the Blue Devils were able to go up by as many as 10 points. "Teams play well against us. Its a great opportunity for the sun to shine on a program, and so we have to expect that," Krzyzewski said. The only other Duke player to start his career with six straight 20-point games was Art Heyman in 1961-62. "Hes probably, in my eight years as a head coach, the most talented freshman Ive seen just from his size, his physicality and his skill level," Alabama coach Anthony Grant said of Parker. "Hes able to make tough shots and free himself for the open shot and hes able to get himself to the free throw line. Hes just a really, really talented player. They have got a lot of really good players around them, as well." Duke closed the firsts half on an 11-2 run to take a 33-22 lead and the Blue Devils opened the second half on a 13-6 run for their biggest lead of the game, 46-28 with 15:23 to play. The Crimson Tide, taking advantage of Dukes turnovers, used a 12-0 run to get within 46-40 with 12:07 left. "They had a pretty sizable cushion," Grant said. "We werent able to be effective enough to win the game. Whatever the turnovers were, they scored 74 points in the game, shot a pretty good clip from the field, got to the free throw line quite a bit. I would say their attack against what we were doing was pretty effective." The Blue Devils are 23-7 at Madison Square Garden under Krzyzewski and they have won 15 of their last 17 games there. Duke has won 27 straight regular-season tournament games. The loss dropped Alabama to 32-99 against Top Ten teams. The Crimson Tides last win over a Top Ten team was Feb. 18, 2006 against then-No. 8 Tennessee. ' ' '