"Suns point guard Steve Nash missed a second consecutive game Monday night, but that does not mean he is resting.

Nash needs workouts more than anything, and he had one when the team arrived in Houston on Sunday night, another one Monday morning and one during the game Monday night. With two more workouts Tuesday, Nash said he should be able to play Wednesday night at New Orleans.

"I expect to play on Wednesday," Nash said. "Aaron (Nelson, Suns head athletic trainer) just thought it was best to get these two (game) days and then you get another day. We can hopefully not have setbacks with the extra days."

Nash first experienced pain with pubic-symphysis irritation March 4 at Milwaukee and played through it three more games before it worsened in Thursday's loss to Denver. In addition to work with Suns athletic trainers, Nash brought his personal physiotherapist, Rick Celebrini, in from Vancouver for work in Phoenix this weekend and on this two-game trip.

"Most of it is retraining myself to move properly because I'm in a negative movement pattern that is making it worse and worse every day," Nash said.

Nash also sat out two games in November.

"It's basically similar," Nash said. "I hope the rehabilitation workouts will get me back to near enough 100 percent and I can just move on from the there, finish strong and get in the playoffs."

Suns coach Alvin Gentry said he never planned on playing Nash on Monday."