Before the Los Angeles Lakers saw the return of veteran point guard Steve Nash, the team went on a three-game consecutive winning streak, but weren't convincing anyone that they'd finally reached a turning point under coach Mike D'Antoni's offense.

In his return Nash scored 12 points and nine assists in 41 minutes to help lead the Lakers past the Golden State Warriors. Although he played well in the overtime win over the Warriors, it was clear that the team still needed time to mesh and improve.

The two-time NBA MVP talked about the Lakers needing to improve moving forward via Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com:

"Everyone deals with things differently," Nash said of the challenge that the Lakers face to continue to improve. "Some people embrace that. Some people feel pressure and like it. Some people react the other way. I think for our team, we have got to embrace it, enjoy it and we have got to realize we're going to be under a microscope and it's going to be fun. We've got to embrace that challenge and try to play as best we can, get as many wins as we can and enjoy them afterward."

Since Nash's return the teams results have exceeded expectations, but if chemistry doesn't start to come around the Lakers will continue to be surrounded by trade rumors heading towards the NBA trade deadline in February.

Related Articles:

Luol Deng Remains Questionable For Game Against The Pacers After Right Ankle Sprain

Los Angeles Lakers Rumors 2012: Can Steve Nash Extend Kobe Bryant's Career Past 35? D'Antoni Believes So