Steve Nash turns 38 today.
He's currently leading the league in assists (210), assists per game (10.0), and assist percentage (57.7). He's also fifth in field goal percentage (55.6) and effective field goal percentage (61.5), sixth in true shooting percentage (64.6), seventh in offensive rating (117.7) and 10th in PER (23.9).
And he's doing all that on a total crap team.
Did I mention he turns 38 today?
So here's a tribute to Captain Canada:
And remember:
FREE STEVE NASH.
Labels: Happy Birthday, Steve Nash
What do you guys think would be a realistic scenario that will give Nash a good fit and last shot at the ring?
"I'm riding him like freakin' Secretariat."
-- Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, on Jeremy Lin, who played 45 minutes in a win over Utah.
Considering the Suns are already doing absolutely shitty with 2 great players in Nash and Gortat, if they trade them away they can get lots of good draft picks like Cleveland did this year, and then the Suns can start to compete again in a few seasons.
Also if this happened I think it would be the first time in NBA history that 2 players on the same team were both 2 time league MVPs. That could be some damn fine basketball to watch.
Naz you must be a very well-rested person, having been in a coma all of last year.
Steve Nash on the Heat would be amazing, because if they can manage a trade where the Heat also get Gortat, the Heat would be almost guaranteed to win a championship.
Totally! Why wouldn't the Suns want to throw in one of their only building blocks while they're blowing up the franchise?
Welcome to the Jeremy Lin era, enjoy it while it lasts. You know, another three games at most.
deezyL - D'Antoni better ride him if he wants to save his job. Lin needs to work on his shots, but he can play. And I love his enthusiasm. Can't wait to see how he does against better teams.
On a more serious note, while Nash certainly helps the Heat because of their deficiencies at the point, he really excels with the ball in his hands 75% of the time. That won't be the case in Miami. We saw from the Terry Porter Experiment that trying to make Nash into a spot-up shooter instead of a facilitator isn't exactly the best idea.
What always gets me about Nash is how is hits people in rhythm. It's not sufficient to get the ball to your guy: the great PGs hit players in rhythm for a dunk or shot. Such great passes. Uncanny.
The one thing that makes me sad about Dallas winning their championship is that Cuban didn't pay the ultimate price for not retaining Nash. Would they have won more rings with Nash? Sooner? Perhaps not. I could be argued that Cuban wasn't going to win his ring until he shut his freakin yap. Certainly the degree to which the Mavs were jobbed in 06 argues that Stern was determined not to let Cuban win.
Are you kidding me?! The Heat get BOTH Nash AND Gortat? For what, the 30th pick in the first round the next two seasons? And maybe Eddy Curry's dirty jock strap too? That'd be a nice throw-in, wouldn't it?
Certainly you're not implying the Suns can "start to compete again in a few seasons" with discarded first round Heat draft picks that will be at or near the end of the first round?
Unbelievable.
If Nash and Gortat were to end up on the Heat via a trade with PHX, you'd better believe Bosh and Cole would be headed back to PHX. Along with a draft pick or two. It's called reality, my friend. Something you clearly have forgotten all about in your South Beach dreamworld.
That said - the Nazgul are almost certain to win a ring. If Nash wins one when they do it would sweeten the pill.
The Bulls are a contender with pieces to give, but Nash's 10M isn't what I would like to see as someone off the bench.
JJ - while the assessment about LeBron the person is fine (about why you dislike him), I think it's unfair to say he's not focused on reaching his potential in the sense that he as changed his game quite a bit compared to a few years back. He's worked tirelessly on his midrange, (nearly) stopped taking threes, trained with Hakeem, and has added a bunch of nifty floaters. Physically and mechanically he's better than he was when he won MVP, but it seems there is nothing he can do to himself mentally short of getting a lobotomy, which remains my biggest fear down the stretch. I still see the missed FTs and the hero ball.
(Nonetheless. Free Steve Nash)
As far as the Heat getting away with a steal by getting Nash and Gortat for Shane Battier's corpse and a bag of shit, yeah that's the point. Again, it's my belief that the Suns are in a tailspin and you might as well make like the Timberwolves and ride the wave of complete shit until you have a talented enough team to start competing again. It isn't fair to Phoenix fans at all, but when KG left and the Timberwolves began to suck it wasn't fair to Minnesota fans either, but I think they're happy with Kevin Love, Derrick Williams, and Ricky Rubio right now. In the meantime, Nash gets his ring(s), so does Lebron (take that, internet), and fans of basketball return to hating the Lakers. I don't see the negatives here.
Finally, to be really fair, I wouldn't be that adverse to seeing Chris Bosh go to Phoenix in a trade for Nash and Gortat. Bosh seems redundant on the Heat, like he's only there whenever Lebron and Wade want to take a night off/are injured, he's really not that big an inside presence and I feel like a duo of Haslem and Gortat would allow Miami to control the glass and keep Nash/Wade/James focused on scoring.
I dislike LeBron.
Sending Nash to Miami would mean that if I root for Nash, I would be rooting for LeBron.
No thanks. I'd rather see him rot in PHX than go out like Payton/Walker as a championship piggybacker extraordinaire.
http://ridingthepine.net/blog/JaVale_McGee_-_Space_Cadet/
On a side note I love the Miami hate. I hope they beat all of your favorite teams, and they probably already have. :)
And also, if a Milwaukee fan posts here, then your last statement is false.
Pretty few, no?
Troll level: Anonymous.
(No offense to any actual Bucks fan that may or may not be out there)
Worst of the Night in Pictures:
Scott Brooks should be a character if Dave Chappelle ever revives his "World Series of Dice" skit
Omri Casspi's moves are so badass, he warps spacetime
What is this I don't even...
It's not the same thing as a full post, but hopefully it makes you smile a little.
http://youtu.be/zv3bYWuUUng
http://ridingthepine.net/blog/Will_Ferrell_does_game_intro_for_Bulls_vs_Hornets/