PHX 32
Hard times on Planet Orange
Sorry guys I don't exactly know how to attach media articles in the right format on the forum, so i just copy and pasted the whole thing....Enjoy
He couldn't win a high school dunk contest. He'd never make an "All-Airport team." He's heard as many detractors as supporters in his career, especially during his early years.
But despite his obvious limitations, Steve Nash is one of the three or four most talented players in the NBA. Yes, talented.
Rocky Widner/Getty Images
Steve Nash's eyes see things that most point guards can't.
Talent is sometimes a misunderstood word. In basketball, talent is normally the label applied to speed, power, quickness, jumping ability, agility, scoring aptitude and other overt physical traits.
But I believe talent is often hidden and internal. It includes what we often call "personal qualities."
And that's why I consider Nash a uniquely talented player.
We all know it isn't his size, strength or speed that makes him the best point guard in the game ... so what exactly is it?
Let's take a closer look at his three special attributes:
EYES
Maybe the most obvious of his talents is that Nash sees everything, or so it seems.
From the moment he receives the outlet or inbounds pass, his head is up and his eyes are scanning the court. He is the best "hit-ahead passer" in the game (with a hit-ahead pass, a player quickly passes to a player in front of him on the fast break), giving the Suns plenty of free baskets.
Even though opponents know what's coming, they are usually powerless to stop Nash in these situations. The key is his ability to see all the players in front of him -- but primarily the opponents, not his teammates.
Where opponents are lurking changes from possession to possession and game to game, as teams vary in their defensive strategies to slow the Suns. Nash's eyes are scanning for where the defenders are running to, and based on that, he instantly decides whether to pass for a quick shot or keep dribbling into the Suns' early offense.
He is not alone in this talent (Andre Miller comes to mind), but Nash has a deeper level of talent. Yes, he seems to see everything on the court as it is happening, but he also "sees" what is going to happen based on locations and movements of the other nine guys on the court, and his own positioning.
Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are probably the most famous players to have this ability. Like Nash, they could see how a play would develop if they just waited for it to happen.
Often, we'll wonder how Nash sees a teammate so quickly as he flashes open. Actually, he "sees" it before the teammate flashes, so Nash is not reacting, he's just acting.
The Suns don't run many plays per se, because the offense is based on the ability of Nash and his teammates to read situations, go to certain spots and make good decisions. Of course, most of the time, that means Nash is orchestrating and creating scoring situations on the fly.
This ability to see things before they develop leads us to Nash's next talent, and perhaps his most impressive one.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Nash may look out of control, but he knows what he's doing.
MIND
I asked an excellent NBA pick-and-roll defender, "Who is the toughest player to defend on ball screens?" He said Nash.
When I asked why, this post player, who excels at "showing" on ball screens, replied, "He's just so damn patient."
Nash's disciplined mind is one key aspect to his effectiveness. Since he sees everything and can "see" plays develop, he could be prone to try too much and end up hurting his team with too many turnovers.
But he leads the NBA by a wide margin in assists per game while being among the league's leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Coaches constantly ask their players to make easy plays and let plays develop, and Nash is a master at both -- he will keep his dribble alive while waiting for a player to spring free or while searching for the best possible option. But he will also make quick passes and let the Suns' offense run its course.
A note on turnovers: The Suns have the league's third-fastest offense, and the most efficient, which is a tough combination to master. (In contrast, Golden State plays at the fastest pace, and Denver second -- but they rank 15th and 13th, respectively, in offensive efficiency.) So while Nash leads point guards in turnovers per game, that's primarily because he must take some risks to run such a speedy, efficient offense.
Everyone knows Nash is perhaps the game's best passer, but one reason for this is especially subtle.
Coaches at all levels often drill the idea that you must dribble to a certain spot on the floor and then look for a teammate in a designated spot. Nash does just the opposite.
As he is dribbling up the court, he is looking to get the ball to his scorers based on where they are, not where he is. The reason he gets so many assists is that his teammates are finishing his passes, and they are finishing his passes because he is getting them the ball where they need to catch it as opposed to where they are when he is "ready" to pass it. The difference is subtle, but monumental.
Nash also does not need sleight-of-hand tricks to get the ball to well-defended scorers. Instead, he is a mind reader.
When Nash threads the needle to Shawn Marion or Amare Stoudemire (like Magic Johnson used to do with Jamaal Wilkes and James Worthy), he is reading the mind of a defender, who is often preoccupied -- he is trying to get around screens or help a teammate, and meanwhile he loses sight of the ball until Nash whistles it past his ear to set up a dunk.
Yes, that takes "talent," but the real talent is how he thinks. He knows the defender will give him an opening.
HANDS
Coaches ask their players to make passes with "strength" -- in other words, they should use both hands. It is sound advice that 99 percent of all players should heed.
Barry Gossage/Getty Images
Shoot or pass? Depends on what the defense gives him.
But Nash is in the 1 percent who can actually make more plays with only one hand. As a passer, he is always on the ready to make a pass because he does not have to bring his second hand over to make the play.
Thanks to years of practice, Nash is ambidextrous as a passer. And since his hands are strong and agile enough to control the ball, he can make very difficult one-handed passes look easy.
For most players, this is very risky. For Nash, it's normal.
His hands also increase his scoring ability, which is a critical aspect of keeping defenses off-balance and setting up his passes.
When dribbling, Nash gains slight angles by using "influence screens" or tight ball screens, driving toward the hoop with his defender just a quarter step behind. In such cases, he often finishes his shots, especially his layups, with one hand. Nash leaves the ball out in front of him on the dribble and simply uses his one hand -- right or left -- to extend and finish the shot.
He is not being merely stylish; he's not showboating. So why does he do this?
Two reasons:
For Nash, the ball would be in greater jeopardy if he were to bring it back to his body, where a defender could reach in and interfere.
Also, this technique allows him to wait until the last possible second to deliver the shot, giving him time to read the help defenders. If they stay home, he scores. If they slide over, he passes.
Few players can make such unusual one-handed drives, because they don't have the kind of control of the ball Nash's hands afford him.
These three special qualities are not Nash's only talents, of course. To get the complete picture, we must add in his excellent shooting (from all spots on the court) and his tireless leadership efforts.
But if you want to know what makes Steve Nash special, look first to his eyes, his head and his hands.
David Thorpe is an NBA analyst for ESPN.com and the executive director of the Pro Training Center in Clearwater, Fla., where he works as a personal coach for Udonis Haslem (Miami Heat), Orien Greene (Indiana Pacers), Alexander Johnson (Memphis Grizzlies) and Kevin Martin (Sacramento Kings). You can e-mail him here.
He couldn't win a high school dunk contest. He'd never make an "All-Airport team." He's heard as many detractors as supporters in his career, especially during his early years.
But despite his obvious limitations, Steve Nash is one of the three or four most talented players in the NBA. Yes, talented.
You must be registered for see images attach
Rocky Widner/Getty Images
Steve Nash's eyes see things that most point guards can't.
Talent is sometimes a misunderstood word. In basketball, talent is normally the label applied to speed, power, quickness, jumping ability, agility, scoring aptitude and other overt physical traits.
But I believe talent is often hidden and internal. It includes what we often call "personal qualities."
And that's why I consider Nash a uniquely talented player.
We all know it isn't his size, strength or speed that makes him the best point guard in the game ... so what exactly is it?
Let's take a closer look at his three special attributes:
EYES
Maybe the most obvious of his talents is that Nash sees everything, or so it seems.
From the moment he receives the outlet or inbounds pass, his head is up and his eyes are scanning the court. He is the best "hit-ahead passer" in the game (with a hit-ahead pass, a player quickly passes to a player in front of him on the fast break), giving the Suns plenty of free baskets.
Even though opponents know what's coming, they are usually powerless to stop Nash in these situations. The key is his ability to see all the players in front of him -- but primarily the opponents, not his teammates.
Where opponents are lurking changes from possession to possession and game to game, as teams vary in their defensive strategies to slow the Suns. Nash's eyes are scanning for where the defenders are running to, and based on that, he instantly decides whether to pass for a quick shot or keep dribbling into the Suns' early offense.
He is not alone in this talent (Andre Miller comes to mind), but Nash has a deeper level of talent. Yes, he seems to see everything on the court as it is happening, but he also "sees" what is going to happen based on locations and movements of the other nine guys on the court, and his own positioning.
Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are probably the most famous players to have this ability. Like Nash, they could see how a play would develop if they just waited for it to happen.
Often, we'll wonder how Nash sees a teammate so quickly as he flashes open. Actually, he "sees" it before the teammate flashes, so Nash is not reacting, he's just acting.
The Suns don't run many plays per se, because the offense is based on the ability of Nash and his teammates to read situations, go to certain spots and make good decisions. Of course, most of the time, that means Nash is orchestrating and creating scoring situations on the fly.
This ability to see things before they develop leads us to Nash's next talent, and perhaps his most impressive one.
You must be registered for see images attach
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Nash may look out of control, but he knows what he's doing.
MIND
I asked an excellent NBA pick-and-roll defender, "Who is the toughest player to defend on ball screens?" He said Nash.
When I asked why, this post player, who excels at "showing" on ball screens, replied, "He's just so damn patient."
Nash's disciplined mind is one key aspect to his effectiveness. Since he sees everything and can "see" plays develop, he could be prone to try too much and end up hurting his team with too many turnovers.
But he leads the NBA by a wide margin in assists per game while being among the league's leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Coaches constantly ask their players to make easy plays and let plays develop, and Nash is a master at both -- he will keep his dribble alive while waiting for a player to spring free or while searching for the best possible option. But he will also make quick passes and let the Suns' offense run its course.
A note on turnovers: The Suns have the league's third-fastest offense, and the most efficient, which is a tough combination to master. (In contrast, Golden State plays at the fastest pace, and Denver second -- but they rank 15th and 13th, respectively, in offensive efficiency.) So while Nash leads point guards in turnovers per game, that's primarily because he must take some risks to run such a speedy, efficient offense.
Everyone knows Nash is perhaps the game's best passer, but one reason for this is especially subtle.
Coaches at all levels often drill the idea that you must dribble to a certain spot on the floor and then look for a teammate in a designated spot. Nash does just the opposite.
As he is dribbling up the court, he is looking to get the ball to his scorers based on where they are, not where he is. The reason he gets so many assists is that his teammates are finishing his passes, and they are finishing his passes because he is getting them the ball where they need to catch it as opposed to where they are when he is "ready" to pass it. The difference is subtle, but monumental.
Nash also does not need sleight-of-hand tricks to get the ball to well-defended scorers. Instead, he is a mind reader.
When Nash threads the needle to Shawn Marion or Amare Stoudemire (like Magic Johnson used to do with Jamaal Wilkes and James Worthy), he is reading the mind of a defender, who is often preoccupied -- he is trying to get around screens or help a teammate, and meanwhile he loses sight of the ball until Nash whistles it past his ear to set up a dunk.
Yes, that takes "talent," but the real talent is how he thinks. He knows the defender will give him an opening.
HANDS
Coaches ask their players to make passes with "strength" -- in other words, they should use both hands. It is sound advice that 99 percent of all players should heed.
You must be registered for see images attach
Barry Gossage/Getty Images
Shoot or pass? Depends on what the defense gives him.
But Nash is in the 1 percent who can actually make more plays with only one hand. As a passer, he is always on the ready to make a pass because he does not have to bring his second hand over to make the play.
Thanks to years of practice, Nash is ambidextrous as a passer. And since his hands are strong and agile enough to control the ball, he can make very difficult one-handed passes look easy.
For most players, this is very risky. For Nash, it's normal.
His hands also increase his scoring ability, which is a critical aspect of keeping defenses off-balance and setting up his passes.
When dribbling, Nash gains slight angles by using "influence screens" or tight ball screens, driving toward the hoop with his defender just a quarter step behind. In such cases, he often finishes his shots, especially his layups, with one hand. Nash leaves the ball out in front of him on the dribble and simply uses his one hand -- right or left -- to extend and finish the shot.
He is not being merely stylish; he's not showboating. So why does he do this?
Two reasons:
For Nash, the ball would be in greater jeopardy if he were to bring it back to his body, where a defender could reach in and interfere.
Also, this technique allows him to wait until the last possible second to deliver the shot, giving him time to read the help defenders. If they stay home, he scores. If they slide over, he passes.
Few players can make such unusual one-handed drives, because they don't have the kind of control of the ball Nash's hands afford him.
These three special qualities are not Nash's only talents, of course. To get the complete picture, we must add in his excellent shooting (from all spots on the court) and his tireless leadership efforts.
But if you want to know what makes Steve Nash special, look first to his eyes, his head and his hands.
David Thorpe is an NBA analyst for ESPN.com and the executive director of the Pro Training Center in Clearwater, Fla., where he works as a personal coach for Udonis Haslem (Miami Heat), Orien Greene (Indiana Pacers), Alexander Johnson (Memphis Grizzlies) and Kevin Martin (Sacramento Kings). You can e-mail him here.
