Could Nash win another MVP this season?

[Yuma]

Don't laugh! Really.

I've been thinking about it, and with no Amare, who does Nash really have to lean on? It's Nash and a cast of thousands. He will have to carry this team offensively, so I expect him to put up big numbers scoring for him, which would be 18 to 20 PPG average. We know he will shot about 90% from the FT line. The tough part for Nash, is how is he going to average double digit assists with this team shooting so poorly? I have no doubt he will find the open man on plays. His teammates have to shoot well for Nash to get those assists. Also, I expect Gentry to have Nash sag back and help sweep for rebounds, too. He could throw a couple of those on his stats per game. For him to get serious mention the Suns will have to win games. That could be the really rough part of the equation. However, if the Suns do exceed expectations, I expect to hear announcers all season talk about how Nash is leading a team of nobodies to a winning record. The hype could feed on itself.

As far as his competition, LeBron, Kobe, and the rest of the guys of that caliber will be hampered by people saying they have a great cast around them. The argument will be, "but who does Nash have?" Even Kevin Durant will arguably have a better cast to play with. I think Durant has the mojo going for the award this year. I just hope Nash isn't "unconsidered" because he won it before.

 

[Chaplin]

If (and it's a big if) we get a high seed in the West (like 2 or 3), then absolutely he'll be in the conversation. But in this era of young individualistic players like James and Durant, Nash won't win another one. He's not marketable enough now.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

No way. I feel that voters almost have Nash regret. We'd have to win 62+ games and be the #1 seed to not give it to Lebron, Kobe, Durant.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Early favorite has to be Durant right now. With Lebron teaming up with Wade & Bosh I think it hurts his bid and even though Kobe is arguably the best player in the league he probably still won't get recognition.

Durant has been raising his stock almost daily since he entered the league and unless OKC completely flops or if Durant himself gets injured I fully expect him to take it.

I'm with DCR in that there is a bit of Nash regret so I don't think Nash has a realistic shot, no matter the circumstances.

 

[Shane]

No!

 

[AzStevenCal]

Don't laugh! Really.

I've been thinking about it, and with no Amare, who does Nash really have to lean on? It's Nash and a cast of thousands. He will have to carry this team offensively, so I expect him to put up big numbers scoring for him, which would be 18 to 20 PPG average. We know he will shot about 90% from the FT line. The tough part for Nash, is how is he going to average double digit assists with this team shooting so poorly? I have no doubt he will find the open man on plays. His teammates have to shoot well for Nash to get those assists. Also, I expect Gentry to have Nash sag back and help sweep for rebounds, too. He could throw a couple of those on his stats per game. For him to get serious mention the Suns will have to win games. That could be the really rough part of the equation. However, if the Suns do exceed expectations, I expect to hear announcers all season talk about how Nash is leading a team of nobodies to a winning record. The hype could feed on itself.

As far as his competition, LeBron, Kobe, and the rest of the guys of that caliber will be hampered by people saying they have a great cast around them. The argument will be, "but who does Nash have?" Even Kevin Durant will arguably have a better cast to play with. I think Durant has the mojo going for the award this year. I just hope Nash isn't "unconsidered" because he won it before.

Not a chance. Nash could lead the league in assists and points and it wouldn't happen. And Durant does have a better cast to play with. Even if they held Durant out of the deal, I'd trade our roster straight up for theirs. Of course, I'd trade our roster for almost every roster out there.

I don't think some of you realize just how bad we're going to be this year barring a minor miracle or a season saving trade. I know, some of you don't think I realize how clueless I am. I guess time will tell.

Steve

 

[SactownSunsFan]

No way. I feel that voters almost have Nash regret. We'd have to win 62+ games and be the #1 seed to not give it to Lebron, Kobe, Durant.

This, even though Nash deserved those MVPs.

 

[green machine]

The MVP usually comes from a playoff team.

No.

 

[AfroSuns]

I don't think some of you realize just how bad we're going to be this year barring a minor miracle or a season saving trade. I know, some of you don't think I realize how clueless I am. I guess time will tell.

Steve

I am with you Steve, i have a bad feeling about this season and it is not just because of the preseason games. Nash assist is going to go down this season. I really don't see anyone on this team that can convert like Amare does.
I just hope if we end up sucking, we suck BAD enough for the lottery. I believe the Suns have their pick for the draft.

Even if Nash stats are good, no way is he winning it again, some are already moaning about his second MVP.

 

[Mulli]

Nash will not be healthy enough this season.

 

[Chaplin]

Nash will not be healthy enough this season.

What makes this quote any more valid this year than the past 5 years when people claimed the same thing?

 

[Mulli]

What makes this quote any more valid this year than the past 5 years when people claimed the same thing?

This is me saying it.

 

[Budden]

How is it that this thread is asking the question, "Could Nash win another MVP this season?" and virtually none of the replies talk about Steve Nash playing basketball?

Obviously, this team will make the playoffs unless Nash misses more than 4 consecutive weeks due to injury. I assume that people who say otherwise didn't watch the first third of last season, so I'll give you a brief synopsis:

The Phoenix Suns were 14-3 to begin last season.

They achieved this record (despite the fact that they had more road games than any other team in the league) because of two things, both of which occurred for the final 9 minutes of nearly every win. Namely: Steve Nash's offense and the collective Suns' defense. Now, you can't understand this by looking at stats on the box score or even by reading each and every possession of the play-by-play. Because even though the Suns fell down in early and often - by double digits in many of these victories - once they were able to claw back in, they still needed to win the game. They did this by getting stops that they never got in previous seasons, finishing out the possession by rebounding the ball (Boris Diaw and Shawn Marion used to play power forward so that obviously didn't happen) and then giving it to Steve Nash.

Bear in mind, the team's next-best offensive weapons at this point were Grant Hill and then Frye and/or Dudley, because Amar'e spent the first month and a half doing the Jake Tsakalidis, J-Rich didn't become automatic from behind the 3-point line until later, Lopez and Barbosa were injured (or at least playing hurt, in Barbosa's case), and Dragic was still suffering from TPS (Terry Porter Syndrome) and was inconsistent at best. So Steve Nash would come down and, possession after possession, put the ball in the hoop. During the first 17 games of the season, Steve Nash was the MVP of the league, and he really was getting national recognition for it. ESPN.com had numerous leading staff writers (I try not to use the word "expert" when referring to people in the media) who put Nash at #1 into December. Despite the fact that the Suns hadn't won a game on TNT since Backcourt 2000, Nash was always 1 or 2 with Lebron for MVP in their minds.

After the 14-3 start, all of those guys I mentioned in the previous paragraph (ex-Nash) really started to improve on the offensive end, but those critical defensive stands all but disappeared and Scott Williams stopped talking about that period from about the 10-minute mark to the 2-minute mark of the 4th quarter being the Suns' money spot. When the Suns fell behind by double digits, they could get them back into the game with good all-around team play, but when it became "winning time," the stops stopped and Nash began to miss.

Gradually, the number one option for the Suns transitioned from Nash to Amar'e, but Amar'e wasn't quite ready physically and the Suns spent the better part of the next two months figuring out new and exciting ways to lose basketball games. After the all-star break, the Suns dialed up the defensive intensity to November levels and Amar'e had by then become a top 3 player in the league (he didn't receive any MVP talk because Lebron had already been won it in most people's eyes).

The point of it is this: Nash could win the MVP award if he can keep up the level of play that he displayed in the first month of last season, and the Suns would have one of the top 5 records in the NBA. It's unlikely that Nash can do this and I highly doubt he will have a good enough season to do it, but it's not impossible. The key team is good enough to win a bunch of games with a decent cushion and to keep 20 or so more games within reach. Then, that 9-minute mark is going to be crucial. If November Nash shows up for the majority of those 20 games, then the Suns will win most of those games and Nash will be a legitimate MVP candidate. If he isn't able to get it done, then the Suns will lose those games and Nash will not be a legitimate MVP candidate.

 

[Chaplin]

Nice thoughtful response, but you ignore the true measure of the MVP award--NBA politics. And there is very little to no chance of him winning because of that.

 

[TheHopToad]

Nash would have to have the best season of his career, AND Kobe, Lebron, and Durant would have to have horrible seasons or be injured most of the year.

Not gonna happen. He's already had his run, and it's not good for the league to have a 37 year old white point guard win the MVP.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Obviously, this team will make the playoffs unless Nash misses more than 4 consecutive weeks due to injury.

I'm confident that if Steve Nash only misses 27 days in a row (a time period less than 4 consecutive weeks, BTW) that we will be in great shape come time to draw ping pong balls. Unless, Hedo finds a way to play at the level of his contract or unless we find a way to move him for a quality PF this team will not make the playoffs, IMO.

I assume that people who say otherwise didn't watch the first third of last season, so I'll give you a brief synopsis:

Better find a different assumption to work with. I didn't miss a minute of the first 3rd of last season.

They achieved this record (despite the fact that they had more road games than any other team in the league) because of two things, both of which occurred for the final 9 minutes of nearly every win. Namely: Steve Nash's offense and the collective Suns' defense.

This is not the same team we watched last season. Perhaps it will all come together but right now, our second team defense is even worse than our first team defense has been historically. I don't think preseason games tell the whole story but the story it does tell is not pretty.

Bear in mind, the team's next-best offensive weapons at this point were Grant Hill and then Frye and/or Dudley, because Amar'e spent the first month and a half doing the Jake Tsakalidis, J-Rich didn't become automatic from behind the 3-point line until later, Lopez and Barbosa were injured (or at least playing hurt, in Barbosa's case), and Dragic was still suffering from TPS (Terry Porter Syndrome) and was inconsistent at best.

There's no denying that Nash had an incredible start last season but other than that you're rewriting history here. Both Stat and JR had good to great games during that stretch and were hardly the wastes you make them out to be. They frequently led the team in scoring during that 17 game stretch and one or the other of them accounted for 20 point games 17 times.

Leandro also started out real strong until another injury struck. Nash was the best overall player on the team at that point but at no time did he play to that level again for the rest of that season. Why should we all of a sudden expect him to return to that performance level?

Gradually, the number one option for the Suns transitioned from Nash to Amar'e, but Amar'e wasn't quite ready physically and the Suns spent the better part of the next two months figuring out new and exciting ways to lose basketball games.

Again, you're rewriting history here. Suggesting that it was mostly on Stat just isn't accurate, IMO. Nash started struggling, Frye started struggling, Lopez was taking up valuable minutes but it was destroying our previously solid second team and JR and Barbs were dealing with injuries (if memory serves).

The point of it is this: Nash could win the MVP award if he can keep up the level of play that he displayed in the first month of last season

If your entire point is that if Nash played like he did at the start of last season and did it for a full season, he could win the MVP then I would only slightly disagree. No matter how well he plays, he's never winning another MVP in the NBA unless they add a senior citizen league.

There is too much "anti-Nash as MVP" sentiment out there for him to overcome it. The only possible way (again, IMO) is if he were to play all season like he started last year AND lead us to the NBA finals. He still wouldn't win it this year but it would give him an outside chance if he were to repeat this regular season performance the following year.

Steve

 

[FArting]

Yes

 

[elindholm]

Nice thoughtful response, but you ignore the true measure of the MVP award--NBA politics.

Yes, thank you. The things that ESPN talking heads say in December in order to fill air time and the things that voters put on their ballots in April come from completely different worlds.

 

[dodie53]

if nash dunks in an NBA game,
he automatically wins the MVP award.
hehe

 

[BC867]

Asking the question about Steve Nash as an MVP candidate this season highlights the inbalance on the rest of the team. No playoff caliber backup Center. Not a Power Forward in sight.

It's like a twenty-game winner on a last place team in baseball. You could argue that he is truly the most valuable player on the team. But if his team isn't an elite team, just how valuable is he, when you compare his team to the rest of the league?

Even if he were a legitimate candidate, will his back hold up at that level?

As in anything else in sports, it doesn't matter so much how good or bad you are. It's are you better than your opponent. Especially if you are discussing an award that goes to just one NBA player per year.

 

[Irish]

IMHO, the Suns will exceed most fan's expectations in the regular season, but still come up short in the playoffs.

Last night's game with the Warrior's was an example. They held the Warriors to 20 or less points for the first three quarters and won on a bad shooting night. The Warriors are not a great team, but it showed this team CAN play defense. Clearly they have to rediscover their shooting touch, but that is not any different from last season.

One intriguing element is the development of the Hedo to Robin pick and roll. It is likely that using Hedo will cut down on the excessively rough play Nash has to go through and will permit Nash to become more of a spot up shooter.

 

[Black Jesus]

Nash needs another guy around him to be effective. That is not hating on his skills at all, I just think a cast of an old Grant Hill, Jared Dudley, Hedu Turkaglu, Hakim Warrick, Josh Childress, Robin Lopez and some other jerk offs is not enough.

So to answer you question. hahahahahahahaha get off the kool-aid kid.

 

[AfroSuns]

IMHO, the Suns will exceed most fan's expectations in the regular season, but still come up short in the playoffs.

Last night's game with the Warrior's was an example. They held the Warriors to 20 or less points for the first three quarters and won on a bad shooting night. The Warriors are not a great team, but it showed this team CAN play defense. Clearly they have to rediscover their shooting touch, but that is not any different from last season.

One intriguing element is the development of the Hedo to Robin pick and roll. It is likely that using Hedo will cut down on the excessively rough play Nash has to go through and will permit Nash to become more of a spot up shooter.

That is one way to look at it but you can also argue the Warriors had a bad shooting night themselves and like you said the Warriors are not a great team.

 

[Chaplin]

Asking the question about Steve Nash as an MVP candidate this season highlights the inbalance on the rest of the team. No playoff caliber backup Center. Not a Power Forward in sight.

It's like a twenty-game winner on a last place team in baseball. You could argue that he is truly the most valuable player on the team. But if his team isn't an elite team, just how valuable is he, when you compare his team to the rest of the league?

Even if he were a legitimate candidate, will his back hold up at that level?

As in anything else in sports, it doesn't matter so much how good or bad you are. It's are you better than your opponent. Especially if you are discussing an award that goes to just one NBA player per year.

Not to say I disagree with you, but who exactly is a playoff caliber backup center? Brad Miller, maybe? Shaq or Kendrick Perkins I guess... Who else?

 

[desertrat218]

In all honesty, Nash shouldn't have been given the 2 MVP's he did get. A true MVP should also be able to play defense, Nash has never been able to shut down even the worst players in the NBA.