The Real X Factor: Steve Nash

[Durrutix]

I’m a Suns fan in this series, and hope they win, but I think many are overlooking the primary issue – namely Nash’s considerable decline.

There was a time when Nash would make a dozen or so jaw-dropping passes in a single quarter, along with half-a-dozen circus shots. Now he’s lucky to do same in an entire game.

Nash is getting old, like Duncan, but Duncan doesn’t have to run around the floor for an hour or two. PR says Nash has developed an injury on his hip, which I guess is legit, but perhaps age is the overriding factor. I DO NOT take pleasure in saying this, as I’ve always loved the Nash-pass-first-get-everyone-involved-tendency -- in fact, I think Nash inspired a whole generation of young short kids -- but I think Nash is almost out of gas.

What made Nash so special was his fearlessness, far and beyond a Jason Kidd; we see glimpses of the magic occasionally, eg when Nash did a left-hand wrap-around pass to STAT in game 6... but we also see hesitation – FEAR – which results in turnovers. Nash's game is contingent on a "free flowing" spirit. With the Spur’s stifling defense the errors will only increase.

Granted, the Suns have evolved from a pure Nash-centric offense, but Nash has been the engine of the Suns for the past decade. Look at Marion, a once respected player and recipient of dozens of great passes per game, resulting in an inflated ego. He actually thought he was a great player without someone to pass the ball directly into his hands while hovering over the basket. Ouch.

I’m hoping the Suns can pull it out, but I’m only semi-optimistic.

Here’s hoping The Suns – and Nash – prove me wrong. Does Stevie have it in him?

Either way should be a great series.

 

[dodie53]

the suns will prove you wrong.

 

[Durrutix]

"the suns will prove you wrong."

I hope so!

It may not have appeared that way, but I'm a Suns fan. And a Nash fan to boot.

 

[mojorizen7]

SUNS X-factor is clearly JRich IMO. Can he score when Amare struggles?

 

[Durrutix]

SUNS X-factor is clearly JRich IMO. Can he score when Amare struggles?

I disagree. I think Nash is the X factor. Without Nash the entire offense breaks down, and that includes Amare.

 

[cly2tw]

I agree with the newcomer. Nash, and the coach too, needs to better know how to play with limitations and adapt. Fortunately, we proved over the 2nd half of the season and the 1st round that we have reliable alternatives, particularly in Amare, JRich and Dragic on offense and much better general defense without Nash. We need to trust these options and have Nash rested better for clutch time heroics he is still possible of if energy permits. Suns in 7!

 

[Gaddabout]

Nash has playing hurt with the abdomen strain. It's really bad, but he hasn't been talking about it. Hopefully three days rests gets him back to a comfort zone.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

and no bowen to knee him in the balls!

 

[Suns_fan69]

He just had 2 days rest before Game 6. Is one more day going to make a huge difference?

I think Nash is going to have another terrible series. He won't have a Batum or Bowen to hide on defensively this series. He's going to have to guard Hill, who has been on fire in the first series vs Mavs, or Ginobili who'd eat him for lunch, or Jefferson who would have his way in the post.

I'm not optimistic that Nash is going to have a good series.

 

[BC867]

and no bowen to knee him in the balls!

Kick in the nuts. Body check to the scorer's table. Suns suspensions. I can't help but wonder what it's going to be this time.

You can possibly beat the opponent. You can't beat the opponent and the refs. You sure as hell can't beat the opponent, the refs and the commissioner.

Then toss in the anti-Arizona sentiment against the legislation to curb illegal immigration. Which has an addendum to guard against racial profiling.

Our state is doing what the Feds won't. Go after the criminals who smuggle people and drugs into the US, kill a rancher and shoot a deputy Sheriff.

This is a bad time for the Suns. Especially if Lopez is not ready.

 

[Proteus]

He just had 2 days rest before Game 6. Is one more day going to make a huge difference?

I think Nash is going to have another terrible series. He won't have a Batum or Bowen to hide on defensively this series. He's going to have to guard Hill, who has been on fire in the first series vs Mavs, or Ginobili who'd eat him for lunch, or Jefferson who would have his way in the post.

I'm not optimistic that Nash is going to have a good series.

How good a jump shot does Hill have? Cuz if it isn't that good then Nash should give him some space and dare him to shoot it.

 

[AfroSuns]

How good a jump shot does Hill have? Cuz if it isn't that good then Nash should give him some space and dare him to shoot it.

He struggled earlier in their last series but was hot in the last game. i would hope that will be the first thing the Suns should try, he may struggle with those shots again on the road.

 

[TJ]

Kick in the nuts. Body check to the scorer's table. Suns suspensions. I can't help but wonder what it's going to be this time.

You can possibly beat the opponent. You can't beat the opponent and the refs. You sure as hell can't beat the opponent, the refs and the commissioner.

Then toss in the anti-Arizona sentiment against the legislation to curb illegal immigration. Which has an addendum to guard against racial profiling.

Our state is doing what the Feds won't. Go after the criminals who smuggle people and drugs into the US, kill a rancher and shoot a deputy Sheriff.

This is a bad time for the Suns. Especially if Lopez is not ready.

Tim Duncan miraculous 3 pointer??

Ohh wait... that was 2008

 

[Mainstreet]

Nash has playing hurt with the abdomen strain. It's really bad, but he hasn't been talking about it. Hopefully three days rests gets him back to a comfort zone.

Nash is playing injured but he doesn't make a big deal out of it. The Suns may win a game or two against SA but not the series unless Nash at least plays near his standard of play. Nash is clearly hurting. See comments in an azcentral article written by Paul Coro dated April 29th, 2010 after the Portland series clincher.

Phoenix led 24-17 after the first quarter despite the worst turnover quarter of Steve Nash's career. He had six of the Suns' eight first-quarter turnovers and matched his season high of seven before halftime. Nash's hip impingement that he suffered before Game 2 was bothering him again but he hit a shot clock-beating 3-pointer to help clinch the game with 2:34 to go.

"I was really hurting but I didn't want to make my physical problems the center of attention," Nash said. "I just wanted to keep the rhythm."

I keep getting surprised by some fans who think the Suns can win consistently without Nash. I have very high hopes for Dragic but he is not ready to fill Nash's shoes. I am in favor of playing Dragic as much as possible but only Nash knows how to put a team away.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/sun...ix-suns-eliminate-portland-trail-blazers.html

 

[Covert Rain]

Nash is playing injured but he doesn't make a big deal out of it. The Suns may win a game or two against SA but not the series unless Nash at least plays near his standard of play. Nash is clearly hurting. See comments in an azcentral article written by Paul Coro dated April 29th, 2010 after the Portland series clincher.



I keep getting surprised by some fans who think the Suns can win consistently without Nash. I have very high hopes for Dragic but he is not ready to fill Nash's shoes. I am in favor of playing Dragic as much as possible but only Nash knows how to put a team away.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/sun...ix-suns-eliminate-portland-trail-blazers.html

Agree. Nash's injury is going to be big factor. It's more serious then Nash is letting on if the injury occurred during game 2 and it was still a factor in game 6. It has lingered for 4 games and he is obviously not the same Nash. Some of those passes were about the worst I have EVER seen him make. Those turnovers were horrible.

Nash's health might be the biggest X-factor in this series.

 

[elindholm]

Then toss in the anti-Arizona sentiment against the legislation to curb illegal immigration.

OMG, that's why the Suns are going to lose to the Spurs? You just lost whatever tiny shred of credibility you had left.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Actually I think Dragic is going to be the X factor. With Nash already hurting (was reported he sat out practice), Goran is going to get more time and I like to think he will do a MUCH better job of keeping Parker in check. Plus he started to get more fearless as last series wore on.

God do I hope Lopez is able to play. Why do the basketball gods always do this to us?

 

[BC867]

OMG, that'swhy the Suns are going to lose to the Spurs? You just lost whatever tiny shred of credibility you had left.

You don't think the talk about taking the All Star game away from Phoenix is going to add to the mindset that the Suns don't deserve their share of breaks?

'Just as the finesse tag had haunted us for decades.

I'm still waiting for the day when you use arguments (whether factual or opinion) instead of personal attacks to make your point. Tsk, tsk.

 

[Cheesewater]

Good story on Nash's hip injury (not abdomen or back) and some good stuff from Robin Lopez...regardless of what that guy from ESPN said on Gambo and Ash or whatever...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5154457

PHOENIX -- Phoenix playmaker Steve Nash sat out practice on Saturday and will do so again on Sunday to rest his sore right hip.

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Nash

The two-time league MVP said the rest should make him ready for Monday night's Western Conference semifinal opener against the San Antonio Spurs. The team had Friday off, so that would mean three days' rest before he plays again.
"It's getting better," Nash said on Saturday. "I've had two good days, so I'm really fortunate that we don't play until Monday. It will give me a chance to recover a little bit. "
The 36-year-old point guard strained the hip during the shootaround before Game 3 of the Suns' first-round series against Portland. He says the injury bothered him that night, but he felt better in Games 4 and 5. However, he says the injury "was pretty bad" in Phoenix's series clinching 99-90 victory in Portland on Thursday night.
"It was the worst that it's been, so a couple of days here are really good for me," he said.
Coach Alvin Gentry called Nash's problem "a little hip thing" and no big deal.
"If it was a big deal I wouldn't be so calm," Gentry said.
Nash struggled through much of Thursday's game, starting with a career-worst six first-quarter turnovers. He finished with 10 points on 2-of-7 shooting with seven turnovers. But he had two big plays down the stretch, penetrating the lane and passing to Amare Stoudemire for a dunk, then sinking his only 3-point attempt of the night.
Gentry said he saw no reason to put Nash through a practice, deadpanning "I think he has a pretty good idea of what we're trying to do."
"We were going to go pretty hard today. I didn't want him out there doing that," Gentry said. "I gave him the day off. He came down, shot some, got some treatment and he'll do the same tomorrow."
Meanwhile, center Robin Lopez has increased his participation in practice as he works his way back from a back injury (bulging disk). Gentry said he is not going to put any pressure on the 7-footer to return.
"It's going to be totally up to him," Gentry said. "If he feels great and he's ready to go that will be fine. If he's not, we're not putting him out there. I can tell you that right now."
Lopez said he's optimistic he could play at some point in the series, where his size would be an obvious help against Tim Duncan.
"It's up to the leg, it's up to the nerve," Lopez said.
He's not ready to play yet, though.
"If I played today," Lopez joked, "I think Duncan might get that quadruple double he was aiming for a few years' back."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

 

[Mainstreet]

Thanks for posting the above article Cheesewater. The following quote really scares me about Lopez:

Lopez said he's optimistic he could play at some point in the series, where his size would be an obvious help against Tim Duncan.
"It's up to the leg, it's up to the nerve," Lopez said.
He's not ready to play yet, though.
"If I played today," Lopez joked, "I think Duncan might get that quadruple double he was aiming for a few years' back."

These things do not just disappear if Lopez is still having issues. The boldened sentences tells the story. I'm not optimistic that Lopez will play or even contribute in the playoffs.

 

[Tyler]

You don't think the talk about taking the All Star game away from Phoenix is going to add to the mindset that the Suns don't deserve their share of breaks?

'Just as the finesse tag had haunted us for decades.

I'm still waiting for the day when you use arguments (whether factual or opinion) instead of personal attacks to make your point. Tsk, tsk.

As ridiculous as this sounds, we all know how credible the NBA refs are.

I personally doubt this will be an issue, doubt any of the refs will actually care when they are on the court, and I hope there are protesters outside of EVERY game, all they are doing is making fools of themselves.

**** THE SPURS. Time for the Suns to rise!!!!

 

[buttsR4rebounding]

How good a jump shot does Hill have? Cuz if it isn't that good then Nash should give him some space and dare him to shoot it.

He shot 40% from 3pt range during the regular season and 50% during the 1st round.

 

[Durrutix]

Ok, I've been proven a complete and utter fool with Nash's near-miracle game 1. I'm more than happy to take my lumps! Here's hoping he continues the trend

 

[illone]

Nash didn't look old the other night as he was abusing George Hill.