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Steve Nash
Even when he loses, Steve Nash winds up a winner.
Nash, the flashy, gritty point guard for the Phoenix Suns, did not guide his team into the NBA Finals last month, but his courage in playing with a bandaged, stitched-up nose and other injuries against San Antonio in the Western Conference Finals was respected by players on both teams.
Nash, born in Canada, did not win his third consecutive Most Valuable Player Award, losing out in a close vote to his close friend Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks. But Nash displayed sportsmanship, not disappointment, when he told reporters on Nowitzki's big day, "I'm extremely proud of him and happy for him. I think it's really well-deserved because he had a phenomenal year."
The same can be said of Nash, who led the NBA in assists for the third straight season, averaging 11.6 per game, and also scored 18.6 points per game. Nash was the man who made the Suns' electrifying fast break so much fun to watch and led Phoenix to the second best regular-season record in the league.
He's been performing his magic ever since signing as a free agent with the Suns three years ago and turning them from a losing team without much style into a winning one that plays the most exciting style of basketball in the league. "We've really started something with the style of play we have," said Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix's star center. "It's so exciting; we score so quickly. It's going to make the NBA better."
With so many teams in recent years playing a slower, more defensive style, Nash enjoys his role as the fastest gun in the West. "In some ways we are pushing the envelope," said Nash, who excelled in Dallas for six years, where he befriended Nowitzki. "I think it's good for the fans, it's good for the league. The game needs some excitement sometimes, and I think our team plays an exciting style."
That was certainly the case in the playoffs, where Nash led the Suns past Kobe Bryant and the Lakers before losing a tough, physical six-game series to the Spurs of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. It was Parker who collided with Nash, causing the Phoenix star to suffer a deep gash on his nose in Game 3.
Before that bloody-nose game, Nash got a visit from another famous Canadian athlete, Wayne Gretzky, the National Hockey League's all-time leading scorer. "I can't explain how fortunate I've been in my career," Nash said. "My hero when I was growing up, Wayne Gretzky, came to watch me play, and that's something I can't put into words."
Eventually, San Antonio's defensive whiz Bruce Bowen was able to contain Nash in a decisive Game 6. But even after being held to three points in the first half, Nash showed his leadership and skill by hitting 6-of-6 shots in the fourth quarter to make it a close game.
"You can't be Superman every night," Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said of Nash.
On most nights, Steve Nash comes pretty close.
— Bob Herzog
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Steve Nash
(Photo: Matt Slocum/AP Images)
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Star Stats
Name: Steve Nash
Team: Phoenix Suns
Position: point guard
Uniform Number: 13
College: Santa Clara
Age: 33
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 195 pounds
Years in NBA: 11
Notable: MVP of NBA for 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons; second to Dirk Nowitzki in 2006-07
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