Nash’s playoff reputation is often reduced to the fact that Phoenix never reached the Finals, but his individual performance gives very little evidence of a postseason decline. From 2005-07 he actually became a more aggressive scorer averaging 21.2 points and 11.3 assists on 60.2% TS (+6.4 rTS) across Phoenix’s 46 playoff games (third most in this time period) while continuing to orchestrate an historically efficient offense

TuqiDuque12 | Pistons

50 | 5 hours ago

People rewriting history like he wasn’t close to deserving those MVP and like him and Dantoni were losers make me so mad.

They revolutionized NBA offense, Nash was a also a big time playoff riser, and they got super unlucky from an injury standpoint in 2005 and 2006 (not gonna talk about 2007 again, because even without the suspensions that series was up in the air).

But nowadays people like guys like Iverson or Kidd were even close to Nash because they made the finals while facing 0 good teams and while “carrying” team to the 15th best offense in the league

WhatTheHali24 | Pacers

-15 | 2 hours ago

They got taken to 7 by Kobe, Smush Parker, and Kwame Brown and were constantly cooked by the Spurs. They didn’t rewrite anything.

Great_Standard3441

14 | an hour ago

So Lamar Odom, the guy who averaged 19/11/5 in that series, actually wasn’t on the Lakers?

willpenney

43 | 5 hours ago

Idk. I think it’s better when a guy averages a whole lot of points and his teams offense is, like, fine.

Jk, yeah, it’s probably like a top 5 offensive peak.

Tungsten_Hoarder

30 | 5 hours ago

He has 2 mvps, and everyone with a brain has always defended them if someone says Shaq should’ve won

He’s correctly rated

Clear_Measurement502

12 | 5 hours ago

The amount of people who thought Kobe should have won in 06 is far more than Shaq supporters, especially in this sub.

Testadizzy95

15 | 5 hours ago

Yep, Shaq supporter is usually just himself lol

BiscottiShoddy9123

-3 | 5 hours ago

Well Westbrook got one with a low seed with a clearly manufactured version of the triple double so they have an argument.

guidethyhandd | Timberwolves

1 | an hour ago

The Shaq shit is so funny considering he did not have a better season than Kobe yet alone Nash

danfosterwild

14 | 5 hours ago

the man ran the fastest offense in the league for years and people still only remember the ring count, 7sol suns were must watch every night

Gamesgtd | Magic

10 | 5 hours ago

Yeah Steve Nash is good. He’s a top 20 offensive player of all time and that’s probably being conservative if we are being honest.

LordBaneoftheSith

10 | 5 hours ago

I don’t know how there’s an argument to knock him out of the top 10

Gamesgtd | Magic

2 | 4 hours ago

People always find a way

grudgepacker | Bucks

1 | 4 hours ago

It’s also largely do to ring culture - had Nash carried Phoenix to a chip, half the threads about him wouldn’t exist to begin with

Gamesgtd | Magic

1 | 4 hours ago

The amount of people who believe that Shaq was better in 05 and stole an MVP from him is baffling.

richmond33 | Celtics

4 | 5 hours ago

Also one of the most fun to watch players of all time imo. His PnRs with Amare were pure art. Basketball couldnt get much better than that.

RussellHustle | Raptors

1 | 12 minutes ago

If Horry doesn’t hip check him, he wins a ring and fmvp and is in every greatest point guard ever convo for the rest of history

Electronic_Dig_2685

4 | 5 hours ago

Nash had one of best runs for a point guard up to that point. Too bad they didn’t preach defense on that team or commit to enough to make them a championship team or have all of the pieces they needed to beat the bigger more physical teams.
Also hard to argue against a dynasty team like the lakers or San Antonio

Gamesgtd | Magic

5 | 4 hours ago

That’s another myth. Those Suns teams played defense relative to the talent they had. Truth is outside of Marion and later on Raja Bell, the team just didn’t have the talent on that end. But they all tried. Go back and watch game 1 of the Clippers vs Suns series in 06 and you will see legit defensive coaching from Mike D’Antoni. The Suns were starting 6’8 Boris Diaw at center and still found a way to defend against a much bigger Clippers team. Now they couldn’t stop Elton Brand but they tried to give deny him the ball because they recognized that the Clippers were starting 2 non shooters in their lineup.

tomdawg0022 | Timberwolves

3 | an hour ago

The Suns defensive rating under D’Antoni was 17, 16, 13, 16 - they were mid defensively but they did play with some effort. Their biggest weakness was rebounding - they pretty much got beat badly on the boards more often than not.

The Suns tried to address that twice but Kurt Thomas and Shaq weren’t designed for 7SOL basketball.

Gamesgtd | Magic

1 | an hour ago

Kurt Thomas was fine offensively. But his defense was medicore

LetsGetLunch | Warriors

1 | 4 hours ago

the dynasty warriors feel like they were the logical evolution of the 7 seconds or less suns (still centered around a transcendent offensive creator/three point shot-maker, but they surrounded him with a much better defense than what nash had in phoenix)

Electronic_Dig_2685

3 | 4 hours ago

And Kerr was in phoenix for that regime as well

Unable-Main4172

2 | 5 hours ago

Who was the highest before 2000?

CodymartinSimp [OP]

2 | 5 hours ago

Idk I only looked at from since 2000 but if I had to guess it’d either be the showtime Lakers or this stretch from the Suns

LiteratureHuge2177 | PHI

2 | an hour ago

wayyy better than stockton

stridered | Suns

1 | 4 hours ago

He made everyone look like they can score efficiently and got them paid everywhere except in Phoenix.

SportsNMore1453

1 | an hour ago

His defense was absolute trash and probably the worst of any top 40 all-time player. But his offense is top 10 all-time for sure.

The only other player I can think of that has close to as bad defense that makes top 40 all-time list was Harden. Harden was 100% just lack of effort.

_TheEndGame | Lakers

1 | 8 minutes ago

Sadly this didn’t lead to a championship

PaintingLegal7672

0 | 5 hours ago

Imagine if him and Kobe teamed up back then instead of waiting until they were washed

RascalKneeCawf | Lakers

-19 | 5 hours ago

Steve Nash is a born loser and literally one of the worst defenders of all time. He became a media darling for those starving for a white star. Put point guards that he is rated over such as Jason Kidd or Chris Paul on those teams and they win a title.

From 2005-2007 Steve Nash averaged 21.2 PPG and 11.3 APG on +6.4 rTS%, leading Phoenix to a +7.18 rORtg the best three year stretch of relative playoff offense since 2000