Steve Nash has upped the ante for the second time in as many weeks, asserting to ESPN.com that his back is “the best it’s felt in a decade.” Last week, he made it clear that he’s ready to move on from the Phoenix Suns this summer when free agency comes his way if they don’t bring in adequate reinforcements for the twilight years of his NBA career. It’s a good time for Nash, who leads the NBA with 11.3 assists per game, to hog the spotlight for a change. The chances that he misses the playoffs for the second straight season and third time in four years are significant. The Suns are hovering just outside the last spot in the West with a closing schedule that features only two games against likely non-playoff teams.
Because he has carried Phoenix, Nash won’t face the kind of derision that has hounded Dwight Howard. Also unlike Howard, Nash is clear about where he stands, and he seems ever more likely to do what Howard didn’t: pack his bags and leave.
– Craig Stouffer
