Unsure About the Nash Rest Plan

by Steve Weinman on Sep 1, 2008 12:00 AM EDT in NBA Comment 9 comments

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Steve Nash is skeptical of the Suns' plan to increase his rest this season. Me too.

The incredible reliance placed on Nash by the Suns to drive their high-octane offense over the last four seasons has certainly put its share of mileage on the 34-year-old point guard. This has lead to questions about whether some of the Suns' difficulties in recent postseasons could have been somewhat alleviated if Nash was a bit more well-rested over the course of the season.

The idea of a fresher Nash for the playoffs is a nice one in principle. However, there is only so much that can be sacrificed in the regular season to meet that end. Steve Kerr's current plan for the 2008-09 season - a 70-game regular season cap for the Nashty one - seems like the sort of move that would cross that line.

For the Suns' sake, here's hoping new coach Terry Porter vetoes this one as it's hard to see it working out all that well.

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The combination of the toughness of the Western Conference and Nash's importance to this Phoenix team make sitting the point guard for double-digit games such a risky proposition.

In 2007-08, the entire Western Conference playoff bracket was separated by seven games, and every team had at least 50 wins, with the Warriors' 48-34 record putting them on the outside looking in. A season later, the West doesn't look to be any less tough, with Suns beat writer Scott Bordow of the East Valley Tribune stating outright that the Spurs, Lakers, Hornets, Jazz and Rockets are all definitively better than the Suns, with the Blazers and Mavericks on a similar level to Phoenix. If the Warriors get healthy or the Nugs or Clippers stay healhty, those three teams have the firepower to at least challenge for a spot as well.

What this means is that the margin for error in the Western Conference remains extremely low. While a more potent postseason Nash might make seeding less important to the Suns, getting him extra rest in the regular season can't come at the cost of possibly risking a playoff berth altogether. The Suns had just seven more wins than ninth-place Golden State a season ago, and that was with Nash playing 81 games. Phoenix isn't necessarily expected to be as good this year even with everybody in the line-up, and the West has only gotten better.

Further, this Suns team is not exactly one that has been built to be successful without Nash on the floor. Bordow cites the Suns' 4-13 record without Nash over the last three seasons, and perhaps equally concerning is how badly their efficiency drops without him on the court. The Suns were 15.5 points worse per 100 possessions offensively without Nash on the court last season and only a point better defensively, creating a difference of 14.5 points per 100 possessions in the wrong direction when Nash was out of the game. While the arrival of rookie point guard Goran Dragic is expected to help alleviate part of the problem here, it isn't likely to take care of all of it, and it remains hard to imagine that the Suns will be able to comfortably afford resting Nash for 12 games.

Perhaps going the more conventional route of getting Nash more in-game rest over the course of the season will be doable for Terry Porter and the Suns. This would still leave the Suns without their main man for stretches at a time, but the stretches wouldn't be all that long, and Nash would be available to help push the team toward the winning cause for as close to 82 games as possible, barring injuries.

The West remains as tough a place as it's ever been, and the Suns no longer enjoy the leeway of being ahead of so much of the rest of the field as they were in past regular seasons. The likelihood is that the purple and orange won't be able to afford anything short of having Steve Nash in uniform as often as possible in the season to come.

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i agree that they can’t rest Nash they have built their entire offense around him.

but i question the statement from the Phoenix beat writer that the “Spurs, Lakers, Hornets, Jazz and Rockets are all definitively better than the Suns”.

a week or two ago it was reported on this website that Phoenix pushed the Spurs in the First-Round last season and the series was much closer than most think.

so in theory the Suns are almost on par with San Antonio, who are another team that can’t ever be ruled out of the Championship race, at least not when they have Tim Duncan as their anchor.

in conclusion, i reckon the Suns can’t be ruled out despite their ageing core players and their struggles in the Postseason. It was only a couple of years ago that they ruled the regular season with multiple winning streaks of considerable length.

the are another very strong team in a very strong conference and a league that is getting stronger…

by patterson.adam on Sep 1, 2008 1:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

so they’re going to rest Nash, Shaq will undoubtedly be out for his usual r&r time, and Steve Kerr thinks the Suns are going to make the playoffs? He’s high and dry. Amare can’t do it all, and he’s always an injury concern with those balky knees. And Barbosa’s just not a floor general.

The only way they can consider doing this is resting Nash against teams like the knicks, nets, thunder…..and thats it. It doesn’t matter if hes not well rested enough by the playoffs if they can’t make them (obviously – as your sentiment suggests). A better solution would be to put him on a workout regimen geared toward endurance and longevity – the suns are well known for having an excellent training staff.

Perhaps less D’Antoni means less fast paced high octane Nash flooring it up and down the court, susceptible to getting to broken ankles from younger point guards with championship rings, and more of a play within the game plan Nash, decreasing his heavy workload.

by Slick on Sep 1, 2008 2:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I’ve always been a fan of dominant PG’s. But when those players get into their mid 30’s and are off the floor for 10-15 a game, you see the drop off.

The C’s by design or accident have players who can pass or make plays when Rondo is off the floor. RR might not be the floor general that Nash, Paul & DWilliams are, but the C’s can get him rest during a game & even survive a game or 2 without him. Not the case with a PG like Nash.

by LuckyNumber07 on Sep 1, 2008 6:16 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The Suns are in a tough spot. Ineffective without Nash but running the risk of overuse. Rondo would have been the perfect option as the backup PG. Extending Nash’s career and keeping
the Suns running for 48 minutes. He would have exploited the other team’s backup PG at both ends of the court. Glad that didn’t happen!

by Greg37 on Sep 1, 2008 6:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn’t read anything into this. It’s not going to happen.

by Who on Sep 1, 2008 7:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The Suns picked up former three-time All ACC’er Sean Singletary in a trade with Houston. He’s a tough kid and might surprise some folks. Obviously he’s no Nash, but he’s one of the fastest coast-to-coast players to ever come out of the ACC and is a supreme pest on defense.

by No Nickname on Sep 1, 2008 9:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I watched Singletary start for 4 years here in Charlottesville, VA and, though he was taken in the second round, believed that he was a steal there. He has quick hands and feet and is a gifted scorer either shooting outside or penetrating to create his own shot. He is a 90% FT shooter. It was hard to guage how good a PG he was because, though he could pass (and his assist total increased in his senior year), he wasn’t surrounded (except for J.R. Reynolds) by teamates who could finish plays by scoring during his 4 years at U.VA. I was hoping that the Celtics would take him in the second round because, though some believe he is a SG in a PG body, I saw him as an underrated player who would get better as a PG once he was surrounded by truly good running mates. The trade for him by the Suns last week might be an indication that they are sincere about resting Nash more often.

by Old Hondo on Sep 1, 2008 10:10 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree with Who. This will not happen.

That the Suns need a reliable backup PG is not news. Problem being, how do you provide a backup to Nash without a noticeable drop off in quality?

There are not a lot of those around now are there? 8)

by billysan on Sep 1, 2008 10:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The Suns have to find someone to replace Nash. He’s only got a few more years left in him. If they don’t, they must completely rethink their style of play and the accompanying roster.

by BleedinGreen417 on Sep 1, 2008 10:51 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs