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Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:22 am
by Mr. Sun
“What do you think of (general manager) Steve Kerr’s plan to limit you to 70 games next season?”
Nash gives me that “you’re-not-going-to-get-much-out-of-me smile” and then proceeds to, well, not give me much.
“We’ll see how it goes,” he says. “Those are great intentions, but is it realistic? We’ll see.”
Nash, 34, is receptive to the idea of getting more rest. He played in 81 of 82 games last year and averaged 34.3 minutes per game. To put that in perspective, Dallas point guard Jason Kidd, 35, was the only player older than Nash to log as many minutes.
Nash points out that San Antonio point guard Tony Parker had fresh legs for the playoffs last May in part because he missed three weeks and 13 games of the regular season with an ankle injury.
Of course, Parker is also eight years younger than Nash.
“I feel like you can always use the rest,” Nash says. “If you can get to the postseason well rested, it’s perfect. But you can’t always afford to do that.”
And there’s the rub.
Is Phoenix good enough that it can sit Nash for 12 games?
“I don’t know,” Nash says. “Probably not.”
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/124314
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:27 am
by TXSun
Nash resting this season falls heavely on Dragic and Sean S. 1 of these 2 guys has to blossom early in the season, if not Nash will find himself playing 75+ games and nearly 35 minutes a game. I would love to limit Nash to 30 min a game plus your occasional night off every so often. 70 games + 30 minutes a game would be ideal IMO.
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:30 am
by Suns247
Hopefully this team is good enough that they are on the good end of blow-out games quite often, and the MPG for Nash are not an issue since he can just sit in the second half anyway. That is one of the main problems this team has had recently, blowing big leads, but with our new and improved bench, that shouldn't be a issue. Problem solved!
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:31 am
by rsavaj
As he should be. If we rest him 10 games, we're going to lose ~7 of them.
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:50 am
by TASTIC
I just hope they play him every game on our big road trip
I'm being selfish, but meh, rest him on someone else's time
A lot will rest on how other guys capable of handling the ball go ie Hill, Diaw, Barbosa along with the rookies
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 12:59 pm
by Great
This is an excellent plan by Kerr. He has watched and learned from the last two year when Nash got worn down.
Thank You
Nash needs the rest to be ready for the playoffs.
Barbosa and Hill, do your thing. Rookies help out.
Now they need to get that SG.
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 1:27 pm
by Never Fear 33 Is Here
TASTIC wrote:I just hope they play him every game on our big road trip
Here here
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 1:43 pm
by NYKBaller
sayin resting him for the postseason, what if he gets injured?
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:13 pm
by Great
NYKBaller wrote:sayin resting him for the postseason, what if he gets injured?
You can't control injuries. Like accidents, they happen.
What they can control is minutes.
If he doesn't get injured but plays all those minutes, they know he'll be worn out.
They know this because he's worn out at the end of the last 2 seasons.
If they learn from their mistakes and do something different, maybe they get a different result.
Also, Barbosa and the rookies will be sharper.
At a certain point "it's time to make a new mistake" if nothing else. Try something different...
What?! If they do worse than last year (out in the first rd) it's the lottery.
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:28 pm
by Nash2Stoudemire
rsavaj wrote:As he should be. If we rest him 10 games, we're going to lose ~7 of them.
Exactly.
I would rather see him play 20 '<25 min' games that miss 10 altogether...
We need him on the floor to win games... Just get him out of there as soon as it's over
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:39 pm
by Great
Nash2Stoudemire wrote:rsavaj wrote:As he should be. If we rest him 10 games, we're going to lose ~7 of them.
Exactly.
I would rather see him play 20 '<25 min' games that miss 10 altogether...
We need him on the floor to win games... Just get him out of there as soon as it's over
However it's done his minutes must be managed.
This is really a challenge to Barbosa and the rookies to step up. IMO, they will.
Also, now Kerr must bring someone into training camp who can really make plays at the SG because Barbosa will be in the Vinnie Johnson, 1994 Sam Cassell role.
I can hear that window sliding open just a bit more.
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:48 pm
by ray ray
That's the competitor coming out of Nash. The need to play Steve Nash around 25-28 minutes a game and give him some nights off here and there. Lets not forget that Grant Hill, Matt Barnes and Boris Diaw can play as facilitators in this offense. I can easily see a lineup of Bell, Barnes, Hill, Diaw and STAT that can be effective when Nash is out of the game. Barnes and Hill can play the part of he PG.
Also, I truly believe that those games that they are going to be sitting Nash are going to be games against the Pacers of the world. We should sit him down about 10 games this upcoming season, especially in the second half.
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:52 pm
by KF10
I don't really think they should take Nash out of games for that long period of time...Probably just log in fewer minutes or so...Or at least take him out against bottom feeder teams. That should be at least the mindset of Kerr, I guess?
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 4:02 pm
by HootieRules
He should be skeptical. Kerr's plan of resting Nash went out the window when he signed 2 rookies to back him up. Nash is right, we can't afford to just sit him for 10 games without completely collapsing in the standings.
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 4:09 pm
by lilfishi22
I think it's more about limiting minutes more than limiting games. If you limit enough minutes it will add together and limit games. I'd rather limits than limit games. Nash can play upwards of 35mpg going into the all-star break then about 30-32mpg max after.
I think he has a feeling the Suns aren't good enough to make playoffs without him 12+ games. That is a fair response and I agree. He needs to be in the games but he will have to limit his minutes if he wants to be fresh in the post-season.
I say we go hard until we are a definite for the playoffs, and then use him when we need to change our position for seeding. Nash is going to be 35 this season and as much of an athlete he is, he is still human and can only take so much. Ideally we would have him rested for about 12 games, with about 3-4 of those in the last few games of the season, but if he is needed in a must-win game, then so be it.
The guy is a 2-time MVP and going into his latter years, he deserves some rest and while he is, I hope our young guys can hold down the fort
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:08 pm
by whambamslam
Nash2Stoudemire wrote:rsavaj wrote:As he should be. If we rest him 10 games, we're going to lose ~7 of them.
Exactly.
I would rather see him play 20 '<25 min' games that miss 10 altogether...
We need him on the floor to win games... Just get him out of there as soon as it's over
This is the better idea imo.
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:28 pm
by flanpaw42
it is a good plan and in a perfect world it owuld happen, but what he sees is two unproven rookies. he is correct to be skeptical until proven otherwise.
in war, a plan is perfect until the first shot is fired, then the rest is reaction. this is the same thing. we have a plan, but the moment the season starts it could all go out the door if a) the rooks are not ready, b) nash gets inujred, or c) some other unforeseen thing happens
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:26 pm
by Great
flanpaw42 wrote:it is a good plan and in a perfect world it owuld happen, but what he sees is two unproven rookies. he is correct to be skeptical until proven otherwise.
in war, a plan is perfect until the first shot is fired, then the rest is reaction. this is the same thing. we have a plan, but the moment the season starts it could all go out the door if a) the rooks are not ready, b) nash gets inujred, or c) some other unforeseen thing happens
Mr. Barbosa, your minutes at back up PG are ready.
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:07 pm
by flanpaw42
Great wrote:flanpaw42 wrote:it is a good plan and in a perfect world it owuld happen, but what he sees is two unproven rookies. he is correct to be skeptical until proven otherwise.
in war, a plan is perfect until the first shot is fired, then the rest is reaction. this is the same thing. we have a plan, but the moment the season starts it could all go out the door if a) the rooks are not ready, b) nash gets inujred, or c) some other unforeseen thing happens
Mr. Barbosa, your minutes at back up PG are ready.
he has already been given the backup job and proven not up to the challenge. maybe he gets better, but i doubt it. he is just not naturally a pg
Re: Nash skeptical of Suns
Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 12:05 am
by skEwb
kingsfan10 wrote:I don't really think they should take Nash out of games for that long period of time...Probably just log in fewer minutes or so...Or at least take him out against bottom feeder teams. That should be at least the mindset of Kerr, I guess?
You guessed right. It makes a lot of sense to rest Nash when he is playing bottom feeder teams. I'm sure the rest of the squad can handle these games and Nash can rest.