ESPN NBA Conversation

johnwells3rd

PG defense is overrated kids.... What person on the planet not named LeBron James can stay in front of Westbrook, Rose, or Rondo?
342 Days ago

Yash287

This entire article is based on the fact that the Lakers acquired Nash to fulfill a defensive need. That was clearly not the intention. The Lakers have won championships without having a good defensive point guard (Derek Fisher x2). In the most recent playoffs, it was offensive stagnation that got the Lakers knocked out (Mostly b/c Mike Brown doesn't know how to construct an offense).
344 Days ago

drjernazian

I've loved Nash's game his whole career, and I'm a Laker fan. But he's NOT sexy. The guy gets it done. Ive seen Nash grab 18 assists and TWO points. That's why he doesn't make sportscenter. But with a team full of ego's that want the ball, he will fit right in.
345 Days ago

jessie7661

Lakers need at the PG position overwhelms any defensive liabilities, Nash major upgrade for them. http://paulyard20.com/2012/07/08/steve-nash-signs-with-los-angeles-lakers-joins-kobe-bryant.aspx
345 Days ago

StzlPzl

I'm confused. What point guard did Miami defend on its way to the title? Both Rondo and Westbrook ate their lunch and they still managed to beat both Boston and OKC soundly.
345 Days ago

Johnson95135

What an idiotic article. You really think the Lakers brought in Steve Nash to play defense? lmao Yeah that is exactly why the Lakers got him. Just another ESPN hit piece on the Lakers. I love how the Heat got Allen and all you read are articles about how great he is and how great he will do. He does not play defense either? Why not comment on that? The Heat couldnt stop Westbrook either or any star PG. Rondo lit them up. Why not comment on that? This is why fans are leaving ESPN in droves. From their SEC college football bias, to their overhyping of the Heat two seasons ago and now the Clippers. How about just writing about sports and not about your feelings?
345 Days ago

I81OICU812

Nash's inability to play defense is why he's ringless to begin with.......... His other problem is he plays passive without from the ball. (His passive play without the ball and on defense could be why he's held up so long.) Sure he might raise Kobe's shooting percentage, but Nash himself is not getting younger, and the Fakers will be vulnerable to younger teams running a track meet to the other basket. Nash's reluctance to take fouls will also put a lot of burden on the bigs in regard to foul trouble...... An opposing point guard who can almost penetrate at will (Russ Westbrook, Chris Paul, Jeremy Lin, etc.) could spell trouble for this Faker team........ They will need depth at F and C in order to mitigate Nash's defensive liabilities.
346 Days ago

Johnson95135

Sounds like someone has some hurt feelings that the Lakers got Nash.
345 Days ago

vman606

a tip for ya - calling the lakers the "fakers" was popular with the haters back in the MINNEAPOLIS laker days. for God's sake, come up with something new.
346 Days ago

firebobbradley

I need to come Jeru (clean) I cant stand Scoop and his writing style. He's way over rated
346 Days ago

KenzoHifriend

This is a good article, except the whole "sexy" talk. As a Suns fan, I'm bitter at Nash leaving to a rival and getting away with it. But as a Laker hater, I must say it's nice for them to make a move to try to go after a ring for Kobe's last years. But to be honest, Nash in a half court game had his worst year ever as a Phoenix Sun, and that half court game was when Terry Porter was our coach. He was lost. Nash needs an uptempo team to be able to execute what he does for a living. The Lakers are too old and too slow for his style of play. So he's going to have to adjust to the half court game, something he's not good at. And when it comes to his defense, if you thought Russell Westbrook dominated you, Nash gets owned defensively by Russ West and Tony Parker. The Lakers signed a high profile name, some claim to be a top 5 pg, maybe in 2008, but now there's Westbrook, Rose,Deron, CP3, Tony Parker, and Rondo in the game. Don't get me wrong, Nash has talent, and is a great offensive point guard and I'm happy you guys are excited, but for the style of play you guys have, defensive mentality and a half court scheme of things, you were way better off chasing the likes of Kyle Lowry. Big body defender, runs the offense well, oh yah, and one more thing... he's YOUNG.
346 Days ago

Sixnine44

Hey Vman he did not lead the league in assists, Rhodo did! I'm just saying...lol
344 Days ago

gentiga1

So you agree with me that those MVP awards should have gone to Shaq:?
346 Days ago

KenzoHifriend

That whole class talk is a bunch of crap. Don't get me started on that. The guy is using his children as an excuse for leaving an organization that he claimed to love so much and going on with his career to join that organization's biggest rival. Take Ray Allen, he's getting "heat" from the whole league for going to a rival, but nash, since he said he wants to be near his children, gets away with murder. It's a pitiful excuse, and I see right through him. He is an upgrade on teams that run man. At the half court game, I'm sorry, but he'll have his worst career numbers, especially now that he's not the leader of the team and, get this, he's the third or fourth option of the team. He'll avg 10 and 7.
346 Days ago

vman606

oooh someone has bitter beer face! the truth is that nash parting ways with the suns was MUTUAL. the suns are rebuilding and didn't have nash in their plans anyway. why should he retire when he can obviously still play (led the NBA in assists last season)? leaving the suns, who get handsomely compensated, is hardly "murder". and you act like these children he is talking about are fictitious or something. they're REAL! dry your tears, young lady.
346 Days ago

gentiga1

Good points, but, Laker fans know they wouldn't get a top 5 PG in his prime for a handful of Laker draft choices. We know he's not the same guy who won all the MVP's that Shaq deserved (respectfully) and he isn't enough on his own to put the Lakers over Durant/OKC or James/Miami. We're excited because he is such a tremendous upgrade at a position where the Lakers have been so weak they had to eliminate the position in their offensive scheme. Also, he's one of those guys whose presence makes everyone else step up their game. He reminds me of Greg Maddux, classy, disciplined, conditioned, and a guy who will never have to be told he doesn't have it anymore.
346 Days ago

NeumansMom

Ahh, what a stupid article, Obviously Nash Fills a void in the fact he CREATES shots for others. Biggest problem the Lakers had last year? I wasn't not defending the pg, it was getting the ball to the Big men. God, I'm not even an analyst but common. They will (Hopefully) get grant hill to jump aboard to be a great shut-down defender. Get bench depth and let the cards fall into place.
346 Days ago

inglehacker

I remember when all the Laker fans (and commentators) were going crazy saying that in Sessions they finally had a "real point guard". Well, looks like they just had another 2nd-round exit while Fisher was playing serious minutes in the NBA Finals. The hole is still there, and improving on offense (where Kobe will still dominate the ball and take shots away from the bigs) is a lot less of a priority than improving on guard defense (where Kobe has turned from a star to a liability).
346 Days ago

davethewave91

Sessions was the Lakers answer at PG - in the regular season. Perhaps he lacks the intestinal fortitude to play well under intense pressure. Maybe he was suffering through an injury no one knows about. Or possibly, he just needed some playoff experience. Whatever the reason, he was absolutely brutal in the playoffs. Realistically, could the Lakers use better defense at the point? Naturally. But did they win two Championships a couple years ago with a glaring defensive hole at PG? Yes. The key is the Lakers offense which would stagnate for long periods of time will be considerably more consistent and explosive. The goal is to outscore the other team not necessarily hold them under a certain point total. And, oh yeah, let's not forget, the Lakers are one of the leaders in the Dwight Howard "sweepstakes". Landing Howard mitigates much of Nash' weakness while further expanding on his strengths.
346 Days ago

gentiga1

Obviously the Lakers are going for it all in the closing window correlated to Kobe's remaining years. The questions isn't whether ownership recognizes their flaws-- everyone does. The question is whether Brown is the guy to coach them. Ironically, the team seems perfectly built for a guy like Rambis, who builds teams that dive for balls and defend like the 300. Brown may be that guy too, but is he really the best coach the Lakers can find?.
346 Days ago

280dean

scoop your an idiot
346 Days ago

gentiga1

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Unless you can make a case that the Lakers think they have no "holes" and are complacent because of the trade it's just a ridiculous article. Everyone knows the Lakers still have "holes" and Nash isn't perfect. Still, getting Nash with so few trade assets proves again their willingness to get the best players regardless of the onerous cap tax.
346 Days ago

Lakerstud09

Lakers starting lineup, top 5 pg in the league, best sg in the league, top 5 pf, top 2 center (might even get dwight), and then obviously world nutjob is the oddball. The Lakers will meet the Thunder in the WCF and who knows what happens. Where scoop is wrong is that defense wasn't the issue. Nobody is going to stop KD or Westbrook in the LEAGUE. Its about stopping the other guys and PUTTING POINTS ON THE FLIPPIN BOARD. The Lakers offense was atrocious for stretches in almost every game last year if you watched. They would always manage to blow leads because they found no offensive consistency. This offense will NO DOUBT put at least 100 points on the board (more tacos yesss) every game. Kobe is still lethal, but he cant create for himself like he once was able to. With Nash handling the ball, Kobe will get it in his spots everytime, and gasol will flourish from nash as well. Cant wait for the season
346 Days ago

inglehacker

If Kobe is playing with a top-5 pg, top-5 pf, and top-2 center, how the heck could he be the best SG in the league and still lose?
346 Days ago

vman606

new coach, new system, no training camp.
346 Days ago

davethewave91

He hasn't.
346 Days ago

dj2fly4u

im not disagreeing with scoop, but nobody else is stopping the top 5pgs in the league either, name one besides lebron james who is gonna muzzle a pg (fyi also not available), thats why the lakers have 2 bigs and continue to have to work at faster and better defensive rotations as a team steve nash is a very good team defender, even tho his individual defense is pretty much a weakness nash is filling needs for the lakers or makign them stronger in areas where they are good at, expecting one player to fill all the lakers weaknesses in the offseason is very ambitious, but not realistic. Its a good move and sets the lakers up to add some more things to the mix, big or small
346 Days ago