Nash Deserves Second Straight MVP Award

Last season, it was widely believed that Steve Nash won the NBA’s MVP award almost as much for what he didn’t do.  This year, he’s showing that he deserves it for what he is doing.  Remember the buzz last winter when Phoenix went into the tank for eight games while Nash was out with an injury?  It showed the voters just how valuable the Suns point guard was to his team, and the voters chose accordingly.This season, however, is a little different.  The former Santa Clara standout hasn’t missed any games, but another important member of the Suns has missed all 52 going into the All-Star break.  Many experts believed the Suns would struggle with budding superstar Amare Stoudemire, their young scoring stud, out until March after surgery to his left knee. The consensus was that Phoenix needed to stay around .500 and wait for Stoudemire to get back for a late playoff push. A seven or eight seed seemed like a longshot. I guess we all forgot about the 6’3″ four-time NBA All Star  who looks like John Denver but plays like John Stockton (minus all the elbows).

The Suns, though, to the surprise of many, are sitting in second place in the Western Conference at 35-17.  And it’s all because of number 13. With all due respect to Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Allen Iverson and crew, no player is more important to the success of their team than Nash. The race for the award will be just as tight this year as it was last year, but Nash should prevail.  

While Nash’s 19.4 ppg might not be in the same stratosphere as Bryant’s or Iverson’s, no other player in the league averages double-digit assists. Nash averages 11.5 per game.  Those two guys might take three weeks to PASS the ball 11 times. It is true that Nash leads the league in turnovers, but the fact that he handles the ball almost 100 percent of the time contributes to some of those turnovers.  Also, don’t forget the gaudy 92 percent free-throw percentage, up from 88 last year.

But the award shouldn’t be just about stats. Remember, it’s about being the most valuable player to your team, so records should also be  considered. Since Nash rejoined the Suns in July of 2004 (he was originally drafted by Phoenix in 1996), the Suns have been 89-37 (minus the eight missed last year). In 2003-04, they were 29-53. Pretty valuable, I’d say.

Also, look at the cast of characters that surround Nash. In 04-05, he had Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Quentin Richardson and Joe Johnson. This year, he has shared the court with the likes of Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, Eddie House and Nikoloz Tskitishvili (he only plays three minutes, just wanted to try typing that). Only Marion remains as a proven contributor. Yet, the Suns still sit at the top of the Pacific Division, and soon they’ll get Stoudemire back.

Even better, with Nash leading the way and the success of the current lineup, Stoudemire can be eased back into the lineup and be hitting full stride come playoff time.  Take Nash out, the Suns are thinking lottery right now.  

Also, no less an authority than Charles Barkley himself has said that Nash is “hands down” the league MVP. I would say he’s a gentleman who knows what he’s talking about.  

As I said already, the other candidates are all very deserving. Each of those player’s respective camps can pose a valid argument for their guys. Also, there’s a long way to go and a lot can happen between now and April.  But I challenge anyone to be able to say that another player is more deserving than Nash; so please post a comment whether you agree or disagree.

And, regardless of what happens, let’s hope there isn’t any race issue to take away from the voting.