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Steve Nash: Top 10 Moments With The Phoenix Suns

By Gerald Bourguet

Nov 7, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Los Angeles Lakers point guard Steve Nash (10) warms up against the Houston Rockets before the game at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 7, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Los Angeles Lakers point guard Steve Nash (10) warms up against the Houston Rockets before the game at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Steve Nash
Nov 7, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Los Angeles Lakers point guard Steve Nash (10) warms up against the Houston Rockets before the game at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports /

7. Redefining The 50-40-90 Club

In the history of NBA basketball, there are a grand total of 11 seasons in which a player shot at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point territory and 90 percent from the free throw line. Of those 11, only Steve Nash and Larry Bird have more than one.

But Nash rules over even Larry Bird in this category with not one, not two, not three, but FOUR of those 11 50-40-90 seasons. And what’s scary is he was 0.1 percent away from making it five.

Starting with the 2005-06 season, Nash made the 50-40-90 club in four of five seasons. In fact, starting with his first season in Phoenix, he was mere percentage points away from making it eight straight seasons:

  • 2004-05:  50.2 FG%, 43.1 3P%, 88.7 FT%
  • 2005-06:  51.2 FG%, 43.9 3P%, 91.2 FT%
  • 2006-07:  53.2 FG%, 45.5 3P%, 89.9 FT%
  • 2007-08:  50.4 FG%, 47.0 3P%, 90.6 FT%
  • 2008-09:  50.3 FG%, 43.9 3P%, 93.3 FT%
  • 2009-10:  50.7 FG%, 42.6 3P%, 93.8 FT%
  • 2010-11:  49.2 FG%, 39.5 3P%, 91.2 FT%
  • 2011-12:  53.2 FG%, 39.0 3P%, 89.4 FT%

In case a lot of numbers make your eyes water, here’s a quick synopsis. In 2004-05, Nash fell 1.3 percent short on his free throws of one 50-40-90 season. In 2006-07, he fell 0.1 percent short on his free throws, which equated to exactly one missed free throw shy of joining the 50-40-90 club. In 2010-11, he was 0.8 percent (FG%) and 0.5 percent (3P%) short and in 2011-12, he was 1.0 percent (3P%) and 0.6 percent (FT%) short.

Taking a look at Nash’s career stats, this future Hall of Famer shot 49.0 percent from the field, 42.8 percent from three-point range and 90.4 percent from the foul line. He was one percent shy in his field goal percentage of being the first lifetime 50-40-90 club member in NBA history! Just another reason to pretend Nash’s down years with the Los Angeles Lakers never happened.

This isn’t an individual moment, but Nash’s excellent efficiency is something we’ve never seen in the NBA before and needed a spot on this list. It’s no wonder that Nash is retiring as the league’s all-time leader in free throw percentage.

Next: No. 6

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