Honorable Mention
Dropping Dimes (2006)
Over a 31 game stretch in the 2005-06 season, Steve Nash would rack up 10+ assists in 15 of 17 games, cracking the 15-assist mark seven times. Nash topped out with 22 assists in one game, and he wasn’t just getting it done with his passing.
Nash would hit the 20-point total 12 times in that period, although he did so with less efficiency than was typical for him. Nash shot worse than 35% from three six times, and he had 5+ turnovers eight times, which kept the stretch out of the top-five, in addition to the fact that the Suns went just 12-5 in those 17 games, compared to some other stretches where they quite simply didn’t lose at all.
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy what is quite possibly the
worst
greatest music to accompany a highlight reel in NBA history… Add it to the list of accolades I guess:
Nash’s 2005-06 season would still go down as one of his best, as he racked up his second-straight MVP award, but ultimately it was a down year for the Suns, who won eight fewer gamest than they did the year before. Regardless, Phoenix would still finish at first in the NBA in scoring by a margin of nearly seven points per game, finishing fourth in average margin of victory at +5.5
The Comeback Series (2006)
In the 2006 NBA Playoffs, Nash and the Suns would find themselves in a 3-1 hole against the Lakers, but as one might assume from the fact that this is listed in this article, the Suns did not go quietly. Averaging roughly 22 points, 9 assists and 4 rebounds per game, Nash and the Suns rattled off three straight victories to take the series in seven games, and it was certainly a series with Nash’s fingerprints all over it.
Nash’s best two outings saw him average more than 30 points per game, as he had his way against the Lakers. In game two, Nash went for 29 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds, while shooting 58.8% from the field. Then, in game six, Nash dropped 32 points on 9-of-14 shooting, knocking down all 13 of his free throws. After the decisive game seven, which the Suns won in a blowout, former Suns player and TNT Analyst Charles Barkley made a pretty strong statement about the Suns winning, saying it all came down to tempo.
“If you try to run with the Phoenix Suns, you’re going to lose,” Barkley said. “You got no chance.”
Running The Show (2007)
If you want to know what the definition of foreshadowing is, look no further than Steve Nash’s 2006-07 season. The point guard ended the year with 10+ assists in six of his last seven games, and 14+ assists in three of his last four games, so it was no surprise when that production carried over into the postseason.
Nash combined for 70 assists in five games during the Suns first round series, which included a 23-assist outing. In that game, Nash had an assist-to-turnover ratio of 7.7-to-1, and it wasn’t like he ignored his own shot, as he racked up 17 points in 39 minutes.
In 11 total playoff games, Nash would post 15+ assists three times, 13+ assists six times and 10+ assists 10 times, while scoring in double figures in every single game. Nash never combined for fewer than 23 points and assists, and he combined for 30+ points and assists eight times, while shooting 48.7% from three and 89.1% from the line, although the Suns would be bounced in the second round by the San Antonio Spurs, who you’ll read more about later.
Next: #5: The (First) MVP Stretch