Simple question begging for a simple answer. I love Nash for his skills, sportsmanship and personality, but Harden does his job more effectively and with more impact to the team's success IMO. Thoughts?
Steve Nash is better for controlling pace and tempo, while James is clearly the better overall player.
Actually it was more Mike D’GOAToni than Nash. D’GOAToni turned a white PG into a two time MVP and turned Jeremy Lin into a household name.
Harden has size and strength, Nash has efficiency. I'll take size and strength. Harden is well-skilled too.
Tim Thomas, Courtney Richardson, Barbosa, Boris Diaw all in there primes. That Suns team was loaded from top to bottom. Harden would average 14 assists a game with that crew
Do I take James Harden his prime or do I take Steve Nash in his prime? Easy choice IMHO . . . I take James Harden any day of the week. Steve Nash is not a player I hold in high regard in terms of NBA history . . .
Nash had a better jumper and free-throw stroke, however, Harden's average degree of difficulty on most of his looks is far higher than Nash's were I'd say. Far more volume for Harden. They are pretty different players, Nash is more of your traditional pg but with a deadly accurate jumper. Ball security I'd go with Nash, but really not by much, especially considering how good Harden's handles are and how he uses them so aggressively to do basically everything he does on the court offensively. I was surprised to see when checking Nash's career numbers that he had several seasons where he flirted with a 4.0 TO avg. A few of those years were under D'Antoni with that high level pace. Nash was quicker, but far smaller. Harden's size is a major advantage. You couldn't throw Nash on a power forward on the block, for instance. Harden is the better defender and rebounder. Harden is just an absolute wizard with the ball on the perimeter. He's super creative, and is as crafty of a player that I have ever seen during all of my time watching basketball. Super high I.Q., he just needs to try to throw 3 less attempted miracle passes per game. I think Nash should probably just up one of those MVP trophies and hand it to James. Harden > Nash
Tim Thomas was a big Knick Reject and head case who could never play in today's league unless he was given the Draymond Green treatment. Courtney Richardson dated Moesha at one time I believe, he just never really did much overall. I might be mistaking Tim for Kurt Thomas....... But then you mistook Quentin Richardson for Courtney... There is another Richardson as well that also played for the Suns.
Nash got the League behind him not once, but TWICE! And he was Canadian semi soccer player. Nash literally just dribbled and shot more than going to the rack which he did too but latter is more Harden's end game and the midrange. Only in recent years Harden took a lot of 3s as well. Harden is the better player IMO but Nash is arguably the better leader and he wasn't the most athletic or strongest guy out there. (physical limitation) Lesser defender, more careful with Turnovers (ratio is better). Different guy with creativity n footwork overall. I think he got the MVP twice because of what he brought to the team, he wasn't the best individual in those years. (What MVP really stands for)
I still think Steve Nash is more perfect to MDA's system, he is one of the best picking the pace not strictly scoring guards from Canada and worldwide. He is the best I have seen with a bunch of Amare, Quentin, Shawn Marion, Diaw, Joe Johnson. The actions and dribbles were perfectly fluid and crisp. He wasn't that good with Nowitzki and Finley but still very good. The best pure passer I have seen next to Stockton, JKidd, Paul, the younger Rondo. Harden comes close now, he still makes too many mistakes, sloppy passes. MJ was a 8 assist per game himself in a much slower half court system. Both Dallas and Phoenix legends. Harden and WB rivalry is boring in comparison, one is aimed at passing and the other just collects Trip Doubles en masse.
Nash is more sneakily athletic and top 50 clutch. We should trade Harden for Nash's shadow and win ships from there
