One Final Game: Steve Nash
Date: March 25, 2013
Steve Nash was an absolute wizard with the basketball, manipulating defenses and using some combination of The Force and “wingardium leviosa” to place the basketball exactly where his teammates needed it to score. When he called his own number he was one of the best shooters in the league, and honestly in the history of the league as well.
Nash defined an era for the Phoenix Suns, but in the twilight of his career he wanted a shot at what Phoenix never brought him: a championship. He joined the Los Angeles Lakers, hoping to join forces with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard to win a title.
Instead injuries and bad chemistry plagued the team, and Nash in particular struggled to stay on the court. He played in just 65 games across two seasons before chronic back issues forced him to retire. Nash has done quite well for himself since, making a career as a broadcaster for soccer before becoming the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets.
His final season was a tough one for Nash, and mostly lacking in standout performances. He was able to string a few together in his first season with the Lakers, and the penultimate season of his career. That included one night in late March when he scored 21 points, caught nine rebounds and dished out seven assists against the Golden State Warriors. He looked something akin to the Steve Nash of old, for one final game.