Point guard Steve Nash came to the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer of 2012 as the team received one of the greatest point guards of the past decade. Today, Nash turns 40 years old.
Nash came over in exchange for four draft picks and was expected to stabilize a position that the Lakers lacked depth in; however, in the second game of the season, he went down with a fracture in his leg and missed significant time. The Santa Clara University product played in just 50 games for the Lakers last season, averaging 12.7 points and 6.7 assists per game. His assists per game was the lowest season total since the 1999-2000 season.
Even with the tough season, Nash came into the 2013-2014 season as the team’s starting point guard and was expected to flourish in head coach Mike D’Antoni’s offense, much like he did with the Phoenix Suns in the mid-2000s. Back then, Nash won consecutive MVP awards and led the Suns to the postseason.
This season, Nash has again dealt with injuries and has not been much of a factor for the Lakers. He just came back Tuesday night in Minnesota and will take things slow as he continues to recover from back issues. In seven games this season, he is averaging 6.7 points and 5.4 assists per game, but those numbers should pick up as his health improves. Nash hit a jumper just 47 seconds into his first game back and looked comfortable running the offense.
Nash has one more season left with the Lakers and if he can remain healthy, then he could become a productive player once again.
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