Good morning. Let’s basketball.
Good morning. So long, Steve Nash.
That and much more in Monday’s NBA newsletter. SUBSCRIBE!
SO LONG, STEVE NASH: Two-time NBA MVP and mid-aughts NBA lifeblood Steve Nash announced his retirement on Saturday. He’s been broken physically since leaving Phoenix, and it was clear back in training camp he was done. That doesn’t make it any less sad. He was one of the most important players of his generation and a mold for the modern point guard that doesn’t boast superhuman athleticism.
NASHTALGIA: Lee Jenkins on Nash’s overflowing legacy. Marc Stein on Nash finding peace in retirement. Bruce Arthur on the impossibility of Nash’s career. Amin Elhassan on what he learned from Nash. J.A. Adande reminds us that Nash was once a small-school March Madness hero who wasn’t satisfied peaking in college. Matt Schiavenza has a nod to Nash’s political courage in The Atlantic. Other players took to Twitter to comment on Nash’s career. And finally, from October, our Paul Flannery on how Nash changed the NBA.
COME BACK TO US, KEVIN: It’s not clear whether Kevin Durant will play again this season. Zach Lowe on what it all means.
YOUR UPDATED PLAYOFF PICTURES: The bottom of the East shuffled around -- we’re currently looking at the Heat and Hornets getting the last two spots. Most importantly from the LIFE IS A DYSTOPIA angle, the Nets are totally back in the race. Out West, the Thunder have built a nice cushion and the Suns have overtaken the Pelicans as the lead challenger. Meanwhile, the Clippers have caught the Blazers for first-round home court.
BOOGIE! DeMarcus Cousins shouldn’t be able to cross up big guys like this. He is himself a big guy!
HOW SWAY? J.R. Smith bombing an alley-oop to LeBron in a DAY GAME. What did those monsters in Cleveland do to J.R.? Speaking of LeBron, how about a flat-footed super casual 40-footer after a whistle?
RESPECT TO THE 2001 CLIPPERS: Derrick Williams head-bops the backboard on an alley-oop.
MAYBE COURTSIDE ISN’T THE BEST PLACE FOR A TODDLER: Paul Pierce gives Omri Casspi a flagrant shove to the back on a fast break, and Omri (plus a cameraman he takes along for the ride) land on a toddler. The toddler cries. Paul Pierce’s villain streak is sharpened.
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING: Tim Duncan, on the sidelines, dancing.
WELCOME TO YIKESVILLE: Bored with mere triple-doubles, Russell Westbrook tries his hand at shotblocking. Goran Dragic suffers for it.
THE SCHEDULE IS THE PROBLEM: Michael Lee makes a lot of sense talking about the issues with the NBA’s schedule.
INTRIGUING: Mike Prada writes that the Suns showed how to stop James Harden. I have a simpler solution: KAWHI LEONARD.
GOOD JAPE, MATE: Andrew Bogut teases Rudy Gobert with his towel, refuses to share, wins laughs from his teammates.
AND FINALLY: His name’s Ad-Rock and he’s a Total Dad.
Happy Monday. Be safe out there. See you next time.
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