Steve Nash - Saving the Best for Last
By Gary Adornato
5/18/03
 

Back in the late 60's, the New York Knicks had a brilliant guard named Walt
"Clyde" Frazier.  Frazier was known for several things - his flamboyant fur
coats, his effortless on-court style, his daring steals in open court. in
short, he was about as little like our own Steve Nash as anyone could be.
 
Except for one, very important feature - one aspect of their game that
unites them as great and important players.  Each of them had an extra gear,
a special fire that burned only in the fourth quarter of a game, and most
brightly in the biggest ones.  In this post-season, Steve Nash has taken
that clutch timing to new heights.
 
It's not that he's a bad player the other 36 minutes.  Over the course of
these playoffs, during the first three periods Steve has collected 157
points on 41% from the field, 38%  from 3 point range, and 81% from the free
throw line.  He's handed out 79 assists and grabbed 36 boards in 369
minutes.
 
But now, fast forward to the fourth quarter.  In the first two series, Nash
has played a total of 126 minutes in 11 periods (he's sat out of three
blowout fourths).  Over that time, Nash has scored 76 points, hitting 65%
from the field, 64% from deep, and 96% from the free throw line.  He's
handed out 27 assists, while committing only 4 turnovers.  He's grabbed 11
boards, and run his team flawlessly.
 
Putting those numbers in perspective, let's look at two measurements of a
player's efficiency - points per shot, and assist to turnover ratio.  Points
per shot (or "pps") helps us understand how the player produces on offense,
and the assist to turnover ratio ("a/to") indicates how well the player is
distributing, and caring for the ball.
 
During the first three quarters, Nash has a pps of 1.06 - not bad, not
great.  During the regular seson, Nash had an impressive pps of 1.31. for
reference, around 1.40 usually leads the league.  During fourth quarters?
Nash provides a pps that's off the charts - 2.24.  That's a historic number,
one that I've never found in a 10 game period before.
 
In terms of handling the ball, Nash had 3.11 assists for every turnover
during the regular season.  That is above average - anything over 3 is
considered very good.  He's fallen short of his own mark again in the first
three quarters, with a ratio of 2.6 to 1;  again, average.  Enter the fourth
quarter this post-season, and Nash suddenly puts the ball on a string - 6.8
assists for every turnover, only 4 miscues in 11 games.
 
The Mavericks have had two seven game series against two excellent defensive
teams, and during the first three quarters, Nash's diminished numbers
reflect that opposition.  But Steve Nash has a fourth gear, a special
quality that he shares with another great guard on a championship team. and
when the game is on the line, he becomes a superstar.
 
If you see him hanging out in a floor length fur coat and a fedora after the
San Antonio series, you'll understand.  it's a matter of style.