Steve Nash has always had a soft spot for San Antonio in his heart. Well it might be more of a hard spot, since the San Antonio Spurs will forever haunt his nightmares.
In Nash’s prime the Spurs knocked him out of the playoffs three times in four years. Still, Nash is one of the most professional athletes in the NBA today and he recently gave some comments about the Spurs in an interview with Grantland’s Zach Lowe.
Were you rooting for the Spurs, despite all the history there? I mean, they’re older, and you’re one of the league’s elder statesmen, and you’re close with Boris Diaw.
I was rooting for them a little bit. I did find myself wanting Boris to win, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for Pop. He’s an amazing coach, and I was even rooting for him a little, which is strange, considering he beat us so many times. It doesn’t mean I wouldn’t try to tear his head off in an alley if the championship was put on the line.
Do you see some of the D’Antoni Phoenix teams in San Antonio? Pop has acknowledged the influence those teams had on him. Have you ever talked with him about that?
No, I haven’t. But that’s one of the interesting things — here’s a guy people look at as a disciplinarian, almost like a military guy, given his background. But he adapts continuously to his personnel, and to the game. The game is changing. How many post players are there in the league? There’s not that many, and it’s not that effective anymore.
Nash has always respected the way the Spurs handle their business. He will always have a bitter taste in his mouth for the Spurs though since they caused him so much heartbreak over the years. Still a classy professional, Nash respects Coach Pop to the core. Things have come a long way from the fierce rivalry the Suns and Spurs had years ago.
Spurs fans will you always see Steve Nash as a bitter rival? Or is he just a friendly rival these days?
