Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash responds to Phil Jackson's comments about him carrying the ball
Lakers' Coach Phil Jackson zinged Phoenix guard Steve Nash on Friday, making claims that Nash carries the ball when he plays.
It's a game Jackson is known for this time of year, spreading propaganda through the media in an effort to sway officiating his way, if he can. He did it before the Lakers faced the Oklahoma City Thunder with star forward Kevin Durant, and was later fined $35,000 for it.
Well, on Saturday, Nash retaliated, sort of.
"I've been in the league for 14 years," he said after practice in Phoenix. "I don't know if I've been called for carrying yet. It's news to me. I've never heard anyone complain about me carrying the ball."
Nash seemed to be getting a kick out of Jackson's comments, knowing he was being drawn into Jackson's game.
"I don't think I've fully made it until I've been drawn into a war of words with Phil," Nash joked. "Everybody knows what he's up to. I think it's fun. I think the fans and the media get a kick out of it."
But then Nash threw a slight zinger back at Jackson when he referred to San Antonio Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich as the NBA's top coach, a title some feel rightly belongs to Jackson.
"The best coach in the league, Gregg Popovich, didn't have a problem with it last week," Nash said, alluding to the Suns' sweep of the Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals.
Did Nash make the underhanded remark intentionally?
"I didn't say anything," he said, smiling. "I didn't say anything."
Nash would later say he won't change how he handles the ball in the upcoming Western Conference finals match-up with the Lakers, which begins Monday.
For his part, Suns Coach Alvin Gentry kept neutral.
"We're not going to get drawn into that. How could we win?" he said. "Nah, it's fun. I have all the respect in the world for (Jackson)."
- Baxter Holmes, Reporting from Phoenix
Steve, start counting, look at Crockovich's hands....4 rings, not bad, take a look at yours, ZERO, now take a look at the hands of the man you get off on by throwing a "zinger"....that would be 10. I hope this series gets physical, it'll be a good warmup for the Lakers in the finals, and go ahead, take a game or two, we need the practice playing physical. A cakewalk would serve no purpose.
The Lakers...."Simply the Best".
Posted by: humanomaly (29 minutes tells it all) | May 15, 2010 at 01:19 PM
Taking a shot at Jackson is bad for business.
Prepare to get eliminated Mr Over-rated Nash.
Posted by: Tim-4-Show | May 15, 2010 at 01:22 PM
Mind games...active!
Health returning...check!
Team returning to full power, captain!
It's gonna be fun! It already is. I just hope Bynum isn't too rusty from all the non-active pracices, but I think getting his knee as right as possible trumps full contact practices.
T-minus 2 days and counting.
Posted by: Jamie Sweet | May 15, 2010 at 01:26 PM
humanomaly (29 minutes):
I like your comparison of LBJ to Golum, in Lord of the Rings. LBJ is indeed obsessed with "My Precious."
Game Face Time! Our team especially Kobe will not take the Suns lightly. I'm sure Phil remind them every days of Cleveland's demised last week.
I hope Bynum is healthy enough to give us a good 15-20 minutes in this series. He was no-show in the last 2 games against the Jazz.
Go Lakers!
Posted by: Wallace | May 15, 2010 at 01:38 PM
1. Nash does carry the ball. Does saying the truth amount to psychological mindgames?
2. If so, let the mindgames begin!
3. Looks like Phil "Tathāgata" Jackson just made a $15,000 investment in the Suns series. {Somewhere out there, in the dark, Darth Stern raises his head to attention.}
4. Don't make Phil Jackson angry. You wouldn't like him when he's angry.
5. I can hardly wait for the series to begin. Bryant may like long layoffs, but it's really hard on my Lakeraholicism.
6. I hope the rest helps Bynum. We're really going to need him to play through the pain against Stoudemire and Howard.
What do we play for? RINGS!!!
Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.
GO LAKERS!!!
Posted by: Jon K. | May 15, 2010 at 01:41 PM
Jon K.....
Isn't Stern the biggest weasel there is?....I mean clicking off 2 $35K fines against Phil for using his 1st Amendment rights. It's as if Stern wants everyone to be his putppet (and we know where the puppetmaster sticks his hand).....It's a shame that no one ever got some dirt on him like they did on "Yes!!!" Marv Albert, who didn't seem to have any issues with employment.People just hate the Lakers because of the glitz and glamour...Phoenix, it has some nice places, and if you don't have anything to do you can sit and watch your trash cans melt during the summer.
Posted by: humanomaly (29 minutes tells it all) | May 15, 2010 at 02:39 PM
phil was misquoted .should be steve nash carries the suns ... all the way to the nba finals !
Posted by: Glen Danzig | May 15, 2010 at 03:21 PM
The NBA just announced Phil Jackson and Steve Nash were each fined $25,000. Jackson for his questioning the officials missing Nash’s traveling and Nash for lying, saying,
“We have the best officials in the world."
Posted by: Fatty | May 15, 2010 at 03:58 PM
Any PG who has a crossover move carries the ball. It would be nice if the NBA would start cracking down on that more.
Posted by: Mark G | May 15, 2010 at 06:06 PM
If Nash "palms" the ball, then at least a dozen other NBA players do the same. Kobe would be the most frequent violator. Nash rarely drives to the basket while Kobe and many others do it all the time. Thus, with Kobe on the sidelines, yes it was not possible for the Lakers to practice this. Phil, are you just getting ready to
take Charles Barkey's job??
Posted by: Wilbur Samson | May 15, 2010 at 09:59 PM