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Sniffle. Sigh. Sniffle. Sigh. Stare at blinking cursor. Sniffle again.
This is the last game preview of the 2010-2011 season, Suns fans. The last time for a long time that we'll talking about harsh reality. The last time for a long time that all of our prognostications will actually be proven or disproven in a matter of hours.
And possibly the last time we'll see #13 running the point in the Suns uniform, though he says he has no intention to leave, and Sarver needs the ticket sales.
Even if Nash returns next fall as a Suns player, the Modern Nashian Age is over. Steve Nash has finally hit the wall and fallen to his knees on impact. He is no longer an all-star in the West. He can no longer carry a team on his shoulders to the playoffs. The talent amongst Nash's supporting cast in 2010-2011 is not 15 wins worse than 2005-2006 squad that won 54 games and made the Western Conference Finals. It's just that Nash is no longer good enough to carry a team on his shoulders. He can still get 10-15 assists in his sleep, but everything else is a shadow of its former brilliance.
Tonight marks the end of an era. For the first time in 10 years, Nash will not finish the season as the leader of the league's #1 offense (Suns are 9th). And he will not likely hit the vaunted 50/40/90 club, unless he somehow has his best game of the season. The Suns are transition and everyone knows it.
Still, wouldn't it be nice to put a pasting on the league-leading San Antonio Spurs, as a goodbye gift to the Suns players, fans and management?
Come on Suns!
Show us the best of your best, one last time. Give us fans something to chew on over these next lonely, hand-wringing months.
Beat the Spurs!
The Spurs may or may not play their Big Three tonight. They have the #1 seed in the playoffs locked up tight, and the Big Three rested last night against the Lakers in a typical Popovich mind f*ck. The Lakers won the game but got 0 benefit because it was only against the Spurs scrubs.
If Duncan, Parker and Ginobili do not play against the Suns tonight, then Popovich is playing one last mind game with Gentry and Nash. He's trying to take away any joy the Suns might get from a final-game win by not playing his best players. Well I don't care about that. A win a win.
But if the Big Three DO play... ohhh boy... that brings a big smile to my face. If Duncan, Parker and Ginobili play in this completely meaningless game, that means the Spurs are still hurting from getting swept in last season's playoffs. That means they still want to get some measure of closure to that embarassing loss.
I actually HOPE those 3 play tonight. Then whatever the outcome, the Suns have won the battle. The Suns are in their heads. Finally.
And the Modern Nashian Age can end on a high note.
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