The D.A.Y. of the game of the year
Phoenix and Jersey bless us with a classic. Nothing else matters.
I wrote up my whole post. It was all good to go. Then my browser shut down unexpectedly and it’s lost forever. I am pissed. For that reason, I’m not even mentioning the two non-insane 161-157 games. Dwyane Wade had 32-11-9, missed a game winner in the fourth, won in OT. The Kings are struggling on their homecourt too now. Mavs and Pistons was a possible Finals preview. Detroit won in Dallas, with Sheed hitting a bunch of threes. So what. It’s all about one game.
PHOENIX 161 NEW JERSEY 157 3OT
If you weren’t watching this game, I feel sorry for you. You have my deepest sympathies. What a game! Lang and Ben were there, and Lang’s got his game notes. This was a classic for the ages. It was a great game for four quarters, but once Vince fouled out and Nash hit that three to tie with a second left, it morphed into an unforgettable night. Amare fouled out, Raja fouled out. There were other significant parties like Boris Diaw hitting the winning basket by backing down on Jason Kidd who received no double team help, Shawn Marion scoring easily, RJ hitting a big three, and an actual lift from the Nets bench. Forget all that. This was an old school showdown between the two best team leading point guards since Magic. Jason Kidd showed so much heart out there, making impossible plays, highlighted by a three point play against all odds. Steve Nash kept responding with a big shot or perfect pass. They kept going back and forth, refusing to allow their team to give in. It ended when Kidd dribbled the ball off his foot, an ironic ending to one of the greatest PG duels of all-time. The Final numbers for the two of them were phantasmagorical. I actually went to a Thesaurus to find the right word to describe them. Kidd had 38, 14, and 14. Nash had 42 and 13, and cold blooded response after response. WHAT A GAME!
19 Responses to “The D.A.Y. of the game of the year”
Dec.8 at 11:04 am
Keith says:
Stevie Nash keeps playing like this it’s gonna be difficult to deny him a third MVP.
Dec.8 at 12:06 pm
Geoff says:
I was impressed with Kidd, having Carter and Kristic foul out, he still basically carried the team throughout the 2 OT’s. Still, I’ve been watching the NBA for about 15 years and that was one of the most memorable. Too bad TNT had to show the Mavs and Pistons, that was a brutally boring game (by comparison)
Dec.8 at 12:18 pm
Vitor says:
best team leading point guards since magic? somewhere john stockton is spinning in his grave…
Dec.8 at 12:24 pm
namik says:
Saying Steve Nash should get the MVP for a perfomance like this is like saying Kobe should have been MVP just because he scored 81. Stupid.
And if Steve Nash gets another MVP I will lose all respect for the award.
Great game tho, I gotta find it somewhere.
Dec.8 at 12:32 pm
Ryan L. says:
Vitor,
John Stockton is still alive as far as I know. So maybe he’s spinning in his living room.
Dec.8 at 12:35 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
I thought about how I slighted Stockton after I posted that. The Jazz were more his and Malone’s team together though. Nash and Kidd are definitely the leaders of their teams without question.
Dec.8 at 12:44 pm
J says:
Does this mean the atlantic has sunk even lower for the second straight day
Dec.8 at 12:45 pm
albie1kenobi says:
didn’t quite watch the whole game coz i was busy, but from what this writeup, it sounded like that 2004 playoff when nets played against pistons (game 5 i believe) when basically half the rosters fouled out for both teams and brian scalabrine hit like 2-3 threes in the OTs to help nets won that game, in detroit no less. than the nets lost the next 2 and pistons went on the beat the self-destructed lakers for their rings.
Dec.8 at 12:45 pm
Celtic Fan says:
Steve Nash deserves consideration for MVP again.
leading the team in scoring
leading the league in assits by more than 2/game
over 50% FG
over 90% FT
close to 4:1 assist to turnovers.. best stat of the night.
Nash DID NOT lead his team in assits..
Boris Diaw did with 14.
Nash had 13.
Dec.8 at 12:54 pm
Maha10k says:
Game of the year. I went through all the emotions watching this thing. Although I don’t think Nash will win the MVP again, you can’t dismiss a player who gets 20 assists in one and then follows it up with a 42 point, 13 assist game including a three to send the game to overtime. That’s what an MVP does. Go Suns!
Dec.8 at 1:05 pm
Vitor says:
Ryan L. of course i know stockton is still alive…how could he be dead and be the best pg since magic? now, i think you don’t dig sarcasm, do you?
Dec.8 at 1:08 pm
J-Bird says:
Nash has been going crazy the last few games and its been really fun to watch. Anybody who thinks he is undeserving of his MVP’s should just watch this game.
Dec.8 at 1:43 pm
Donn says:
Man that game was crazy!!! That was the basketball version of Rocky, all offense and no defense whatsoever. Was that an NBA game or was that NBA Live the video game?? Anyway, I was rooting hard for one more overtime just so i could see five more minutes of Nash vs. Kidd. This game proves if you don’t have NBA League Pass then you my friend are slacking.
Dec.8 at 3:41 pm
Maha10k says:
Thank you NBA League Pass. Thank you!
Dec.8 at 6:54 pm
Darksaber says:
Seriously, Nash on that regulation ending three was FANTASTIC. The man had no space to spare, Kidd was a microsecond behind him and he jumped off the wrong leg and basically hit a fade away three going from right to left from up top. Holy crap, i need to get this whole game on Pontel, STAT
Dec.8 at 6:57 pm
Darksaber says:
WHAT A GAME INDEED Mr. Rubenstein! i bloody lov.. naah, adore this game
Dec.8 at 8:07 pm
Sunshine says:
Can anyone tell me how or where I can get a hard copy of this game?
I could only follow the game’s NBA boxscore online and watch what highlights ESPN put on their Sports Center.
Dec.8 at 8:09 pm
J R says:
ls;h;alshg;aslhg;ajslg;lhsag;lhsag;lhsfd;lhsf;lhs;lhs;lhf;lhs.
yea i didnt see the game. i think im gonna cut myself.
;lkasfhlsadlsdl;s;lslj;slkj;sjsh;s;lhsd;lkjsdl;sdlsdsfdl;h
Dec.9 at 4:44 am
Izhar Junian says:
Something tells me Nash’s up to something in the play-offs,…