Steve Nash is ready to get back into the NBA — as a broadcaster
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Like any basketball obsessive, though, Nash sees room for improvement with the product. The NBA's review system for flagrant fouls is the biggest pet peeve of a gutsy floor general who famously played through ailments such as a swollen eye and a twisted nose.
'Sometimes we overdo it with the physical play and reviews,' Nash said. 'I don't want to say it's a little soft, but we overreact to plays and that can end up escalating things [rather than] creating boundaries. [The reviews] almost cause more drama rather than just taking the ball out and keep playing. Sometimes in the playoffs, guys are playing with emotion. We want physicality, we want combativeness, and I want to see guys play a little more rather than going over to the monitor and checking for flagrant fouls, unsportsmanlike fouls and all that stuff every chance we can. [Physical play] comes with the territory. It's part of the trade. Let's not overreact.'
Nash and Nowitzki, who played together in Dallas from 1998 to 2004, have remained close in retirement. While nothing can replicate the rapport of TNT's 'Inside the NBA,' which will continue to appear on ESPN and ABC next season, Nash's wry humor and Nowitzki's lightheartedness should make them a natural pairing in the studio. In Nash's view, chemistry will be at the heart of their success, just as it was a determining factor for his Nets, who never quite came together, and James's Lakers, who traded for Luka Doncic in February and suffered a first-round exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves last week.
'The playoffs are often won with resilience and having common experiences,' Nash said. 'When you go in a dark hole and are down 2-1 in Minnesota and things aren't going well, it's really important that you can look at your teammate and you've been there before together so no words need to be said. Having common experiences isn't something you can cheat.'
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