Steve Nash has regrets about how he could have been a better scorer: “To a fault, I was almost too much of a facilitator”

Steve Nash was the quintessential playmaker in the NBA during the 2000s. He was at the forefront of the superb “Seven Seconds or Less” offense for the Phoenix Suns under Coach Mike D’Antoni . Due to his role as the primary playmaker, Nash became the best point guard in the league, winning two MVPs in the decade.

Aside from his playmaking duties, Nash was also one of the most efficient scorers in the game. He loved taking mid-range jump shots and fast drives into the paint, which he could have done more of. Even Steve admits he could have scored more points rather than forcing himself to keep making plays for others.

“I wasn't smart enough to see that maybe I should have shot 20 times a game. Now we see the point guard a little differently; it is your first point of attack. To a fault, I was almost too much of a facilitator,” Nash said at the Sloan Sports Conference in 2018.

Nash had unreal efficiency on offense

Over his 18-year career, Steve Nash averaged 14.3 points and 8.5 assists per game with impressive shooting splits of 49% from the field, 42.8% from three, and 90.4% from the free-throw line.

The Canadian guard holds the record for the most 50-40-90 club appearances, achieving the feat four times in his career, making his case as one of the best shooters ever . This accomplishment means he shot 50% from the field, 40% from three, and 90% from the free-throw line. His best season came in 2005-06 when he posted 50-40-90 splits while averaging 18.8 points and a league-leading 10.5 assists.

The two-time MVP earned his place atop the point guard mountain by being a fantastic playmaker who can thrive in both transition and set plays, but he also had the threat of scoring when needed.

If Nash had focused more on scoring, he could have easily averaged a 20-10 stat line, and given his complete offensive skill set, it's reasonable to believe he would have maintained his elite efficiency.

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Nash could have had a better legacy with good scoring

While Nash was an efficient scorer, many in the NBA community believe he could have been more aggressive offensively. Although he leaned heavily into playmaking, which was his greatest strength, he demonstrated in the 2005 Playoffs that he could take on the role of a primary scoring option.

In the last three games in the Western Conference Finals between the Suns and Dallas Mavericks, the two-time MVP averaged 40.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 9.7 assists per game. It showed Nash could take over any game if he wanted to.

Had Nash been more assertive as a scorer, his career might have taken a different path. While his MVPs would remain, he could have potentially won a championship by becoming a primary scoring threat. Although we didn’t see that consistently, it doesn’t diminish his place among the greatest point guards in NBA history.

Related: Rasheed Wallace dismisses the comparison between Jason Kidd and Steve Nash: "Nash was a liability on defense"