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Robert b busy taking care of bidness
Nash open to Horry attending his charity basketball game
Canadian Press
As far as Steve Nash is concerned there are no hard feelings toward Robert Horry.
Horry may have sealed the Phoenix Suns' fate when he had a hockey moment with Nash during the NBA playoffs. Even so, Nash won't mind if Horry shows up to play in this summer's Steve Nash Foundation Charity Classic basketball game.
"He is always invited," Nash laughed during a conference call Tuesday to promote the event, scheduled for July 21 in Vancouver. "I have to admit, although he did put me down on the blue-line there, he is a great guy.
"I really like Robert. I've been a few seconds from snapping a few times myself so it wasn't that bad what he did."
The incident still leaves the Victoria native wondering what would have happened if two key members of the Suns had not been suspended for the crucial Game 5 of their playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs.
"I think it's really hard to even judge this year because of the suspensions," said the two-time NBA MVP. "We were kind of stripped of a fair opportunity in many regards."
Phoenix lost the Western Conference semifinal in six games, but the beginning of the end for the Suns came when they were forced to play Game 5 without Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw.
Stoudemire and Diaw were suspended for coming off the bench in the dying seconds of Game 4 when the Spurs' Horry sent Nash crashing into the scorer's table. Horry was given a two-game suspension.
Without Stoudemire, a first-team all-NBA pick, and Diaw, who would have replaced him, in the lineup the Suns lost the next game 88-85 and fell down 3-2 in the series.
"I won't judge our team but I won't take anything away from them (San Antonio)," said Nash. "They played the hand that was dealt to them and they won and they beat us.
"You have to move on."
It was another disappointing end for Nash's dreams of winning an NBA le, but the 33-year-old said he isn't worried the window of opportunity for winning a championship is slowly closing.
"For me the window is the year in front of you and that's it," he said. "We lost our window this year but we have to a new one next year. I don't look at it any further than that.
"For me our window is only next year and we have to do everything we can to win it. I think it's silly to say we have two or three years to do this."
Nash admits he hasn't watched much of the playoffs since the Suns' season ended.
"It's definitely not a high priority," he said. "If I'm around the house I'll turn it on and watch a little bit.
"I'm not going to put everything away to watch the rest of the playoffs."
This will be the second year Nash will ask some of his NBA friends to play a charity game in Vancouver. Money raised goes to child-focused groups in B.C.
Last year's weekend of activities raised about $250,000, with proceeds going to services such as a kitchen that feeds about 200 kids every morning and the Victoria Youth Clinic.
"All the money is going back into the community in B.C." said Nash. "This year we are going to open it up and have some new benefactors.
"We're excited we can do it again and that it did have a such a huge impact on so many great organizations last year."
Besides the game itself, this year's event will feature an invitation only, fundraising poker tournament. Fans can also purchase special tickets that will allow them to participate in a pre-game question-and-answer session with Nash and the other players.
Nash said the NBA doesn't want him to say who may play in the game.
"I have a lot of interest from my teammates this year," he said. "Apparently the league does not want us to mention who is coming and not coming. I guess they've had some issues in the past about that."
For Nash there is more to the event than raising money. He uses a Saturday afternoon jam session to work with kids and try to get across the message of getting involved in their community and world events.
"For me it is about creating a difference in the community," he said. "As big of a deal as creating a difference through raising money is to create a difference through awareness and education.
"If our foundation can heighten awareness in a number of different ways we feel like it's well worth our time and effort."
http://www.globesports.com/servlet/s...529.wsptnash29
Robert b busy taking care of bidness
He's still whining about it?"I think it's really hard to even judge this year because of the suspensions," said the two-time NBA MVP. "We were kind of stripped of a fair opportunity in many regards."
The Spurs won two games with both teams at full strength. The Spurs won another game when they were shorthanded. They choked away another game they should have won.
That series was closer to a sweep than the Suns winning it.
vBookie on whether or not Rob accepts the invitation???
Even so, Nash can look in his own locker room to assess blame for being stripped of that "fair opportunity".
To be fair, the Suns also won two games in that series with both teams at full strength. I do agree though that the better team won. The Suns have improved a lot on their offense and defense since the last playoff meeting in 2005. The Suns still have some work to do as a team to be as consistent throughout a game, and proficient at the end of games. However, it was a hard-fought entertaining series.
still a whining
and has no les
nothings changed
Nash knows what you say is true. You could read it in his face in that post-game interview. Diplomatic and classy as he is though, he will probably blame himself more than anyone else. He really did not show up for many of those games... or he did not rise above the intense D put on him by Bowen. This is something he must ponder over the next few months.
Word up! I hear ya, L.He's still whining about it?
The Spurs won two games with both teams at full strength. The Spurs won another game when they were shorthanded. They choked away another game they should have won.
That series was closer to a sweep than the Suns winning it.
Between Nash's whining after being eliminated and this, I've lost all respect for him. him.
'I've been a few seconds from snapping a few times myself so it wasn't that bad what he did"
Robert didn't "snap". Big Robert set a block and scrawny little Stevie whiner bounced/flopped off Robert's hip like a ragdoll.
Suns are so obviously, perhaps irretrievably, ed in the head by this incident.
Sounds like they had crowned themselves NBA champions and still can't believe they ed it up.
Aren't you overreacting a bit here? He is not a bad guy and very seldom complains and is even paying Horry a compliment in that article. Cut him some slack.
I think Horry should go, would be a nice goodwill gesture. Show everyone the class that we all know you possess.
-Mars
I think the dude is alright. Again, I don't mind posthumous whining. Its irrelevant. Not to mention Nash's has been very humble whining. Lets face it, the dude is not a bad person, the Suns just got under our skin with all the whining going on during the series, so its understandable our fans still hold some grudge.
Do people forget that the Suns were and should have won Game 5???
I bet Horry shows up and hip-checks Nash into the scorer's table again... just for laughs and charity. All while flashing his 7th.
Eh come on timvp, you know it was closer than that. Could have gone either way. Not having Amare for game 5 isn't the ideal situation, and just because they choked away game 5 doesn't mean Amare's absense was irrelevant. It's not fair to say Amare was worth more than 3 or 5 pts or whatever the Spurs won by in game 5 -- but the Suns would have at least been full strength AT HOME. If anything the Suns had a slight advantage that game and in my mind it was basically a toss up with both teams at full strength.He's still whining about it?
The Spurs won two games with both teams at full strength. The Spurs won another game when they were shorthanded. They choked away another game they should have won.
That series was closer to a sweep than the Suns winning it.
Spurs did cholke away Game 4 after all. Its not fair to say they would have won easily Amareless Suns or not.....
If Horry shows up, I bet he lands in the sand trap.
And then kicks it in Nash's face.
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