by The X on Tue Jan 09, 2007 1:38 pm
I've seen both play in their primes. I love both players, but let's be honest, here's how it goes.
Comparison:
Offense: Tie. Stockton could turn it on when he wanted to, he just always deferred to others, except when Jazz needed him to step up. Nash has been the same, until recently when he's played in uptempo offense. Jazz were a halfcourt offense.
Passing: Stockton wins this one narrowly. Nash is a brilliant passer, but Stockton could thread a needle & got the ball to exactly the right player at the right time so they could succeed.
Defense: Stockton wins this by a landslide. No contest.
Clutch: Stockton wins this comfortably, although Nash is starting to get better. Stockton use to carry the Jazz regularly as we all know the Mailman was a choker. From memory, I think he was the big reason they got over the hump & made the Finals those 2 years, it was his clutch play.
Toughness: Stockton wins this comfortably.
Flashiness: Nash wins this easily.
Making teammates better: Tie. Stockton made Malone a lot better than he probably was. Without Stockton, Malone's career wouldn't have been as good I don't think. Stockton also made careers out of players like Shandon Anderson and Byron Russell. Nash has done the same out of players like Raja Bell, Boris Diaw and others.
Overall: Stockton wins. Not a landslide, but a sure-handed win. Offensively, they're probably on par, with each having slight advantage. But the difference has to be in clutch, defense & toughness. Until Nash can show that he can be clutch & get his team to the Finals & step up time & time again (which I think I can do all on counts), it's not fair to compare them. Compare them again in 3 or 4 years time for a real comparison.
You also should factor in the teams that each player had. Stockton had Malone, Ostertag, Hornacek, Byron Russell, Austin Carr, Eisley, Shandon Anderson. Nash has Amare Stoudemire, Marion, Barbosa, Diaw, Bell, Jalen Rose.
This is all coming from someone who loves Nash & was glad he won 2 straight MVP's (although I think Dirk should've won last year), & think based on season so far, he should win it all again.
Go Nash!!!