In the 2017 NBA Finals, the Golden State Warriors perfectly interpreted the winning philosophy of modern basketball with a stormy offense, and the dominance they showed was breathtaking. On championship night, while the Warriors coach was frantically celebrating with champagne in the locker room, Steve Nash, the former pioneer of the run, the current team development consultant, secretly kissed the long-lost championship trophy in the corner. This scene has struck the tears of countless fans, and this issue will take you back to the sparking running and bombing team of those years - Phoenix Suns.
In the summer of 2004, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban made a lifelong decision by refusing to renew his contract with Steve Nash and allowing him to return to the Phoenix Suns, eventually Nash returning to where the dream began and setting off an orange whirlwind of quick play that swept the league.
In the 2004–05 season, the Suns went from a 29-win underdog to a 62-win favourite. What is even more exciting is that their free-spirited and pleasing style of play injected new vitality into the NBA, which was mainly based on the attack of the half-court position at that time.
Mike D'Antoni, then head coach of the Suns, took the side of the sword, pushing Amare Stoudemire, who was physically energetic but less than 2.10 meters tall, into the center position; In his early 2 meters, Sean Marion, who had an amazing bouncing arm span, was placed in the big forward position. Abandoning the traditional interior height and speeding up at full speed, Nash's amazing passing, combined with the two wings of marksmen Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson, the Suns' fast attack, blocking, empty cut, three-point no-go disadvantage.
Nash, who returned to the Suns, reached the peak of his career and was elected regular season MVP for two consecutive years. Under the command of the master passer, the Suns became the most watched team in the league at that time, and the record has always been among the best. Role players such as Boris Dior, Raja Bell and Leandro Barbosa have also been fully stimulated.
However, due to injuries, court conflicts and the limitations of running and bombing tactics, the Sun was never able to break through the spell of the Western Conference Finals, and repeatedly fell at the feet of the San Antonio Spurs, who were as steady as Tarzan. When they finally took revenge on the Spurs in the 2010 Western Conference Semifinals, it was already heroic twilight, and things were not human. Although the gorgeous and dazzling Suns never won a championship, those smart and flowing passes, the sharp dunks, and the three-pointer of 100 steps through The Yang have become the most unforgettable memories in the hearts of a generation of fans.