We're getting deeper into the season and the pretenders that looked like contenders look like pretenders again and the contenders that looked like pretenders are back to looking like contenders. Of course most basketball journalists are discussing mid-season awards as well as All-Star selections all over the place. Once again Steve Nash's name is either at the top or right next to it in all MVP discussions. Once again though, people seemingly undervalue him and throw out wild accusations like he is only getting the award because he's white. I thought in this post I could provide a little clarity on what I've been lucky enough to see over the course of the last two and a half years.

In an age where the score first point guard has become the standard, players like Nash have been a revelation. It's a thing of beauty to watch a true point guard orchestrate the tempo of a game. Mike D'Antoni has a great system in place but Steve truly is the engine that is the driving force behind it. Players simply have to get out on the break and find an opening and they know that they have a great chance of seeing the ball. Steve has proven this time and time again with teams that he's led leading the league in scoring for five consecutive years.

The thing that truly seperates him from other point guards in the league currently and many on the all-time greats list, is his ability to score. While Nash is an outstanding passer, he has a knack for knowing when to pick up the scoring slack. To see a point guard shoot for over 50% from the floor, 40% from the three point line and 90% from the free throw line, is simply amazing. He kills other teams with the long range game, the mid-range game, floaters, left and right handed layups and a variety of other moves. He's currently at 20 points per game but he could easily average 25 if he wanted.

So when people complain that other players are better choices for the MVP award, remember that we are seeing one of the all-time best point guards leading one of the all-time best offenses. Detractors can point to the fact that he doesn't play defense, which is more due to a lack of lateral quickness than effort. He's outstanding in so many other areas and every great player had a flaw. People who point to race are simply grasping at straws. Watch him play for just a couple of consecutive games and tell me Steve Nash doesn't play the game the right way.