For a first-time head coach, Steve Nash has found himself with an embarrassment of riches. The Big 3 of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and James Harden is one of the most talented trios ever assembled, and because of that, the expectations for them going forward are astronomical.
Nash and the Nets are already encountering some of the challenges they’ll have to overcome defensively, but those pitfalls on the other end of the court are certainly a trade-off they were willing to make and an area that they can continue to improve upon as the season progresses.
But when it comes to the pure scoring power that each of these players wields, well, that’s not something you can really teach. They are among the lethal scorers of any generation, and Nash himself has witnessed firsthand just how they measure up when it comes to comparing them against some of the all-time greats.
Prior to their game against the Raptors on Friday night, Nash was asked about Kyrie in relation to a player he’s often compared to, Allen Iverson, and though Nash was effusive in his praise for The Answer, he naturally came down on the side of Kyrie as the more complete player.
Steve Nash was asked if Allen Iverson was a fair player comparison for Kyrie Irving. Nash said Kyrie is more skilled and that Iverson was electrifying, a crazy competitor, and one of the all-time greats. Full quote below. pic.twitter.com/YR0TkRNKwg
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) February 5, 2021
It is, after all, a fairly apt comparison. Both are lightning-quick, with devastating ball-handling skills and an ability to finish at the rim among the trees. But, even Iverson himself has admitted that Kyrie might have better handles than he did, despite the fact that A.I. is widely considered to be the owner of one of the most lethal crossovers in the history of the game.
Kyrie’s footwork and his ability to finish with both hands at all sorts of impossible angles off the glass is another area that sets him a notch above just about anybody else. Iverson die-hards, however, will likely never concede that Kyrie might be more skilled, and that’s perfectly understandable. But either way, there’s plenty of similarities between two of the NBA’s greatest showmen.
