Jason Kidd and Steve Nash will officially be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday. The two dominated the NBA for years and will go down as two of the best point guards in history. But how would the two compete in a potential one-on-one game during their peaks?
The two squared off in some epic battles over the years, but a one-on-one matchup would be entirely different. It's fun to imagine these two basketball wizards squaring off against each other at a park in Phoenix or Dallas, where both players spent portions of their careers.
There are a few specific areas that would play a part in a one-on-one contest. Here's how each Hall of Fame point guard stacks up in those specific categories.
Build/Physique
The game would undoubtedly be close. The two have similar builds so there wouldn't be a huge physical advantage for either. Prime Kidd was about an inch taller and 10 pounds heavier. He would definitely have a slight physical edge over Nash, but it's unclear how much he could use this to his advantage. Kidd always had a decent post game for a point guard.
That being said, Kidd's physical advantages wouldn't be enough to allow him to completely dominate Nash. It could certainly give him an edge, though.
Throughout his career, Kidd was the better rebounder. He always had a knack for tracking down the ball, even among the trees. This could hurt Nash's chance in a one-on-one matchup with the added physicality on top of things. Rebounding can swing a one-on-one game towards one side. Kidd gets the clear edge in this category.
Dribbling
This one is so tough to decide between two all-time point guards. Nash and Kidd alike dribbled the ball like it was on a string and could manipulate defenses almost at will with their dribble moves. There was no stripping Nash or Kidd when the ball was in their possession.
Kidd was always great with the ball, but a slight edge goes to Nash in this category. The one thing that comes to mind with Nash was his ability to keep his dribble alive no matter what. When other guards would get in the teeth of the defense and panic by picking up their dribble, Nash always seemed to wriggle his way out of trouble without picking up the ball.
In one-on-one, picking up your dribble is a death sentence. It allows your defender to suffocate you because your only option left is to shoot. The ability to maintain his dribble is enough to grant Nash the significant edge in this category
Defense
This category isn't much of a contest. Kidd was named to an All-Defensive team nine times. Conversely, Nash has no such accolades to his name. At his peak, Kidd was one of the best perimeter defenders in the league and his pesky nature could frustrate any ballhandler. On the other hand, Nash was a capable defender at his peak, but he was never the lockdown defender Kidd came to be known for.
As is expected, both point guards were extremely crafty. But even the best defenders would have a hard time stopping Nash. Even though Kidd wins this category handily, it may not outweigh one other major category.
Scoring
The biggest advantage in this matchup would be Nash's shooting. At his peak, Kidd was a dangerous threat to score, but Nash was one of the most gifted shooters and scorers of his generation. Both players knew how to make their teammates better. Kidd's best trait was his ability to run an offense effectively, while Nash's best trait was his underutilized shooting.
In fact, Nash's former coach, Mike D'Antoni, wishes he forced Nash to shoot more in retrospect. Nash always tried to keep his teammates involved, but he probably passed too much. Even Nash admits that he should have been taking 20 or more shots per game.
Nash was lethal from the outside. During his 10-year tenure in Phoenix, Nash shot a ridiculous 43.5 percent from 3-point range. Kidd's career 34.9 percent from 3 pales in comparison. Kidd's defense could frustrate Nash at times, but it's tremendously difficult to stop someone like Nash in a one-on-one situation. Without any help defense, Nash's scoring would outshine any attempts by Kidd to frustrate the two-time MVP.
Of course, Kidd put up 18.7 points per game at one point in his career, but he never had the complete arsenal of shots that Nash had in his game. Nash could finish around the rim in a handful of creative and jaw-dropping ways. And if the defender ceded any ground to try and cheat towards the drive, Nash could step out behind the arc and bury 3s at a remarkable rate.
Nash gets the overwhelming advantage in this category, which ultimately is the deciding factor in a one-on-one matchup between the two. Although a one-on-one matchup between these Hall of Fame point guards would certainly be close, Nash's ability to score from anywhere — and do it efficiently — gives him the edge.
The slight advantage in physical build and even a sizable advantage defensively wouldn't be enough for Kidd to overcome Nash. Even the best defenders in the league have trouble covering good scorers in isolation situations. Without any help whatsoever, Nash's scoring trumps Kidd's defensive prowess.
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