Why Steve Nash's Defense Won't Be a Problem for LA Lakers

It’s no secret that Steve Nash’s lone basketball shortcoming is shoddy defense. Despite winning back-to-back MVP awards in Phoenix, Nash has never stood out as a solid defensive player. Nevertheless, his inability to stay in front of quicker, younger and more agile guards will not be a problem for the Los Angeles Lakers this season.

The most obvious reason why the Lakers will be able to compensate for Nash’s poor defense is their improved interior security.

Dwight Howard is the most athletic NBA center in the game today, and his help defense coupled with his shot-blocking abilities are rivaled by only a handful of players. D12 has ranked in the top five in blocks per game for the past five seasons and won three Defensive Player of the Year awards in that time.

In addition to Howard, who is clearly one of the league’s most established and accomplished defensive threats, the Lakers have Pau Gasol and Jordan Hill solidifying their frontcourt.

In 2010, Gasol ranked eighth in the NBA in blocks per game. In 2011, the Spaniard ranked 14th in the league in blocks per game, and although his numbers dipped a bit last season, Gasol still ranked 21st in the NBA in blocks per game (better than Kevin Garnett and DeMarcus Cousins). Gasol is best known for his offensive skills, but his abilities as a shot-blocker are underrated.

Hill is still a raw basketball talent on both ends of the court, but he averaged more than 1.5 blocks per game in two of his three collegiate seasons at the University of Arizona.

A lack of playing time and a specified role over three NBA seasons led to a drop in those numbers, but in 19 games played (postseason included) with the Lakers following the trade from the Houston Rockets, Hill blocked 14 shots. With more playing time and a specified role in Los Angeles, Hill could thrive and return to the shot-blocking numbers he notched in college.

Hill is a footnote in the interior defense department behind Howard and Gasol, but he’s still a relevant factor for next season.

Another key reason why Nash’s defense could get swept under the rug in Los Angeles next season is the team’s outlook as a tremendous rebounding team.

A season ago, the Phoenix Suns had a defensive rebounding rate of 71.7. That means that just over 71 percent of the time, the Suns capitalized by grabbing defensive rebounds. That number was only better than six other NBA teams.

The Suns were in the bottom third in terms of preventing second-chance opportunities for opponents. Because of this, Nash was forced to play multiple defensive possessions nearly 30 percent of the time. The Suns’ inability to grab defensive rebounds on a consistent basis put more pressure on Nash and the rest of the defense.

For an older player like Nash, who needs to conserve his stamina, this was a killer for Phoenix and one of the reasons it missed the playoffs.

By contrast, Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic ranked second in the NBA last season with a defensive rebounding rate of 75.5 (only the San Antonio Spurs were better). Those are the perks of having the league’s best rebounding threat.

The Los Angeles Lakers weren’t far behind, tied for fifth best in the NBA with a defensive rebounding rate of 74.8.

Considering that the Lakers were a top-five team from a defensive rebounding standpoint without Howard, their numbers with him added to the roster could be downright dominant.

If Nash is forced to play a second defensive possession 25 percent of the time next season, instead of 30 percent of the time he experienced last season in a Suns uniform, it could take a ton of pressure off the Lakers’ new floor general.

Finally, in spite of the fact that Nash isn’t a great perimeter defender, both Kobe Bryant and Metta World Peace (a former Defensive Player of the Year award winner) are.

Bryant and World Peace can take on the most difficult defensive assignments throughout the season and hide Nash with their elite defensive play.

Where Nash’s lack of defense will truly become a problem for the Lakers next season is when they face off against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

More often than not, there will be a weak link Nash can defend against while Bryant and World Peace take on the tougher jobs. If the Thunder play Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Kevin Durant simultaneously, there’s nowhere for Nash to hide.

The matchup against OKC is impossible to ignore, but even if Nash gives up easy baskets on defense, his offensive prowess usually erases those miscues.