When Coach Mike D'Antoni, who previously coached Nash during their stint with the Phoenix Suns, has been confronted by the team's poor offense, he has consistently reassured that the return of Steve Nash will take care of the kinks. When Pau Gasol struggled to keep up with D'Antoni's high-octane system - before the Spaniard was sidelined with tendonitis - all he could do was pray for Nash's recovery.
Essentially, any time the Lakers have been cornered with questions about their failures both offensively and defensively, the answer has remained: "Just wait 'til Nash is back."
Who would have thought that a star-studded team including Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, and Gasol would have to cut excuses, much less bestow their championship shoulders of a 39-year-old point guard? Granted, Nash is a two-time MVP, perennial All-Star, and future Hall-of-Famer. His return will definitely help the depleted Lakers, whose home games might as well take place at local Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. But is Nash really the "savior" that the organization has made him out to be?
Nash certainly will not solve the team's defensive woes. According to ESPN's Defensive Efficiency rankings, the Lakers are in the middle of the pack, tied for Washington for 14th. Nash's return might actually add to the Lakers' defensive problems. Help defense will be crucial when agile opposing point guards like Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul blow by the Lakers' front line. Just this week, Nash himself confessed to the Los Angeles Times' T.J. Simers: "I'm not a great defender...Whatever I say, I'm never going to overcome the reputation."
Nash's return could very well return to the team to their desired championship trajectory, albeit indirectly. While the point guard's stats and ability to space the floor may not be sufficient, he will incite a boost of confidence. Howard and Gasol will not only get easier looks at the basket, but they will also have a positive mindset. Bryant will not need to rant about the necessity of "big-boy pants" and lividly admonish his teammates. In the end, Nash's much-anticipated return is mere placebo.