Steve Nash’s stint with the Los Angeles Lakers could not have gone much worse. What began as a hopeful late-career chapter quickly unraveled as injuries piled up and his body refused to cooperate. Lakers fans accepted it before Nash did, but once he faced Stephen Curry, the truth hit him in a moment that was both painful and funny.
On a new episode of Mind the Game with LeBron James, Nash opened the show by sharing a story about how guarding Curry helped him realize it was time to walk away from basketball, per Silver Screen and Roll.
“I gotta find out, can I play hurt or what’s the point?” Nash recalled. During a preseason matchup between the Lakers and Warriors, Golden State exploded for a 39 to 13 first quarter that left the two-time MVP questioning his future.
“I’m guarding Steph,” Nash said. “He’s running everywhere. My back is broke. I couldn’t stop him if I was 100 percent. I’m dragging around, and Steve Kerr is putting me in every action. I’m looking over at Steve like, ‘C’mon, Stevie.’ They’re laughing at me.”
After a few days of reflection, Nash reached his conclusion: “Yeah, I think it’s time.”
The Game That Ended It All
That preseason outing against the Warriors became the unofficial end of Nash’s legendary career. He played the full first quarter alongside Kobe Bryant, logging just three points, two rebounds, and an assist as Golden State ran circles around the Lakers.
Lakers coach at the time Byron Scott later shared that Nash told him midgame he could not go on, per ESPN. “We talked a little before the game, and he said he just wasn’t feeling quite right,” Scott said. “After the first quarter he said, ‘Coach, you know what, I’m done.’”
Nash tried to suit up again three days later, but Curry and the Warriors made sure the message stuck. Golden State cruised to a 116 to 75 victory, with Curry scoring 25 points in only 24 minutes. Twelve of those points came in the first two and a half minutes. Nash’s back could not handle the pace, and his pride could not ignore what he saw.
Though Nash did not officially announce his retirement until March 2015, everyone around him knew the decision was coming. That night against Curry simply made it real.
From MVP Heights to Hard Lessons
Nash’s career, spanning 18 seasons, remains one of the greatest stories in modern basketball, per Bleacher Report. An eight-time All-Star and two-time MVP, he led the NBA in assists five times and earned a spot on the league’s 75th Anniversary Team. But after suffering a severe leg injury early in his Lakers tenure, caused by a collision with then-rookie Damian Lillard, his body never fully recovered. Chronic back pain and nerve issues followed, limiting him to just 65 total games in his final two seasons.
Ironically, the player who exposed his limits that night, Stephen Curry, continues to thrive. Eleven years later, the 37-year-old guard still dominates the league, averaging 26.6 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.6 rebounds for the Warriors.
For Nash, the encounter with Curry served as both a humbling and humorous full-circle moment. A legend recognizing another’s rise, and laughing about the night it all came into focus.
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