Better in their primes : Nash or Kidd

[kingfish]

Do tell. ^_^

[La Bomba]

I really wonder how Kid's statistics would of been if he played in a system like the Sun's. Without putting that into consideration I would still take Kidd. He has not been as good of a scorer as Nash, but he's arguably the best rebounding point guard of all time and lightyears better on defense. He's on par with Nash in terms of assists and running an offense.

[EastCoastNiner]

Nash ten times out of ten.

 

J-Kidd is the most over-rated PG there has been in years. Rebounding for a guard is not nearly as important as play-making and shooting, especially when his rebounds are just so his team can start in transition.

 

Kidd is a better defender, but some of Nash's deficiences on defense are because of the system he plays in.

 

However, Nash is LIGHT YEARS ahead in play-making, and he is one of the best pure shooters this league has seen in years. Steve Nash and Ray Allen are up there for the best pure shooters in the past decade.

[Flash]

J-Kidd is the most over-rated PG there has been in years

 

http://i45.tinypic.com/259ai9s.gif

[crabbylion]

Don't be so harsh. Kidd wasn't all that bad...lol. But answering the question I would say that Nash was much better in his prime. His tools and talent applied more to his position. Much quicker than Kidd. Outstanding concentration at the line...and he got there, too! The guy was never afraid of contact. A more deadly shooter from out side, and a slightly better vision for the court. Kidd, while bigger and stronger, always seemed to play with delicacy. Nash didn't care how small he was, if he had to penetrate, he would. Kidd isn't overrated though. You'd still take him with one of your first picks to start a franchise...in his prime, that is.

[Check my Stats]

Well it is extremely hard to argue with 2 MVP's regardless of what system you are playing in.

[Nitro]

J-Kidd is the most over-rated PG there has been in years. Rebounding for a guard is not nearly as important as play-making and shooting, especially when his rebounds are just so his team can start in transition.

 

Rebounding for a PG is EXTREMELY valuable. When your PG is grabbing 7.4 boards per game like Kidd did in 04-05, that's a huge boost to the team. In fact, that season he LED THE NETS IN REBOUNDING! As you mentioned, it is also an awesome tool to have for transition oppertunities, which is one of the major reasons Kidd's Nets made the Finals twice. Even if the fastbreak doesn't earn him a bucket, it still puts a lot of pressure on the defense. I was just watching the 2002 NBA Finals game 3 on Monday and countless times he's grab the board, rush down the floor, and as the defense was finally starting to set he'd hit an open cutter on the baseline or for a 3 pointer. His rebounding opens up offense.

 

Kidd is a better defender, but some of Nash's deficiences on defense are because of the system he plays in.

 

He was also crap defensively with the Mavs as well. In his prime Kidd was absolutely an elite defender. Quick enough to guard explosive PG's, strong enough to guard post-up PG's like Chauncey Billups and Baron Davis.

 

However, Nash is LIGHT YEARS ahead in play-making

 

No...just no. If you are going to say Nash is LIGHT YEARS ahead in playmaking, you have to use the same excuse you used for Nash's defense...the system. If this were the summer of 2004 (summer he signed with Phoenix, was 30 years old), no one would say Nash is light years a better playmaker. In fact, most would say Jason Kidd's the better playmaker. Nash never even averaged 9.0APG on the Mavs. Kidd had Keith Van Horn, Kenyon Martin and Kerry Kittles to pass to during the back-to-back Finals appearances. That was, despite their fastbreaking style, a defense-oriented team. Nash has been on an all-offense team since 2004 with guys like Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Jason Richardson, Joe Johnson and plenty of others to pass to.

 

 

 

Anyway, I'd pick Nash by a VERY small margin. They are about even as passers/playmakers, and while a prime Kidd was a much better defender, Nash is a much better scorer. Kidd simply has always had too many nights and long stretches where no shot he takes will go down. With Nash, if he has any room, it's going in.

[Real Deal]

I'm taking Kidd for the all-around game, and because Nash is a horrible defender (doesn't matter what team he's on).