Suns’ Dragic an Able Substitute for Nash

PHOENIX -– Along with a deeper and more energetic bench than the Lakers, the Suns suddenly have a backup point guard who may be allowing Steve Nash to tack on an extra year or two to his career. With the rapid development of Goran Dragic in his second N.B.A. season, the Suns don’t have to merely survive anymore when Nash rests early in the second and fourth quarters.
In their 115-106 Game 4 victory Tuesday night, Nash actually sat for almost nine minutes of the fourth quarter while Dragic, a 24-year-old Slovenian, confounded the Lakers with his aggression and southpaw dribble.
“Dragic playing a pick-and-roll really hurt,” Paul Gasol said after the Suns evened the Western Conference finals at 2-2. “Couldn’t stop it from getting into the lane and then he started driving and kicking, and they made big shots on the kickouts.”
In 17 minutes 45 seconds over all, Dragic had eight assists –- as many as Nash had in 30:15. Dragic also had 8 points and 4 rebounds in what wasn’t even close to being his best fourth quarter of the playoffs. In the conference semifinals against the Spurs, he scored 23 points in the fourth quarter of Game 3.

Dragic struggled as a rookie but said Suns Coach Alvin Gentry assured him he was going to get minutes this season because Nash, at 36, must have his rest. Dragic responded by averaging almost 8 points and 3 assists and playing with aggression not often seen in a foreign-born player not named Ginobili.
Tuesday night, he even rolled on the floor for a loose ball with Kobe Bryant.
“If the ball’s on the ground, I’m going to dive if it’s Kobe or LeBron,” he said.
The 6-foot-4 Dragic was drafted in the second round with the 45th pick over all by the Suns in 2008. As if the Nash era here hasn’t been enough of a playmaking dream, they may now have his successor.
Back in New York, Knicks Coach Mike D’Antoni, who left the Suns in 2008, had to be watching Game 4 and wondering what he ever did to not deserve this.