Nash Equilibrium

"In game theory, the Nash equilibrium is a solution concept of a game involving two or more players, in which no player has anything to gain by changing only his or her own strategy unilaterally. If each player has chosen a strategy and no player can benefit by changing his or her strategy while the other players keep theirs unchanged, then the current set of strategy choices and the corresponding payoffs constitute a Nash equilibrium". (Nash Equilibrium definition, Wikipedia)

Sounds a lot like the 2007/08 Phoenix Suns ! The Suns begin their quest for the title tonight in Seattle (7.30 PM) riding their usual up-tempo style of play trying to outrun, outshoot, outplay, out-everything each opponent until next June.

There's been a lot of discussion about wheather the Suns' style of play will ever be good enough to win in the playoffs when everything gets tougher, games become slower, the Spurs keep posting up Tim Duncan, Referees - even non gambling ones - are allowing more contacts and so on.

I was even discussing lately the irony of the fact that Mike D'Antoni the player was possibly the opposite of D'Antoni the coach. Mike was a great defender, pass first point guard, then I realized the two sides of Mike have something deep in common: they belong to the most intelligent man in the arena. The player and the coach always played in such a way to give his team the best chance to win: same with the Suns. D'Antoni will not try to impose his theories on players, he will ride their abilities, just like he used to do guiding the great Milan team of the 80's to Italian and European glory.

The 2007/08 version will be the best Suns team of the last 10 years and will play the only way they know: at full speed. It's their DNA, it's the way they have been assembled and success will ultimately rely on the thin equilibrium this team has been built on. The Suns are a perfect machine guided on the field by the best quarterback in the League and on the bench by the best possible coach. This Nash-D'Antoni combination is what this equilibrium is built on and everyone else will follow, trying to adjust, trying to find his role and his place and adapt to the ever changing flow of the game. That's also why basketball intelligence is what could eventually lead the Suns to the NBA title and that's also why Grant Hill is such a great addition.

This will never be Amaré's team nor Marion's (and it has nothing to do with their All Stars basketball skills) because the Suns have been built as a group with one inspiring philosophy: follow Mike D'Antoni and Steve Nash's Beautiful Mind. Will it be good to win it all? not sure but it'll be by far the best show you'll ever witness on a basketball court these days and I just plan to enjoy every minute of it.

Go Suns !

PS Don't forget it's Steve Nash Day on The Bright Side of the Sun. Make sure to check the You Tube highlights, Steve's amazing !!!