Phoenix star named MVP of the NBA for second year in a row 'A little uncomfortable to be singled out,' Canadian says May 8, 2006. 06:20 AM DOUG SMITH SPORTS REPORTER AUBURN HILLS, Mich.—The remarkable thing about Steve Nash is that there's very little obviously remarkable about him; he doesn't look like anything special, doesn't act like anything special. He could be an average Joe working in any average industry. But today he is being linked with some of the greatest basketball players ever, up there with Michael and Magic and Larry and Wilt, the one-name-only icons who will go down in history as revoluti- onaries in the game. And he's there because of guys like Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw, Raja Bell and an assortment of other journeymen who flourish simply by association with the 32-year-old Phoenix Suns guard. Thanks to his ability to make others better — Barbosa, Diaw and Bell all enjoyed career years with Nash getting them open shots and easy baskets — Nash was officially named the NBA's most valuable player for the second year in a row yesterday, the ninth time in league history anyone has earned the title in successive seasons. "I have to admit, it's a little bit uncomfortable to be singled out amongst all these great players two years in a row," Nash said in Phoenix. "I have to pinch myself. I couldn't believe it last year and to do it again is even more difficult to understand." Despite losing all-star centre Amare Stoudemire to injury for all but three games of the regular season and with Quentin Richardson and Joe Johnson traded away, necessitating the integration of Bell and Diaw into the lineup, Nash led the Suns to another Pacific Division title and a 54-win regular season. The 6-foot-3 Nash achieved career bests in scoring, 18.8 points per game; rebounding, 4.2 per game; field-goal percentage, 51.2 and free- throw percentage, a league-leading 92.1. He also led the NBA in assists at 10.5 per game and became the fourth player to shoot at least 50 per cent from the field, 40 per cent from three-point range and 90 per cent from the free-throw line, joining Larry Bird, Reggie Miller and Mark Price. In his typical self-effacing manner, the South African-born, Victoria- raised Nash tossed out compliments to others like he distributed passes in the season. "A lot is made about me making my teammates better and I really believe that my teammates make me a lot better, too," he said a press conference to announce his award, news of which first broke almost two weeks ago in the Arizona Republic. "I'm fortunate enough to play with great players. ... I owe a lot to them, a lot to the organization and a lot to the city." The voting was not nearly as close as many had expected. In balloting among 125 writers and broadcasters, Nash got 57 first-place votes and 924 points, far ahead of second-place LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who was first on 16 ballots and had 688 points. Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks finished third, Kobe Bryant of the Lakers fourth and Detroit's Chauncey Billups fifth. Being runner-up really didn't enthuse James. "If you ain't first, I don't believe in second," James said before playing the Detroit Pistons yesterday. "I don't like second." Nash is only the ninth player to win consecutive MVP awards, joining a hall-of-fame list of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Bill Russell, Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tim Duncan and Moses Malone. "Part of me just tries to find the comedy in it," Nash joked. ``It's thrilling, it's comedic and it's unbelievable. I'm extremely honoured to be recognized. I've come a long way and I've enjoyed it." Not for long, though. Nash and the Suns, who completed an impressive comeback from 3-1 down to easily win Game 7 of their first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, open the Western Conference semifinals tonight at home against the Los Angeles Clippers. Additional articles by Doug Smith http://www.prosportsdaily.com/nba/suns/ --

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