Nash for (Purple and) Gold

Money is a major motivator, especially when that number is north of nine and a half million dollars for a year's work. That's a lot of cabbage, even for a vegan like Steve Nash, who intends to collect on his contract. "The reality is, I'm not going to retire because I want the money," he told Grantland, which strangely isn't a site dedicated to Horace and Harvey Grant.

Cash clearly registers with Nash, so he'll play 'til he's emptied the till. Nash has earned $137 mill. over the course of his career - you know, pocket money*. That's a nice nest egg - or a dozen of them (organic and cage-free, of course).

By being an athlete who actually admitted that moolah mattered, Nash deposited a reality check in our memory bank. Is it unreasonable that a man who distributed dimes for 18 years wants all of those owed to him?

Putting the 'pride' in "Celtic pride": Jared Sullivan says in a three-week period beginning in late January he viewed the 1994 Disney film The Lion King 14 times^. For Sullinger, it's the Circle of No Life.

Cut it out, guys: The 76ers rebuilding might make some want to jump off a building. However, suffering twenty straight setbacks doesn't mean all is lost. "This is not slit-your-wrist time," coach Brett Brown, who has been saddled with sending his squad on this season-long suicide mission, insisted. Perhaps, but the knot-the-noose moment is nigh, since the Sixers have shown they can't hang with anyone.

*his closet contains only cargo pants.

^where did he watch the movie? in his den, naturally.

Inter Play

Steve Nash, as always, is going to put his best foot forward, but this time it'll be on the pitch, not the parquet. The prototypical passer, Nash couldn't pass up an invitation to tryout for Inter Milan. The soccer squad is in the states for a week-long, eight-team international tournament and Nash will take the field today in New Jersey, the second-most Italian place in the world.

Futbol fervor is in the family for the MVP, whose papa played professionally. Nash is also a part-owner of the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS (we've heard they grow great grass, but we're not sure our source meant the stadium's)*. Suffice it to say, Nash is going to get a kick out of this experience.

Just 10 days ago, Kobe Bryant toured and received treatment at intracity rival club AC Milan's training facility. Between Nash, Bryant and Gasol, L.A.'s three best players have a better chance of winning a title with the Galaxy - the back-to-back defending champions - than the Lakers. After all, it's better to be the sweeper, than the swept.

*She also reported their supporters' scarves are made strictly from hemp, but Mary Jane's memory is a little hazy.

Pass/Fail

With shoulder and head injuries to Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol, the Lakers, losers of four straight and four games below .500, are in dire need of assistance. Cue Steve Nash, who's always willing to assist. Last night, the Lakers barely being able to assemble a starting five didn't inhibit Nash from becoming the fifth player in the association ever to accumulate 10,000 assists. The historic helper came on a textbook pick and roll to another advanced-in-age athlete, Antwan Jamison, near the close of the second quarter. Jason Kidd is the only active player with more successful shot set-ups than the charitable Canadian and speaking of Kidd, Nash said he'd give the game ball to his own kid, predicting the memento would be dribbled by his toddler (and he didn't mean on), who, to Dick Vitale's excitement, sounds like a literal "diaper dandy."

Nash finished with 10 dimes and 16 points, but the Lakers lost anyway and reside in 11th place, which is trailer park territory for what was supposed to be a gilded, gated community group. We know Nash will pass, but will the Lakers woes?

Allow Themselves to Introduce...Themselves

A trio of intros from the second night of the season, with a nod to Austin Powers, but not to Austin Rivers (1-for-9 shooting):

1. Take a brow bow, Anthony Davis. The first overall pick showed defense isn't the only dimension of his game by dropping 21 points. However, last year's NCAA leader in swatted shots had only one block and couldn't block the path of the tireless Tim Duncan, who recorded a game-high 24 points. To the deft Duncan, the rook was a mere pawn.

2. Before last night, you probably thought Trailblazers guard Damian Lillard was Matthew Lillard's cousin. Lillard, the pride of Weber State* (which is not Chris Webber's alma mater) and the sixth selection in the draft, totaled 22 points and 11 assists in Portland's victory, but he did maybe more damage inadvertently, when Steve Nash ran into the rookie and hurt his left leg. It turns out athlete Lillard has something in common with actor Lillard: he too made people Scream in fear.

3. James Harden has said that heading to Houston a handful of days ago from Oklahoma City was a "whirlwind." How appropriate that he went on to blow by the Pistons like a hirsute hurricane. Harden had a career-high 12 assists to complement 37 points, 6 boards, 4 steals and a block in Houston's win. Only three players in the past quarter-century can show off a similar stat line: Jordan, Bird and Dwyane Wade. Those weren't the only eye-catching numbers attributed to Harden on Wednesday, as he agreed to an $80 million extension. Best of all was the Linterplay between Harden and his backcourt buddy, Jeremy Lin, who produced 12 points, 8 assists and 4 steals. We predict they'll make as many connections as LinkedIn.

*which we wish Emmanuel Lewis would buy and rename Webster State.