Nash also had those no name players as well at the time since they weren't proven commodities then in Bell, Diaw, House, Jones for majority of the season. Lakers did have Lamar Odom so he cancels out Shawn Marion. And remember this was the year Amare was practically out the whole year. Joe Johnson was traded and the Suns lost QRich as well. But the Suns' record was still 54-28.
oh please. The suns already had a system that fit all the players' style. Tim Thomas, Raja Bell, Eddie House, James Jones were great shooters that fit well into D'antoni's system. Diaw blossomed surprisingly at Stoudemire's spot but you cannot say that Odom and Marion cancel out each other. that's a little outrageous to say if you actually followed the Lakers. I followed the Lakers all season long that year and Odom was one inconsistent dude all throughout the season. One night he'll be a double-double guy, the next night he does a vanishing act. Marion was still The Matrix that time. Still a legit all-star. No contest there. And the rest of the Phoenix bunch were pieces that fit right where they should be. Barbosa was also there when he was still the Brazilian blur. Tim Thomas was a stretch four and it was that time when he became such a big douche with his "you can't see me" antic whenever he made a 3point shot.
As for the Lakers, new system (back to the triangle for Kobe, new for most other Lakers), LEGIT scrub players (Smush, Kwame, Mihm, Brian Cook, Medvedenko, Laron Profit, Devean George, Luke Walton),Kwame Brown, Kwame Brown, Kwame Brown.
Seriously, watch Kwame Brown as a Lakers player. this is my take on that year for the Lakers. They had it tough and I didn't even imagine them to make it to the playoffs and when they did, I quickly dismissed them as a sure sweep team. Kobe was robbed and I think the MVP award he actually won was to make up for the season he was robbed of that award. and yes, I didn't think he deserved the MVP when he won it. But for the 2005-2006 season, he was and should have been the MVP