Steve Nash's claim about NBA eras triggers heated response from Jason Whitlock's podcast co-host

Two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash's claim of fans not appreciating this era's style of play elicited a scathing response from a podcaster.

In the second episode of the Mind The Game podcast he does with LeBron James, which dropped earlier this week, Nash shared that fans should better appreciate how the game is played right now because such was not the case back in the day.

He went to say that the game has evolved since the 80s and 90s and that should be celebrated and talked about in a better light.

Steve Nash's claim, however, drew a fiery dissenting take from podcaster Jay Skapinac on Jason Whitlock's Fearless program on Thursday. He hit the 8-time NBA All-Star for what he perceived to be Nash's "put-down" of the style of play from three decades ago just to satisfy James' qualms.

Skapinac said:

“Steve Nash, bro. You should know better… instead of Nash talking up his era… he’s bending the knee and genuflecting, kissing the ring of the fake fraud king, LeBron James to what end, I don't know what it is, Jason.”

Skapinac went on to give his take on the premise that this era of NBA basketball was better to watch. He asserted that there was nothing further from the truth than such a claim, citing how uncontested shots and people not competing on the defensive are no way must-see fare.

LeBron James gives Steve Nash his flowers for helping change the game

On the same Mind The Game episode, LeBron James gave props to Steve Nash for doing his part in helping change the game. He, in particular, cited how the former Phoenix Suns great in his prime gave focus to versatility and skills from raw strength prevalent in the early decades of the NBA.

'The King' highlighted how Nash helped break the traditional thinking that you have to be the consummate "strongman" to play the game by using his speed and basketball IQ to succeed.

"When I came in, and when you came in, everybody was like [having a hulking presence]. It's like who can lift the most weights and who's the strongest. That's the only way you could play, and that's the narrative [back in the day].

"Well, those MFs that look like this, they realize they couldn't keep up with your a**. That's why it changed. You helped change it."

Check out what he had to say below, beginning at 21:51:

In the mid-2000s, on the lead of Steve Nash and guidance of coach Mike D'Antoni, Phoenix had a lot of success with its "7 seconds or less" offense while championing the small ball with power forward Amare Stoudamire playing center and small forward Shawn Marion playing the number four spot.