LA Lakers: Top 10 NBA Rivals All-Time

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Phoenix Suns

Apr 12, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; A view of the Phoenix Suns logo before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Suns at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Suns 101-98. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Phoenix’s part in the rivalry list is headlined, of course, by the efforts of Steve Nash.

Nash is a future Hall-of-Famer, and was the next generation kind of player that really gave Kobe Bryant and the Lakers a run for their money in the years following the three-peat squad.

The Suns practically owned the Lakers when it came to playoff basketball — and that was the case all the way up until 2010 when the curse appeared to be broken.

Dialing in enough to be able to disrupt the focus of Kobe Bryant is something that Steve Nash probably doesn’t get as much credit as he deserves for.

If anything, basketball is just as much a mental game as it is a physical one.

Nash had the mental part of it down pat, until he was traded eventually to the team he loved to hate.

Next: No. 6