Steve Nash has been ruled out by the L.A. Lakers this season. (GETTY IMAGES)

Steve Nash has been ruled out this season by the Los Angeles Lakers, and his basketball career is likely over.

Because of a recurring nerve damage in his back, the 40-year-old point guard may have to call it quits. Nash’s career spanned 19 seasons in the NBA. He was named MVP twice and made the All-Star game eight times. He ranks third all-time in assists (10,335) behind only John Stockton (15,806) and Jason Kidd (12,091).

The only box unchecked on Nash’s basketball resume is a championship. He never got to play in the NBA Finals, one of only six NBA MVPs who do not have a championship ring. The other five are Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Allen Iverson, Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant.

Canada’s best-known basketball export will go down in history as one of the best point guards to play the game of basketball. However, to say Nash was the best to play the position would be a slap in the face to the legends who played before him.

OneManFastBreak ranks the 10 best point guards in basketball history:

10-STEVE NASH — Nash is the only two-time MVP winner not to reach The Finals. He captured his first regular season MVP in 2005, leading the Suns to the NBA’s best record, but the San Antonio Spurs bounced Nash and a loaded Suns squad that also featured Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, and Joe Johnson in the Western Conference finals. Then in 2006 Nash won his second MVP award but was eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks led by his buddy Dirk Nowitzki, who removed himself from the ringless fraternity in 2011. Voters made a huge mistake by giving Nash the MVP in 2006. Nash didn’t deserve to win it over Kobe Bryant, who had one of the best statistical seasons and delivered the signature moment of the year when he scored 81 points against Toronto. Nash is hoping for one last hurrah with the Lakers, but time is not on his side.

9-GARY PAYTON — The brash player known around the basketball world as “The Glove” was one of the best two-way players who’ll ever find. At 6-4, Payton is a big guard who used his size and quickness to pester opponents. Payton was the head of the snake of Seattle’s vaunted fullcourt-pressing, halfcourt-trapping defense that powered the Sonics to the 1996 NBA Finals. Payton’s career took off when head coach George Karl unleashed him in his frenetic system. Payton was also a notorious trash talker. When The Glove smelled blood in the water, he pounced like a piranha. He is the only point guard in league history to win Defensive Player of the Year. He was named to the NBA’s first-team all-defense team nine times and ranks fourth all-time in steals with 2,445. He reached the NBA Finals twice, winning it all with the Miami Heat in 2006.

8-JASON KIDD — Ever since bursting onto the scene as a high school phenom from Oakland, Calif., Jason Kidd has been a winner all of his career. He won a state title in high school, he took Cal to the Sweet 16, he took the New Jersey Nets to the NBA Finals and he led the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA title in 2011. He is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist, leading Team USA in 2000 in Sydney and in 2008 in Beijing. Kidd owns a total of five gold medals in international competition and a mind-boggling 56-0 international record in Olympics, Olympic qualifying and exhibition games. He ranks second on the all-time NBA list in steals (2,684) and assists (12,091), and third in 3-point field goals made (1,988). His 107 triple-doubles ranks only behind Hall-of-Famers Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson.

7-TONY PARKER — Once San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich gave the keys to Parker to run his team, the Spurs busted out of their conservative shell and became more dynamic. They went from driving a Cadillac to driving a Ferrari, with Parker holding the steering wheel. Parker’s greatest contribution to the game is a shot he may not have created but he has certainly perfected: the floater. Some call it “the runner” or “the teardrop” or “the push shot.” It’s a devastating weapon against big men, and it is used today by nearly all the guards at all levels. Despite all of his accomplishments, including winning the 2007 NBA Finals MVP and owning three NBA titles, Parker is rarely mentioned when basketball experts talk about the best point guards in the NBA. But Parker is OK with that. “For me I’ve been in San Antonio for so long I don’t really pay attention to top-five point guards,” Parker said. “They always forget about me anyways. It doesn’t matter to me anymore, seriously. I just play for the city of San Antonio, for the Spurs and all our fans, Coach Pop, my teammates. That’s what keeps me going.”

6-BOB COUSY — You can’t write the history of basketball without mentioning Bob Cousy. “The Houdini of the Hardwood” was a pure basketball showman. He was the foundation of a Boston Celtics dynasty in the 1950s and ’60s. He is a six-time NBA champion and was named league MVP in 1957. He is one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history. The Cooz was way ahead of his time. In an era when guards walked the ball down the court and dumped the ball into the big men, Cousy pushed the tempo and threw behind-the-back passes. He revolutionized the point guard position. He also possessed one of the best handles. When coach Red Auerbach needed to close the game, he turned to Cousy to dribble out the clock.

5-DENNIS JOHNSON — DJ wasn’t blessed with a ton of athletic ability, but he made himself into an outstanding two-way player. During his 13-year playing career with the Seattle SuperSonics, the Phoenix Suns, and the Boston Celtics, Johnson established himself as one of the best defensive guards in the NBA. He hounded Magic Johnson into a rough series in the 1984 NBA Finals in which the Celtics won. He had quick hands and a strong base, making it hard for opposing guards to score on him. He was named to five All-Star teams and nine straight all-defensive teams. He was a member of three NBA championship squads (two in Boston and one in Seattle), and his postseason heroics earned him a reputation as a money player. He was the Finals MVP in 1979 for the Sonics, and co-authored one of the signature moments in playoff history when he finished the game-winning layup off a steal by Larry Bird in the 1987 series against the Detroit Pistons. Remember the great call by Celtics announcer Johnny Most: “And there’s a steal by Bird! Underneath to DJ, lays it in!” Bird calls Dennis Johnson the best player he’s ever played with.

4-JOHN STOCKTON — If we’re strictly basing everything on statistics, then Stockton should be considered the No. 1 player on this list. He is the NBA’s all-time leader in assists (15,806) and steals (3,265). Both records could stand for a long, long time. Stockton played his entire pro career with the Utah Jazz. He led the Jazz to 19 playoff appearances and took them to the NBA Finals twice, losing both times to Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. Stockton benefitted greatly from having one of the greatest scoring power forwards in the game in Karl Malone, but that shouldn’t diminish what Stockton meant to the Jazz. He may not say a whole lot on the court, but he was a tenacious competitor who pushed the envelop on some of those nasty screens. What is it dirty? Probably. Stockton played to win, even if he had to bend the rules a bit. Gary Payton calls Stockton tougher to defend than Michael Jordan.

3-OSCAR ROBERTSON — “The Big O” is the player against whom all others labeled “all-around” are judged, and he may remain the standard forever. Statistically, one need look no further than the numbers Robertson put up in 1961-62, just his second year in the league: 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game-an average of a triple-double for an entire season. Not even Magic Johnson or Larry Bird could match those numbers. During his 14-year NBA career with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks, Robertson amassed 26,710 points. He won his only NBA title as a member of the Bucks in 1971. His average of 25.7 points per game ranks as the sixth-highest mark ever among retired players, and he averaged 30 points or more in six seasons. Robertson was the NBA’s all-time leader in assists (9,887) when he retired. He also averaged 7.5 rebounds for his career and led his team in rebounding once, a rare feat for a guard. At 6-5 and 210 pounds, The Big O was the first dominant guard. Celtics coach Red Auerbach said: “He is so great he scares me.”

2-ISIAH THOMAS — Zeke was the unquestioned leader of the “Motor City Bad Boys.” Don’t let that million-dollar smile fool ya. Thomas was a stone-cold killer who didn’t back down from a fight. He and Joe Dumars was arguably the two toughest players on a squad with a bunch of rough riders. Thomas never got the credit he richly deserved because his Pistons were not part of the glamour teams. The Pistons won two NBA titles with a grit-and-grind approach that didn’t resonate with basketball fans. They ended the Celtics and Lakers dynasties, and was the major roadblock for the Bulls. Thomas had two unforgettable playoff moments. The first was the great shootout with Bernard King in the 1984 playoffs in which Zeke scored 16 points in 94 seconds to force overtime. The second was his epic gutsy performance in Game 6 of the 1988 NBA Finals against the Lakers in which he scored 25 points in the third quarter despite a badly sprained ankle. It defined Thomas’ career.

1-MAGIC JOHNSON — Forget positions for a moment. Based on impact alone, Magic is arguably one of the best players to ever play the game. He changed the game. He was a power forward with major-league handles and unbelievable vision. No one in the history of basketball has ever seen a player like Magic. At 6-9 and 215 pounds, he was a matchup nightmare. He averaged 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 11.2 assists for his career. He blew past forwards and posted up smaller guards. And you’ll never find a better passer on a 3-on-2 or 2-0n-1 fastbreak. Also, he was a tremendous leader on and off the court. When he led, players followed. He earned three NBA MVPs and led the L.A. Lakers to five championships. The signature moment of the career came in Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the hated Boston Celtics. With the Lakers down by one point, Magic drove the lane and threw up a baby skyhook over two defenders to give the Lakers the lead. After the game, Larry Bird said: “Magic is just a great player.”

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Gary Payton and Michael Jordan went head-to-head in the 1996 NBA Finals. (GETTY IMAGES)

The Glove. The nickname fit Gary Payton like Isotoners.

He got his nickname “The Glove” when Payton’s cousin called him during the 1993 Western Conference Finals series against Phoenix and told him, “you’re holding Kevin Johnson like a baseball in a glove,” and the nickname was born.

The only point guard ever to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, Payton is widely considered one of the greatest of all time at that position. He was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team nine times, an NBA record he shares with Michael Jordan, Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant. He was selected to the All-NBA team nine times and voted to the All-Star game nine times.

Payton was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame this year. During his acceptance speech, the Oakland native bragged that he was the best trash talker in the history of the NBA.

Payton talked a good game, but he backed up his bravado with plenty of skill. Defense was his calling card, and he’s considered one of the best lock-down perimeter defenders the game has ever seen.

OneManFastBreak.net ranks the 10 best perimeter defenders in NBA history:

10) Michael Cooper – Larry Bird paid Cooper the highest compliment when he called him the tougher defender he has ever played against. That’s high praise coming for Larry Legend. Cooper possessed the perfect body and mindset to be a great defender: lean and mean. He made the NBA All-Defensive First Team five times, and named NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1986-87 season.

9) LeBron James – The only reason why LeBron isn’t ranked higher on this list is because he’s far from finished. James is one of the few people in the world who can defend all five positions. LeBron’s power, speed, and agility allows him to cover so much ground. Since joining the Miami Heat, LeBron’s defense has gone from good to great. He could have easily been named defensive player of the year in 2012-13. It’ll just be a matter of time.

LeBron James was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2012-13. (GETTY IMAGES)

8) Joe Dumars – The great Michael Jordan calls Dumars the best defender he’s ever gone up against. Along with Dennis Rodman, Joe D was the cornerstone of Chuck Daly’s “Jordan Rules” defensive playbook that powered the Detroit Pistons to back-to-back NBA titles. The scheme ultimately forced the Chicago Bulls to alter their game plan and feature other players on the court so defenders can’t load up on Jordan.

7) Ron Artest – Whether he’s Ron Artest or Metta World Peace, the 6-7, 250-pound bully from Queensbridge, N.Y., is a feared defender because he’s flat-out crazy. Crazy in a good way. Artest is blessed with strong hands, and he knows how to use them. Artest is extremely physical and no guard or forward in the world could back him down. His on-court antics sometimes borders on lunacy, but you’d want Artest on your side when there’s a brawl.

6) Alvin Robertson – Defense was Robertson’s forte, and defense was the reason why Bobby Knight invited him to the 1984 Olympic Trials. Robertson earned a spot on the squad — a team that featured Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and Chris Mullin — and won a gold medal in Los Angeles. Robertson was the 1985-86 defensive player of the year, leading the league that season with 3.7 steals per game. He amassed 2,112 steals for his career.

5) Kobe Bryant – About the only void in Kobe’s brilliant and soon to be Hall-of-Fame career is that he never won defensive player of the year. But that’s not his fault. Voters tend to favor big men, as only seven non-centers have won defensive player of the year. Bryant will go down in history as one of the best on-ball defenders the league has ever seen. He is such an offensive genius that his man-to-man skills sometimes gets overshadowed. Kobe has been named to the all-defensive first team nine times.

Kobe Bryant is a nine-time member of the NBA all-defensive team. (GETTY IMAGES)

4) SIDNEY MONCRIEF — During the 1980s, there were plenty of top perimeter defenders in the league – such as Michael Cooper, Alvin Robertson and Joe Dumars – but Moncrief was regarded as one of the best at his position. The former Milwaukee Bucks star was the first to receive the defensive player of the year award, winning it 1982-83 and again in 1983-84, and his effort and energy powered the Bucks to the third-best winning percentage in the ’80s behind only the Lakers and Celtics. “When you play against Moncrief, you’re in for a night of all-around basketball,” Michael Jordan said. “He’ll hound you everywhere you go, both ends of the court. You just expect it.”

3) GARY PAYTON — The Glove won defensive player of the year in 1996 and amassed 2,445 steals during his 17-year NBA career that included stints in Seattle, Milwaukee, L.A., Boston and Miami. At 6-4, Payton could cover point guards as well as shooting guards, and his trash talking was second to none. GP loved to get in his opponent’s head with incessant dialogue, and it wasn’t always playful. Payton credits former Seattle Sonics assistant coach Tim Grgurich for turning him loose on the defensive end. Grgurich, who worked under Hall-of-Fame coach Jerry Tarkanian, gave Payton more freedom and allowed him to wreak havoc. With Payton and Nate McMillan hounding you in the backcourt, the Sonics were no walk in the park.

2) MICHAEL JORDAN — Jordan is regarded as one of the greatest — if not the best — offensive players in basketball history, but his defense was just as good. He could have easily been the No. 1 player on this list. Jordan took great pride in shutting down his man, making him the gold standard in terms of being a two-way player. He never backed down from a challenge, and he often volunteered to guard the other team’s best player. Jordan was named defensive player of the year in 1987-88 and made first-team all-defense nine times. If there was one chink on Jordan’s armor — and this is a total nitpick — he occasionally gambled on the defensive end and left the back end vulnerable to backdoor cuts and dribble penetration. And he also got away with more fouls because of his legendary reputation, as referees tend to swallow their whistles when Jordan pushed up on his man.

Michael Jordan was the unquestioned leader of the Chicago Bulls, but teammate Scottie Pippen often carried the heavier load on defense. (GETTY IMAGES)

1) SCOTTIE PIPPEN — Phil Jackson calls Scottie Pippen one of the smartest defensive players he has ever coach. This is tall praise from a man who coached Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman. Pippen disrupted many offensive plans with his quickness, length and incredible instincts. He was named to the all-defensive first team eight times and amassed 2,307 steals. During the 1991 NBA Finals, Pippen flipped the series around when he suffocated Magic Johnson in Game 2 and made it extremely difficult for the Lakers to get into their offensive sets. Pippen started the game on James Worthy and when Jordan picked up two pick fouls, Phil Jackson switched Pippen on Magic and the series took a stunning turn in favor of the Bulls. In the 1998 Eastern Conference finals against the Indiana Pacers Pippen smothered Mark Jackson from end-to-end, disrupting Indiana’s attack and forcing coach Larry Bird to turn to the quicker Travis Best. Jordan earned a reputation for being a shutdown perimeter defender, but when you break it all down Pippen was the quarterback of the Bulls on defense.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Dennis Rodman won three NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls and two with the Detroit Pistons. (GETTY/ALLSPORT)

Dennis Rodman entered the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011. It’s a deserving honor considering the enormous impact Rodman has had in the sport, especially on defense where he truly (and literally) left his mark.

Rodman was an absolute pest on the defensive end, hounding perimeter players and muscling post players with an all-out style that bordered on dirty and calculated. Rodman, nicknamed The Worm, was a unique individual on and off the court. He played to the beat of his own drum, and because he wore his emotions on his biceps he can very difficult to deal with if you don’t allow him his space. But underneath the bleached hair, multiple tattoos, piercings and eccentric personality lies a truly great basketball player who defended his position with boundless energy and passion.

Rodman didn’t care about individual scoring. All he cared about was playing hard, defending his turf and, most of all, winning. When he won the first of his two NBA defensive player of the year awards in 1990 he cried at the podium. That’s how much the award meant to him, and also it validated all the hard work he put into his craft. Defense wins championships is an adage that rings true for Rodman as he helped his teams win the NBA title five times during his career. Whether it was against Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson or Karl Malone, Rodman gave them hell. He guarded the basket as if his lunch money was on the line.

So, where does Dennis Rodman rank among the all-time best defensive players in NBA history? OneManFastBreak.net examines the 10 best defenders of all time:

10) ALONZO MOURNING — The former Georgetown Hoya epitomized what a Miami Heat player was in the Pat Riley era – physically and mentally tough. Riley built the Heat image with Zo in mind. Mourning was a two-time defensive player of the year, and he may have won a few more if not for kidney issues. Zo rejected 2,356 shots in his career, but altered thousands more.

9) BEN WALLACE — The Detroit Pistons captured the NBA title in 2003-04 using a suffocating defense anchored by Big Ben. In the NBA Finals, Wallace (who stands just 6-7, but 6-9 with his massive afro) guarded 7-1 Shaquille O’Neal and held his own without much of a double team and absorbed the beating from the 300-pound Shaq. Wallace is one of just two players in league history to win defensive player of the year four times.

8) SIDNEY MONCRIEF — During the 1980s, there were plenty of top perimeter defenders in the league – such as Michael Cooper, Alvin Robertson and Joe Dumars – but Moncrief was regarded as the best at his position. The former Bucks star was the first to receive the defensive player of the year award, winning it 1982-83 and again in 1983-84.

7) HAKEEM OLAJUWON — Hakeem The Dream is the NBA’s all-time leader in blocked shots, rejecting 3,830 shots during his Hall-of-Fame career. Olajuwon and Michael Jordan are the only two players in league history to win MVP and defensive player of the year in the same season. Olajuwon won both in 1993-94, while Jordan pulled off the feat in 1987-88.

6) GARY PAYTON — Nicknamed The Glove for the way he enveloped his opponents, Payton won defensive player of the year in 1996 and amassed 2,445 steals during his 17-year NBA career that included stints in Seattle, Milwaukee, L.A., Boston and Miami. The Glove was also one of the league’s best trash talkers, which oftentimes gave him a huge psychological edge.

5) MICHAEL JORDAN — Jordan is regarded as one of the greatest offensive players in basketball, but his defense was almost as good as his offense. Jordan took pride on being a two-way player, making him one of few all-time great scorers who defended his position as well as anyone in the sport. MJ never backed down from a challenge, and he often volunteered to guard the other team’s best player.

4) DIKEMBE MUTOMBO — At 7-3 and arms as long as a redwood, few tried to challenge Mt. Mutombo at the rim. And those who did often found rejection and was the recipient of an embarrassing finger wag – Mutombo’s signature diss for anyone who dared to challenge him. Mutombo blocked 3,289 shots in his career, second only to Olajuwon. He also won defensive player of the year four times, tied with Wallace for most DPY awards.

3) SCOTTIE PIPPEN — Phil Jackson calls Scottie Pippen one of the smartest defensive players he has ever coach. This is high praise from a man who coached Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman. Pippen disrupted many offensive plans with his quickness, length and incredible instincts. He was named to the NBA’s all-defensive first team eight times and amassed 2,307 steals. During the 1991 NBA Finals, he flipped the series in favor of the Chicago Bulls when he suffocated Magic Johnson in Game 2 and made it extremely difficult for the Lakers to get into their offensive sets. Jordan often got more recognition for his defense, but Pippen was the quarterback of the Bulls’ defense.

2) DENNIS RODMAN — During his Hall-of-Fame acceptance speech, Rodman admitted that all the glitz and glamor is one big act. Underneath the body ink and the fancy outfits is a hard-working man who came from nothing and amounted to something. In the 1996 NBA Finals, then Seattle Sonics coach George Karl said Rodman could have easily been named the MVP of the Bulls-Sonics series, as Karl pointed out that Rodman almost single-handedly won two games for the Bulls in the series with his energy and defense. His former Piston teammate, Dumars, said that Rodman may be flamboyant off the court but on the court he was all business.

1) BILL RUSSELL — Defense wins championships and nobody won more titles in the NBA than William Felton Russell. The 1960s began and ended with Russell walking off the court a champion. The Boston Celtics dynasty was built on defense, and Russell was front and center. He is second all-time in rebounds with 21,620 and turned the blocked shot into an art form.

Blocks weren’t kept during Russell’s playing days, but if they were he would easily be in the top five. What made Russell a great shot-blocker was the way he kept the ball in play, often igniting fast breaks for his teammates. And even though he lost the majority of his one-on-one battles with his nemesis Wilt Chamberlain, Russell never backed away from his greatest challenge and the Celtics almost always came out on top on the scoreboard. Great defensive centers are often compared to Russell, but the five-time NBA MVP was a once-in-a-lifetime player.

Joel Huerto is the publisher and editor of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.