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The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They are the only team in their division not to be based in California. The Suns play their home games at the Footprint Center. The Suns are one of three major league sports teams based in the Phoenix area, but are the only one to bill themselves as representing the city.
Yahoshafat Ben Avraham is an American-born Israeli professional basketball coach and former player who most recently served as a player development assistant for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Stephen John Nash is a Canadian professional basketball coach and former player who most recently served as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 18 seasons in the NBA, where he was an eight-time All-Star and a seven-time All-NBA selection. Nash was a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player while playing for the Phoenix Suns.
The 2005 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game which was played on February 20, 2005, at Pepsi Center in Denver, home of the Denver Nuggets. This game was the 54th edition of the North American National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game and was played during the 2004–05 NBA season.
Michael Andrew D'Antoni is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is a coaching advisor for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The 2004–05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It began on November 2, 2004, and ended on June 23, 2005. The season ended with the San Antonio Spurs defeating the defending-champion Detroit Pistons, 4–3, in the NBA Finals.
The 2007 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game that was played on February 18, 2007, during the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2006–07 season. It was the 56th edition of the NBA All-Star Game, and was played at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas's Thomas & Mack Center in Paradise, Nevada. The Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference, 153–132. Kobe Bryant was named the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP), having recorded 31 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 steals. It was the first time the All-Star Game was played in a city without an NBA franchise and first to be played on a college campus. The game was nationally televised on TNT in the United States at 9 p.m. ET as part of the NBA on TNT coverage.
The 2006–07 Phoenix Suns season was the 39th season of the franchise of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team attempted to return to the Western Conference finals, where they were eliminated in six games by the Dallas Mavericks in the previous season. After an excellent regular season in which they posted a 61–21 record, in a rematch of last season's first round where they came back from a 3–1 deficit, they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the opening round of the playoffs in five games, but were narrowly defeated in the Western Conference semifinals in six games by the more experienced, heavily favored, and eventual NBA champion San Antonio Spurs. The Suns had the best team offensive rating in the NBA.
The Spurs–Suns rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns. It began in the 1990s, when the Spurs were led by David Robinson, and the Phoenix Suns were propelled by a number of players, including Dan Majerle, Kevin Johnson, and Tom Chambers. The rivalry continued into the 2000s with Tim Duncan and Steve Nash leading the Spurs and the Suns respectively. The rivalry has also allegedly prevented Spurs coach Gregg Popovich from coaching the USA Basketball team in the 2008 Summer Olympics.
The 1992–93 NBA season was the 25th season for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association. This season is most memorable for the Suns acquiring controversial All-Star power forward Charles Barkley from the Philadelphia 76ers, and signing free agent Danny Ainge prior to the season. Under new head coach Paul Westphal, the Suns had a successful season posting a 14-game winning streak in December, which led them to a 21–4 start, held a 38–10 record at the All-Star break, then posted an 11-game winning streak between March and April to finish with an NBA-best 62–20 record. The team set the franchise record for most wins in a season. Barkley won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, and led the team to its second trip to the NBA Finals, where they lost to Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the 2-time defending champion Chicago Bulls in six games.
The 2008–09 Phoenix Suns season was the 41st season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The season was to be a promising one, filled with All-Star talent at several positions. It was believed over the offseason, the Suns would be able to better incorporate Shaquille O'Neal, who necessitated changes to both the offense and defense after being obtained in a trade one season ago. It was also the first season head coach Terry Porter had been able to use the summer to implement his defensive approach for a team which had in seasons past scored a large number of their points off fast breaks and early in the shot clock. Sensing a need for change, team management traded for scorer Jason Richardson in December, but this did not appear to immediately reinvigorate an offense that had recently led the league in points per game. However, after Phoenix went 28–23 to start the season, Suns assistant Alvin Gentry was named to replace Porter as head coach. Less than one week after the All-Star Game, Amar'e Stoudemire sustained a season-ending eye injury while the improvement of the team never fully came. The Suns finished 46–36, second in the Pacific division but out the playoffs for the first time since Steve Nash rejoined the Suns in the 2004–05 season. The Suns had the best team offensive rating in the NBA.
The 2004–05 NBA season was the 37th for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association. During the offseason, the Suns re-acquired All-Star guard Steve Nash from the Dallas Mavericks, and signed free agent Quentin Richardson. During that same period of time, it also became the team's first season under Robert Sarver's ownership tenure, as he controlled major duties with the franchise for 18 seasons after Jerry Colangelo sold the team to him until a year-long suspension during the 2022–23 season for actions he did behind the scenes from as early as this season caused him to eventually sell off the team during that season in 2023. Also during that same period of time, the Suns would honor former head coach and broadcaster Cotton Fitzsimmons, who passed away on July 25, 2004, by wearing a white patch on their jerseys for the entire season, including their playoff run. The Suns got off to a fast start winning 31 of their first 35 games, but then lost six straight afterwards. They finished with the best record in the NBA at 62–20 under head coach Mike D'Antoni, tying their franchise best 1992–93 season record which would hold until 2021-22, when they won 64 games. Three members of the team, Nash, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Shawn Marion were all selected for the 2005 NBA All-Star Game. The Suns also gained solid play from Richardson and Joe Johnson. Nash finished the season averaging 11.5 assists per game, while making 50.2% of his field goals and 43.1% of his three-pointers in the regular season. He ended up winning the MVP award. D'Antoni was awarded Coach of the Year, and Bryan Colangelo Executive of the Year.
The 2005–06 Phoenix Suns season was the 38th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Suns were led by head coach Mike D'Antoni, posting a 54–28 record, third best in the Western Conference. All home games were played at the former America West Arena, which changed its name to US Airways Center in January 2006.
The 2003–04 NBA season was the 36th for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association. It was also the last season under longtime associate Jerry Colangelo's ownership, as he later sold the franchise to an ownership group led by Robert Sarver starting the following season. After advancing to the playoffs the previous season, the Suns started off to a disappointing start under head coach Frank Johnson. With the team at 8–13, team management elected to turn to assistant coach Mike D'Antoni to take over for Johnson. Under D'Antoni, the Suns would lose 40 of their next 61 games and miss the playoffs, finishing sixth in the Pacific division with a 29–53 regular season record, the first time since the 1987–88 season the Suns recorded 50 losses or more. The Suns played their home games at America West Arena.
The 2002–03 NBA season was the 35th season for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association. After missing the playoffs the previous season, the Suns had the ninth pick in the 2002 NBA draft, and selected high school basketball star Amar'e Stoudemire, and signed free agent Scott Williams during the off-season. Frank Johnson returned as head coach, as the Suns held a 29–21 record at the All-Star break, and posted eight additional wins from the previous season to finish fourth in the Pacific Division with a 44–38 record. The Suns returned to the playoffs after snapping a streak of 13 seasons in a row the year before, a franchise record. America West Arena hosted Suns home games.
The Ring of Honor is an award given to prominent players and employees of the professional basketball team, the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Awardees are selected to recognize the significant role the individual has had for the Suns organization. While Phoenix retired numbers early in the franchise's history, recent players inducted into the Ring of Honor had their names and numbers displayed at the Suns' home arena, Footprint Center, but the numbers could be reused in the future. However, beginning in the 2023–24 season, under new owner Mat Ishbia, the Suns resumed retiring jersey numbers on the Ring of Honor starting with No. 31 for Shawn Marion and No. 32 for Amar'e Stoudemire. Numbers who were previously deemed "honored" by the franchise were once again considered retired.
The 2015–16 NBA season was the Phoenix Suns' 48th season in the NBA. It was their first season where the Suns played in the Talking Stick Resort Arena with its new name, having played there since the 1992–93 season, when it used to be called the America West Arena and then later on, the U.S. Airways Center.
The 2020–21 Phoenix Suns season was their 53rd season as a franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as well as their 28th season at the Footprint Center. The Suns achieved their first winning season since the 2013–14 season after a 134–106 win over the Washington Wizards on April 10, 2021. The Suns then clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2010 following a 109-101 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on April 28, 2021. They also clinched the Pacific Division for the first time since 2007. They finished 51–21, with a winning percentage that, in a full 82-game season, would be equivalent to 58 wins.
The 2023–24 Phoenix Suns season was the 56th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as well as their 31st season at the Footprint Center. It is also the first full season under the ownership group led by Mat Ishbia and Justin Ishbia after the brothers purchased the team on February 8, 2023. It was the first season since 1971–72 without Al McCoy broadcasting any games. He announced his retirement after the 2023 NBA playoffs. It also was the first season the Suns moved their broadcasting services from Bally Sports Arizona back in 2003 to local broadcast stations in Arizona owned by Gray Television, branded as Arizona's Family Sports, alongside an over-the-top subscription service called "Suns Live" that was created by Kiswe. During their first season under this change, the Suns would see a 69% increase in viewership by comparison to the previous season under Bally Sports Arizona. This was the first season since 2018–19 without head coach Monty Williams after a second straight disappointing second-round exit. He was fired on May 13, 2023, despite having the team's first winning record as head coach since Jeff Hornacek, the first overall winning record and first coach to make the playoffs since Alvin Gentry, their first NBA Coach of the Year Award winner since Mike D'Antoni, and their first head coach since Paul Westphal to reach the NBA Finals, with one season left on his original deal.
The Lakers–Suns rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns. The rivalry began as early as the 1969–70 season when the Lakers and Suns met against each other in the first round of the 1970 NBA playoffs, with peaks being had throughout the 1980s, early 1990s, and 2000s. While the Lakers won every playoff series from their 3–1 series comeback in 1970 until 1989, the Suns have won the vast majority of playoff series matchups since 1990, winning 5 of the last 7 playoffs series since then, including a reverse series sweep against the Lakers in 1993 and a 3–1 comeback of their own in 2006. While the rivalry cooled off during the 2010s due to poor teams and management by both squads throughout that decade, renewed interest in the rivalry sparked into the 2020s, with both teams returning to NBA Finals contention early in the decade, as well as both the Lakers and Suns having notable superstars joining them in LeBron James and Kevin Durant respectively and the Suns having hired former Lakers coach Frank Vogel for the 2023–24 season. With 13 head-to-head playoff meetings, this is the most frequently played playoff matchup in the history of the Western Conference.
References
- ↑ "Phoenix Suns Career Leaders : Statistics". Basketball Reference. 2016-11-29. Retrieved 2016-11-29.
- ↑ "Phoenix Suns All-Star Game Selections". Basketball-Reference. March 1, 2024.