The Suns are a professional basketball team based out of Phoenix, Arizona. The franchise is part of the Western Conference Pacific Division, and they play their games at the Talking Stick Resort Arena.
Phoenix Suns Brief History
The team’s history began in 1968 when they started as an expansion team for the league.
The early years of the franchise were quite mediocre, but all that changed during the seventies, when a team that included a trio made out of Dick Van Arsdale, Paul Westphal, and Alvan Adams managed to make it to the 1976 NBA Finals (in what’s considered as one of the top upsets in the history of the league).
But despite that postseason success, the team failed to capture the title and started rebuilding around Walter Davis for most of the eighties.
In 1988, the team managed to acquire Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson, Dan Majerle, and Tom Chambers.
And, with the help of these players, this franchise was able to reach the postseason for a record 13 straight times.
They also remained a regular championship contender during the nineties, reaching the 1993 NBA Finals.
Despite these successes, they continued to fail to win a title, and then entered another mediocre period until the early part of the 2000s.
In 2004, the team managed to re-acquire Steve Nash.
And, with Nash, Amare Stoudemire, and Shawn Marion, and headed by coach Mike D’Antoni, the team returned to playoff contention.
They became known around the world for being a very offensive and dynamic team.
But despite their skills and their will to win, they failed again to acquire a title, and the franchise entered into a new rebuilding period.
Skybook offers the best Phoenix Suns betting odds, register now at Skybook.ag and get into the most exciting NBA betting action with the best basketball lines!
Phoenix Suns Interesting Facts
- The team didn’t have an easy time becoming an NBA team! At first, the league was against allowing a franchise on Phoenix, with commissioner J. Walter Kennedy stating that Phoenix was way too small and hot, and also too far away to become successful.
- The team originally paid $5000 for their logo to a local artist, but they were disappointed with the results. So, the actual logo that the team started employing was acquired for just $200 and was designed by Stan Fabe, a man who owned a commercial printing plant in Tucson.
- The team name is the result of a fan contest, where 28,000 people gave their opinions on which name they wanted to use. Options included the Cougars, the Thunderbirds, the Mustangs, and the Wranglers.
Phoenix Suns Awards and Accomplishments:
- Championships: 0
- Conference titles: 2 (1976, 1993)
- Division titles: 6 (1981, 1993, 1995, 2005, 2006, 2007)
Phoenix Suns Hall of Famers and Famous Players
Here’s a list of the top 3 Hall of Famers for the Phoenix Suns:
Charles Barkley: He was one of the top power forwards in the league, and was voted as the NBA’s MVP in 1993 when he was part of the Suns.
- 4 seasons with the Suns, 1-time MVP, 11 times All-Star, averaged 23 points per game
- Basketball Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2006
- College Basketball Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2006
Steve Nash: He played a total of 18 years in the NBA, and just like Barkley, got the MVP honors when he was part of the Suns’ roster.
- 10 seasons with the Suns, 2 times MVP, 6 times All-Star, averaged 14 points per game
- Basketball Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2018
Paul Westphal: He was a Suns player from 1975 to 1980, and then acted as their head coach from 1992 to 1995.
- 6 seasons with the Suns, 5 times All-Star, averaged 20 points per game
- Basketball Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2019
- College Basketball Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2018
Phoenix Suns Rivalries
The Suns hold a single top rivalry, and that’s with the San Antonio Spurs.
It all began during the nineties when San Antonio was led by David Robinson, also known as “the Admiral,” and the Suns were led by Tom Chambers, Kevin Johnson, and Dan Majerle.
This rivalry continued strong during the following decade with Steve Nash leading the Suns, and Tim Duncan leading the Spurs.
Sign up with Skybook.ag now and get the best Suns odds! Call us now at 1-888-759-2665, to get an amazing deposit bonus.