Listing the top 3 regular-season records from the Phoenix Suns in NBA history
The Phoenix Suns are currently posting the best record of the 2021-22 NBA season at 38-9. Coming off an appearance in the NBA Finals last year, the Monty Williams-coached team, guided by Chris Paul and Devin Booker on the court, is firing on all cylinders and gearing up towards another deep postseason run.
Whether the Suns will be able to reach the same heights they were able to reach last year is yet to be seen in the NBA Playoffs. The team is certainly performing like the most consistent squad in the regular round so far.
Through 47 games, the Phoenix Suns own an 80.9% winning percentage, which would be the best in franchise history if kept throughout the 82-game regular season. While that can't really be expected, the team is certainly performing at an all-time best for the franchise.
Top 3 regular-season records in the Phoenix Suns' NBA history
The Suns are 38-9, their best start in franchise history. They are:
19-7 vs .500 teams
19-2 vs. below .500 teams
17-3 in clutch games
All best in the league. https://t.co/dQooMnswrt
The Suns have participated in 54 seasons and have made the NBA Playoffs 30 times, although the Larry O'Brien trophy has evaded them in three appearances in the NBA Finals (1976, 1993 and 2021).
Still, the team has had some impressive squads throughout its years, and we will review the three best regular-season performances in franchise history in this article.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the three-best regular-season records posted by the Phoenix Suns on the franchise's NBA journey.
#3 2006-07 NBA season - 61-21
The 2006-07 Phoenix Suns, guided by reigning two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash, finished the regular season with a 61-21 record. It was the second-best in the Western Conference at the time and the third-best in franchise history.
The team finished second in the West behind the Dallas Mavericks and their 67-15 record. In the regular season, Nash led the Mike D'Antoni-coached team in Win Shares and the squad was expected to make another deep playoff run and maybe reach the NBA Finals.
The team finished first in Offensive Rating in the 2006-07 regular season and 13th in Defensive Rating. The offense was led by Nash, who averaged 18.6 points and 11.6 assists per game, and Amar'e Stoudemire, who posted 20.4 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.
The Top 4 in scoring was completed by the eventual Sixth Man of the Year award winner Leandro Barbosa, with 18 points per game off the bench, and Shawn Marion (17.5 points per game).
In the 2007 NBA Playoffs, the Phoenix Suns lost against the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs in a six-game series during the second round of the postseason.
#2 2004-05 NBA season - 62-20
Coached by Mike D'Antoni and guided by Steve Nash on the court, the mid-2000s Phoenix Suns were a force to be reckoned with as well as a revolutionary team for that era in terms of offensive production and pace.
An NBA-best 62-20 record, which tied the all-time best in franchise history, was enough for Nash to win the first of his two NBA MVPs. D'Antoni won the Coach of the Year award in his first full season with the team.
Nash averaged 15.5 points and 11.5 assists per game that year, while Amar'e Stoudemire added 26 points and 8.9 assists per game. Shawn Marion was the second-best scorer in the team with 19.4 PPG (and 11.3 rebounds per night), while Joe Johnson was the third-best scorer in the team, at 17 points per game.
Those Phoenix Suns had the best Offensive Rating, average of points per game and the highest pace (estimate number of possessions per 48 minutes) in the entire NBA.
Although the team's offense was sensational, it ultimately didn't work in the NBA Playoffs, with the Suns losing to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals in five games.
#1 1992-93 NBA season - 62-20
Charles Barkley's arrival changed the outlook for the Phoenix Suns ahead of the 1992-93 NBA season, and the team was looking to compete for an NBA title. Of course, the Chicago Bulls were coming off back-to-back championships in 1991 and 1992, and they were the team everyone needed to think about that year.
Barkley and the team, coached by Paul Westphal and with Kevin Johnson and Dan Majerle, went 62-20 in the regular season, taking the best record in the entire NBA.
Phoenix had a 53-29 record the previous year without Barkley, but the 1992-93 NBA MVP changed lives and pushed the team to an NBA Finals appearance. With Barkley dominating in the 1993 postseason, Phoenix reached the 1993 NBA Finals, but fell to the Bulls after Michael Jordan had the greatest performance in any NBA Finals series of his career.
Barkley averaged 25.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in the regular season (26/13/4 in the postseason). Majerle averaged 16.9 points in the regular season while appearing in every game, while Kevin Johnson put up 16.1 points and 7.8 assists per game in 49 appearances for the Phoenix Suns.