Great Suns Moments to Lift Your Spirits...

[Absolute Zero]

I don't know about you all, but this seems like a very dark moment in our history.

Stumbled across this 12 minute clip on 1993 Game 7 against the Sonics in the Western Conference finals, I never get sick of those 1993 introductions...

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Charles was such a clever player, such a contrast playing against Kemp.

And I totally forgot that Tom Chambers was on that team. I don't remember him playing against the Bulls in the Finals.

If you all have any other good ones, please post here.

 

[Mainstreet]

The video brings back memories of The Dream Team, the best Olympic roster ever assembled.


PF 4 Laettner, Christian 22 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Duke Blue Devils

C 5 Robinson, David 26 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 235 lb (107 kg) San Antonio Spurs

C 6 Ewing, Patrick 29 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 240 lb (110 kg) New York Knicks

SF 7 Bird, Larry 35 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Boston Celtics

SF 8 Pippen, Scottie 26 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Chicago Bulls

SG 9 Jordan, Michael 29 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 198 lb (90 kg) Chicago Bulls

SG 10 Drexler, Clyde 30 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 222 lb (101 kg) Portland Trail Blazers

PF 11 Malone, Karl 28 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 256 lb (116 kg) Utah Jazz

PG 12 Stockton, John 30 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Utah Jazz

SF 13 Mullin, Chris 28 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Golden State Warriors

PF 14 Barkley, Charles 29 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 250 lb (110 kg) Phoenix Suns

PG 15 Johnson, Magic 32 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Los Angeles Lakers[61]


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_United_States_men's_Olympic_basketball_team

 

[Raindog]

There have been four really great eras of Suns teams in my lifetime - the late 70s/early 80s (Westphal/Sweet D), the late 80s/early 90s (Chambers/KJ), the mid 90s (Barkley), and the mid 00s (Nash/Amare).

Depending on when you were born or grew up would likely define anyone's own individual preference, I would assume. I personally favor the late 1970s/early 1980s teams... but every one of those eras has some great moments and memories associated with it.

It's interesting to note that we are currently going through the dimmest period of being Suns fans at the same time when we are probably in our dimmest period of society overall.

 

[95pro]

There have been four really great eras of Suns teams in my lifetime - the late 70s/early 80s (Westphal/Sweet D), the late 80s/early 90s (Chambers/KJ), the mid 90s (Barkley), and the mid 00s (Nash/Amare).

Depending on when you were born or grew up would likely define anyone's own individual preference, I would assume. I personally favor the late 1970s/early 1980s teams... but every one of those eras has some great moments and memories associated with it.

It's interesting to note that we are currently going through the dimmest period of being Suns fans at the same time when we are probably in our dimmest period of society overall.

last decade has been garbage. imagine being back in the 2000's and you'd never imagine us having the 2010's being this bad.

 

[Absolute Zero]

Then there is this one.....

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Oh my. Still love the time out called by Westphal, even though we didn't have one, to get the ball to half court. All McCoy "Hold the Phone" this isn't over...

And here is the call from Musburger....

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[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Then there is this one.....

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Oh my. Still love the time out called by Westphal, even though we didn't have one, to get the ball to half court. All McCoy "Hold the Phone" this isn't over...

And here is the call from Musburger....

Westy’s TO, recognizing it would be a technical and we would get the ball back, was a stroke of genius.

 

[Chaplin]

I just watched the end of the Cardinals and Green Bay Larry Fitzgerald overtime Spectacular.

That worked.

 

[Absolute Zero]

There have been four really great eras of Suns teams in my lifetime - the late 70s/early 80s (Westphal/Sweet D), the late 80s/early 90s (Chambers/KJ), the mid 90s (Barkley), and the mid 00s (Nash/Amare).

Depending on when you were born or grew up would likely define anyone's own individual preference, I would assume. I personally favor the late 1970s/early 1980s teams... but every one of those eras has some great moments and memories associated with it.

It's interesting to note that we are currently going through the dimmest period of being Suns fans at the same time when we are probably in our dimmest period of society overall.

So if the KJ/Barkley Suns played the Westphal/Adams Suns in a 7 game series, what would the outcome be?

 

[Chaplin]

So if the KJ/Barkley Suns played the Westphal/Adams Suns in a 7 game series, what would the outcome be?

KJ/Barkley, and probably by a lot. The players then were bigger and faster and the Westphal Suns wouldn't have been able to keep up.

 

[GatorAZ]

I’ve heard from older fans that the 95’ team before Manning tore his ACL by landing on Joe Klein’s foot in practice was the Suns best team of the Barkley era. Unfortunately there aren’t many highlights of that team.

 

[Absolute Zero]

I’ve heard from older fans that the 95’ team before Manning tore his ACL by landing on Joe Klein’s foot in practice was the Suns best team of the Barkley era. Unfortunately there aren’t many highlights of that team.

If I recall correctly, we were starting a ridicuosly talented front line of Wayman Tisdale, Barkley and Manning. Pretty high powered offensively until Manning went down.

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[GatorAZ]

If I recall correctly, we were starting a ridicuosly talented front line of Wayman Tisdale, Barkley and Manning. Pretty high powered offensively until Manning went down.

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Sounds like they went small without a true center on the roster other than Joe Klein who was a depth guy. After reading up some more on that team Jerry got Manning and Tisdale for the minimum then overpaid them later on because of loyalty. They were 8-deep with legit guys then Ainge/Klein rounded out the top-10 in MPG.

 

[Finito]

Sounds like they went small without a true center on the roster other than Joe Klein who was a depth guy. After reading up some more on that team Jerry got Manning and Tisdale for the minimum then overpaid them later on because of loyalty. They were 8-deep with legit guys then Ainge/Klein rounded out the top-10 in MPG.

from what I remember it was a handshake deal with Manning. He agreed to come to Phoenix for a small salary the first year. He got hurt and Jerry still paid him the contract they verbally agreed to.

That’s how Phoenix used to be looked at around the league. About as stand up as it gets.

 

[cwamjn]

I thought D Manning was the sixth man. It's a lot of years ago but I thought either AC green or Wesley Person were starting at forward next to Barkley.

 

[Absolute Zero]

I thought D Manning was the sixth man. It's a lot of years ago but I thought either AC green or Wesley Person were starting at forward next to Barkley.

You may be right, I think they tried several combinations as well

 

[GatorAZ]

I thought D Manning was the sixth man. It's a lot of years ago but I thought either AC green or Wesley Person were starting at forward next to Barkley.

Manning played 33 mpg prior to the injury. Wesley Person was also a rookie that year and shot 43% from 3.

 

[Raindog]

KJ/Barkley, and probably by a lot. The players then were bigger and faster and the Westphal Suns wouldn't have been able to keep up.

I have to agree. But it's not really fair to compare players and teams from different eras.

Those Barkley teams had a ton of great depth, too. Probably much more than any other Suns teams of any other era.

 

[BC867]

So if the KJ/Barkley Suns played the Westphal/Adams Suns in a 7 game series, what would the outcome be?

Adams' best year (including statistically) was his first, when he took the league by surprise, as a Center in the body of a Wing.

He was never near powering the Suns to a championship. He was really a man without a position. And not a difference maker.

As history showed us. Being drafted into the NBA by his college coach, then coach of the Suns, asked too much of him.

On another team, as a fringe swing Forward, wouldn't have tied up the Suns center position with a light-weight for a decade.

 

[Hoop Head]

I thought D Manning was the sixth man. It's a lot of years ago but I thought either AC green or Wesley Person were starting at forward next to Barkley.

Here are the starting combos they used that year, 25 different lineups.

Most surprising to me is how the Suns were 21-3 with Barkley, Tisdale, Perry, Person, and either Klein or Schayes at Center.

You must be registered for see images attach

https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/PHO/1995_start.html

 

[cwamjn]

Here are the starting combos they used that year, 25 different lineups.

Most surprising to me is how the Suns were 21-3 with Barkley, Tisdale, Perry, Person, and either Klein or Schayes at Center.

You must be registered for see images attach

https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/PHO/1995_start.html

Cool find. I'm going to guess that was the year kj had trouble stretching before games? I remember a year where he had nagging leg muscle pulls.

 

[Absolute Zero]

Nice collection of plays here

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Gotta find more of the Lakers/Suns playoff series shown in here. Had to look this up, but must have been the 2006 series or 2007, we won both

https://www.landofbasketball.com/head_to_head_gl/lakers_vs_suns_game_log_pl.htm

 

[Mainstreet]

Gerald Green was a walking highlight reel.

 

[elindholm]

Westy’s TO, recognizing it would be a technical and we would get the ball back, was a stroke of genius.

What amazes me, though, is that the color commentator anticipated the strategy before it even unfolded. It must have been a pretty well-known rule.

 

[Hoop Head]

What amazes me, though, is that the color commentator anticipated the strategy before it even unfolded. It must have been a pretty well-known rule.

Were those games even aired live? I know a lot of games were tape delayed in the 70's and 80's but couldn't find anything definitive on whether the 76 finals were aired on a delay. If they were delayed though that could explain the commentators discussing it. There's no need to have commentators recording the play by play and commentary live if the game isn't airing live, they could record it later or even do the commentary live over the taped broadcast. They could easily cut that part before the play and explain that rule so fans knew what was coming without needing to add a bunch of explanations after the fact.

Here is some info about airing games delayed because they didn't want to pre-empt higher rated programs for it.

As the national broadcaster of the NBA, CBS aired NBA games from the 1973-74 until the 1989–90 season, during which the late 1970s and early 1980s was notoriously known as the "tape delay playoff era." Ratings sagged in the late Seventies with a series of fairly undistinguished championship teams from relatively small markets, widespread public perceptions of drug usage among players, and a relative lack of marquee players. Even a merger with the American Basketball Association in 1976, bringing several standout players including Julius Erving into the league, did not reverse the ratings slide. CBS, not wishing to preempt higher-rated regular programming for the relatively low-rated pro basketball, elected to show several playoff games each season tape-delayed into late-night time slots. This situation dramatically improved with the arrival of Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Larry Bird for the 1979-80 season. By the arrival of Michael Jordan in 1984, tape-delayed games were well in the past.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Basketball_Association_on_television#History


In another Suns related note, game 6 vs the Bulls has the 2nd most viewers of any finals game next to game 6 in 98, Jordan's last finals game as a Bull. That was also considered his last game ever, at the time. Game 6 of the Suns/Bulls series drew 32.1 million viewers and the Jazz game drew 35.89 million. Here's info on that.

 

[Raindog]

Were those games even aired live? I know a lot of games were tape delayed in the 70's and 80's but couldn't find anything definitive on whether the 76 finals were aired on a delay. If they were delayed though that could explain the commentators discussing it. There's no need to have commentators recording the play by play and commentary live if the game isn't airing live, they could record it later or even do the commentary live over the taped broadcast. They could easily cut that part before the play and explain that rule so fans knew what was coming without needing to add a bunch of explanations after the fact.

The NBA Finals were always aired live, at least from the mid 1970s on. And the 1976 Finals were definitely aired in real time, as I watched every game and remember it well.

I was a kid growing up in Phoenix at the time, and this series was what made me a lifelong Suns fan. I remember it well, including the weekend games actually being played in the afternoon, outside of prime time - which is unheard of for any sports championship event these days (except the Super Bowl early start time), but was a common practice back in the day. The Game 6 won by the Celtics in Phoenix was an afternoon game.

In fact, the 1993-94 Suns and Bulls series was wrapped up on a Sunday afternoon, too - if anyone else recalls.