Is this the best Suns team ever?

[Muggz]

Ill let you know in about 60 games.

 

[Covert Rain]

If the team continues on a tear for the regular season and gets knocked out first round or early there is no way I am calling this the best Suns team ever. If we are talking JUST the regular season, they finish with the best regular season record for a Suns team? OK.

 

[nashman]

This is the best Suns team I have ever seen in my 30 yrs of following them. Just the most complete team and deep and with health will be in the finals again and win it! Calling my shot! They closed tonight even with Paul being ridiculously ejected by some moron ref. This team plays together and for each other it’s an absolute joy to watch every game. It’s amazing they can stay focused on their goal through the crazy long season but they have been doing it like clockwork!

 

[leclerc]

The Danny Manning team was also pretty good before injuries.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The Danny Manning team was also pretty good before injuries.

That was true more than once. He was never quite the same after that first injury with us but he became a very good role player.

Late in his Phoenix career we'd come on very strong in the second half of the season but with just 6 or 7 games left Manning went out for the year with another injury. Then, in the final game of the season (or the game before) Rex Chapman injured his hand (thumb?) and while he could still play, he struggled with the ball (shooting, passing and dribbling) and was ineffective as a result. Plus we faced a Spurs team that was better than their record as they'd had key injuries earlier in the season. Despite HCA they knocked us out 3-1.

A couple years later the team roles were reversed when Duncan went down late in the season which led to us knocking them off. But that particular year with Chapman and Manning playing so well (along with Kidd, KJ, McDyess, George McCloud and Cliff Robinson) IMO was one of our best chances ever to win it all. We closed out the season going 11-1 and I'm confident it would have been 12-0 if Manning hadn't just gone down a couple days before.

Of all the teams we've had that had a real shot at winning it all, that was the one I was most positive about. It wasn't a glamor team and it doesn't seem to make anyone else's list for what could have been but when healthy that team was special.

 

[Cheesebeef]

That was true more than once. He was never quite the same after that first injury with us but he became a very good role player.

Late in his Phoenix career we'd come on very strong in the second half of the season but with just 6 or 7 games left Manning went out for the year with another injury. Then, in the final game of the season (or the game before) Rex Chapman injured his hand (thumb?) and while he could still play, he struggled with the ball (shooting, passing and dribbling) and was ineffective as a result. Plus we faced a Spurs team that was better than their record as they'd had key injuries earlier in the season. Despite HCA they knocked us out 3-1.

A couple years later the team roles were reversed when Duncan went down late in the season which led to us knocking them off. But that particular year with Chapman and Manning playing so well (along with Kidd, KJ, McDyess, George McCloud and Cliff Robinson) IMO was one of our best chances ever to win it all. We closed out the season going 11-1 and I'm confident it would have been 12-0 if Manning hadn't just gone down a couple days before.

Of all the teams we've had that had a real shot at winning it all, that was the one I was most positive about. It wasn't a glamor team and it doesn't seem to make anyone else's list for what could have been but when healthy that team was special.

Manning going down in 1995 was the real killer. We were prohibitive favorites and on pace to win 65 games. That team was RIDICULOUSLY deep and so good that even sans Manning, if Barkley hits 1 FT at the end of Game 5 to put us up 4 with seconds left, we beat Houston 4-1, and likely beat that weak minded Spurs squad and then have a titanic showdown against the Magic in the Finals.

But with Manning, we run all those teams off the floor.

That 1998 season was a killer too. That team was SUPER deep, played great D and Manning was 6th man of the year. Then boom... knee again. They were a dark horse contender.

The 2000 team never really stood a chance, IMO. Manning was a shell of himself, Kidd was just coming off an ankle injury and missed most of the Spurs series we won and then Penny banged his knee at the end of that series just as he seemed like he was Penny Hardway again in Game 4. But even healthy, they weren’t beating MVP Level Shaq on a mission with Kobe blossoming that year.

 

[Sparky16]

He’s never going to become more explosive. Could still become a better ball handler but offensively I think he is what he is right now. Yup

He has not put on that man strength yet, it will take away from his vertical but he is not a leaper either. But strength will help him finish and will help on the defense side

 

[JCSunsfan]

23 games left.

 

[Covert Rain]

Manning going down in 1995 was the real killer. We were prohibitive favorites and on pace to win 65 games. That team was RIDICULOUSLY deep and so good that even sans Manning, if Barkley hits 1 FT at the end of Game 5 to put us up 4 with seconds left, we beat Houston 4-1, and likely beat that weak minded Spurs squad and then have a titanic showdown against the Magic in the Finals.

But with Manning, we run all those teams off the floor.

That 1998 season was a killer too. That team was SUPER deep, played great D and Manning was 6th man of the year. Then boom... knee again. They were a dark horse contender.

The 2000 team never really stood a chance, IMO. Manning was a shell of himself, Kidd was just coming off an ankle injury and missed most of the Spurs series we won and then Penny banged his knee at the end of that series just as he seemed like he was Penny Hardway again in Game 4. But even healthy, they weren’t beating MVP Level Shaq on a mission with Kobe blossoming that year.

That team was so good before his injury. I mean that team seemed destined to win it all. Manning was so versatile that it opened up other guys on the floor. He could score, pass and had such good vision on the court.

 

[JCSunsfan]

this is the best Suns team ever, but the teams in the west have gotten better too. The Warriors are better than last year, Memphis is better, Denver will likely be better. The path to the finals will be harder this year than last.

 

[GatorAZ]

this is the best Suns team ever, but the teams in the west have gotten better too. The Warriors are better than last year, Memphis is better, Denver will likely be better. The path to the finals will be harder this year than last.

If Draymond didn’t have a significant back injury I’d agree but Denver’s 2nd best player is Aaron Gordon and the Grizz are a year away. Not saying it’ll be easy but I think we’re the overwhelming favorite to make the finals. I’m not writing off Utah to make some noise but they’re mental midgets in May.

 

[leclerc]

At least one of them (the tallest one) seems to be a mental midget all year long. I remember him jokingly spread coronavirus.

But it gives me a warm feeling reading about Utah being mental midgets in the playoffs. Thanks! LOL

Just hope we don't run into Pat Bev or that other dirty player (he's on Milwaukee now?) too early in the playoffs.

 

[leclerc]

By the way, where is Pat Beverly? Is he playing in the league or in China?

 

[Suns_fan69]

By the way, where is Pat Beverly? Is he playing in the league or in China?

Still in the league in Minnesota. Just signed a 1 year extension for next year as well.

 

[95pro]

Still in the league in Minnesota. Just signed a 1 year extension for next year as well.

It was more of a player option than Minnesota picking it up. Of course he’s going to pick it up.

 

[leclerc]

Darn. Hope they miss the playoffs, but then maybe the Lakers creep in. If Minny gets the 8th seed we'll see them in the first round.

 

[Phrazbit]

Darn. Hope they miss the playoffs, but then maybe the Lakers creep in. If Minny gets the 8th seed we'll see them in the first round.

If I had to bet right now... we'll play the Clippers in the 1st and Minny will be the 7.

But yes, I really don't want to play the Wolves, even though I think we'd beat em in 5, I'd rather have a tougher challenge that sit through several games screaming at the TV every time Beverly dove through a dude's legs or beat them with a hammer.

 

[leclerc]

I fracking hate that dude.

Not looking forward to playing Bucks again either, for that Grayson huzzy kicking legs, stepping under people, shoving people in mid-air, flopping over legs, and so on. It's a shame the league don't clean it up, and that teams don't have enforcers to take these dirty players out.

 

[Bobster]

Let's just say this has been the best example of how it feels to be the fan of a Suns team ever.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Let's just say this has been the best example of how it feels to be the fan of a Suns team ever.

The best thing about being a Suns fan is that our history already had many of us prepared for an embarrassing playoff flame-out.

I can honestly say that in my 50 plus years of following this team this was the earliest I'd started to lose hope while we were still a winning team. I haven't believed in this team in months. Last year, I still believed until the final minute or so of the 6th game against Milwaukee.

 

[Hoop Head]

I feel its safe to say this was the worst home playoff loss in Suns history so this years team will be remembered.


I think that answers the question of whether this was the best Suns team ever.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I feel its safe to say this was the worst home playoff loss in Suns history so this years team will be remembered.


I think that answers the question of whether this was the best Suns team ever.

Dude… this was one of the worse playoff losses in NBA, if not SPORTS, history. Period.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Dude… this was one of the worse playoff losses in NBA, if not SPORTS, history. Period.

I think I'd call it the worst playoff loss in sports history. Although, if I were a fan of the Rams, Seahawks or Atlanta, I'd probably be more devasted by their respective SB losses to New England.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I think I'd call it the worst playoff loss in sports history. Although, if I were a fan of the Rams, Seahawks or Atlanta, I'd probably be more devasted by their respective SB losses to New England.

Most pathetic playoff loss on history.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Most pathetic playoff loss on history.

Most pathetic playoff performance from a number one seed in any sport I've followed, ever. Not even close.

But I suspect I'd be a lot more devastated had I been a Seahawks fan the morning after my Head Coach called for a pass play in a short yardage situation (with a GREAT short yardage back available) and even that loss would likely pale in comparison to the misery I'd feel knowing my Atlanta Falcons team had a 25 point lead with just over a quarter to play.

I'm in a daze this morning, a little depressed and feel like I can never truly love sports again. But I don't feel it in my heart the way I have some other disappointing Arizona losses through the years. I can laugh this one off, it was a pitiful performance in every way.

But I still ache a little from the 2 losses to the Rockets and the loss to Duke in the finals and the miserable comeback loss to Illinois or the last second touchdown catch by Pittsburgh or the late game collapse against Santa Clara and many others. So, worst loss ever yeah, but not worst feeling ever (for me, anyway).