1993–94 Phoenix Suns season

The 1993–94 NBA season was the 26th season for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Suns signed free agents; A.C. Green, who won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s, and also signed Joe Kleine. The Suns were led by Paul Westphal, in his second year as head coach of the Suns. All home games were played at America West Arena. The team got off to a 15–3 start after a 7-game winning streak in December, and held a 31–15 record at the All-Star break. At midseason, the team signed free agent Elliot Perry. The Suns won their final seven games of the season, finishing second in the Pacific Division with a 56–26 record.

1993–94 Phoenix Suns season
Head coachPaul Westphal
General managerJerry Colangelo
Owner(s)Jerry Colangelo
ArenaAmerica West Arena
Results
Record5626 (.683)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Pacific)
Conference: 3rd (Western)
Playoff finishConference semifinals
(lost to Rockets 3–4)

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television
RadioKTAR

Charles Barkley, an All-Star coming off an MVP season, led a Phoenix offense that had five players average at least 15 points per game or more, with Barkley averaging 21.6 points, 11.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. He appeared in 65 games, missing 17 due to a quadriceps tendon injury. In addition, point guard Kevin Johnson was the other 20-point scorer, averaging right at the mark with 20.0 points, and led the team with 9.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game; he also finished fifth in assist per game in the league for the season. In addition, Cedric Ceballos showed improvement, averaging 19.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, but only appeared in 53 games due to a foot injury, while Dan Majerle provided with 16.5 points and 1.6 steals per game, and led the league with 192 three-point field goals, and Green contributed 14.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Second-year center Oliver Miller averaged 9.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and led the Suns with 1.8 blocks per game, and Danny Ainge contributed 8.9 points per game off the bench.

In the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Suns swept the Golden State Warriors in three straight games, where Barkley scored a playoff career-high of 56 points in a 140–133 road win in Game 3. However, after taking a 2–0 series lead over the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Semi-finals, the Suns lost the series in seven games. The Rockets would go on to defeat the New York Knicks in seven games in the NBA Finals, winning their first ever championship.

Barkley and Johnson both returned to the All-Star Game, Barkley's eighth and for Johnson, his third and final All-Star selection. However, Barkley was injured and did not play in the All-Star Game, which was held in Minneapolis. At season's end, both players had earned All-NBA Second Team honors. Following the season, Ceballos was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, and Miller signed as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons, while Mark West was traded to the Pistons for a future draft pick.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.