“If you are unsuccessful at first, try, try again.” The Phoenix Suns have embodied that kind of determination. Since joining the NBA, he has appeared in the playoffs 28 times. In about a quarter of those years (eight times to be exact), they have reached the end of the conference. In exactly a quarter of those series, the Suns advanced to the NBA Finals. Unfortunately, the Suns failed both times to win an NBA Championship.
How did the Suns start to shine? After a “team name” contest, the franchise chose the name “Suns” over other entries, including Cougars, Mavericks, Mustangs, Rattlers, Scorpions, Thunderbirds, and Wranglers. The name “Suns” is quite appropriate, considering that Phoenix’s AVERAGE temperature in the summer is about 103 ° F. Here are some interesting facts about the sun:
o The Sun contains hot gases that include various elements of Earth.
o The sun is 93 million miles (more or less) from Earth.
o The core of the Sun is at least 100,000,000 ° F.
o The Sun is about a million times brighter than a standard light bulb.
o You would need 100 Earths to cover the width of the Sun.
The Suns were born before the 1968-1969 season. In fact, the team was Phoenix’s first major professional sports team. Meanwhile, Dick Van Arsdale was the first player the Suns chose. Arsdale also scored the team’s first points in his first game, resulting in a 116-107 victory over the Seattle Supersonics. Unfortunately, the rest of the season was less successful, with the Suns winning a regular season record of 16-66.
Although the Phoenix Suns’ first playoff appearance was in 1970, they advanced much further during the 1975-1976 season. The Suns were on fire for the first and last part of the regular season, giving them a 42-40 record and a trip back to the playoffs.
Unlike their first playoff appearance, the Suns would be more successful in 1976. They would first outshine the Seattle Supersonics (4-2). In the Western Conference Finals, the Suns beat the Golden State Warriors, who were the defending champions of the NBA (4-3). Then, in the NBA Finals, Phoenix faced the Boston Celtics. In crucial Game 5, the Suns lost in triple overtime and ultimately lost the series (4-2).
The Suns did not get. Before the 1992-1993 season, they made a bold move by acquiring “Sir” Charles Barkley. The Suns finished the season with a 62-30 record, the best in the franchise.
Phoenix was now an official contender for the NBA Championship. In the playoffs, the Suns battled to beat the Lakers (3-2), eliminated the San Antonio Spurs (4-2), and then beat the Seattle Supersonics (4-3) in the Western Conference Finals. However, the Bulls won the NBA Finals Series (4-2) after John Paxton hit an open triple with five seconds left in Game 6.
The sun has never set on the Phoenix Suns’ chances of winning an NBA championship. Use Phoenix Suns merchandise to cheer the team on for a glittering NBA Finals trophy!
