1992–93 Phoenix Suns season

The 1992–93 Phoenix Suns season was the 25th season for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association.^[1] This season was most memorable for the Suns acquiring controversial All-Star power forward Charles Barkley from the Philadelphia 76ers,^[2][3][4] signing free agent Danny Ainge,^[5][6][7] and hiring Paul Westphal as their new head coach.^[8][9][10] This was also the team's first season playing at their new arena, the America West Arena, which had a seating capacity of 19,023.

Head coachPaul Westphal

General managerJerry Colangelo

OwnerJerry Colangelo

ArenaAmerica West Arena

Quick facts Phoenix Suns season, Head coach ...

1992–93 Phoenix Suns season
Conference champions
Division champions
Head coach	Paul Westphal
General manager	Jerry Colangelo
Owner	Jerry Colangelo
Arena	America West Arena
Results
Record	62–20 (.756)
Place	Division: 1st (Pacific) Conference: 1st (Western)
Playoff finish	NBA Finals (lost to Bulls 2–4)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
Television	KUTP ASPN
Radio	KTAR
< 1991–92 1993–94 >

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Under Westphal, and with the addition of Barkley and Ainge, the Suns got off to a 7–4 start to the regular season, and then posted a 14-game winning streak in December; the team posted a 14–0 record that month, which led them to a 21–4 start to the season.^[11] The team posted a six-game winning streak in January, and later on held a 38–10 record at the All-Star break.^[12] The Suns posted an 11-game winning streak between March and April, and finished in first place in the Pacific Division with a league-best 62–20 record, earning the first seed in the Western Conference.^[13] The team set the franchise record for most wins in a season (the record was later tied in the 2004–05 season and later broken in the 2021-22 NBA season).

Barkley averaged 25.6 points, 12.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, and was named the NBA Most Valuable Player of the Year,^[14][15][16] while Dan Majerle averaged 16.9 points and 1.7 steals per game, finished tied in first place in the league with 167 three-point field goals, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. In addition, point guard Kevin Johnson provided the team with 16.1 points, 7.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game, but only played just 49 games due to groin, hamstring and knee injuries,^[17][18][19] and rookie small forward Richard Dumas contributed 15.8 points and 1.8 steals per game, and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, despite only playing just 48 games due to injury; Dumas was drafted by the Suns in the 1991 NBA draft, but was suspended for all of the previous season for violating the NBA's substance abuse policy.

Meanwhile, Cedric Ceballos provided with 12.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, and also led the league with .576 in field-goal percentage, while Tom Chambers played a sixth man role off the bench, averaging 12.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, and Ainge contributed 11.8 points per game and 150 three-point field goals, also off the bench. Negele Knight contributed 6.1 points per game, but only played 52 games due to injury, first-round draft pick Oliver Miller from the University of Arkansas provided with 5.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and led the team with 1.8 blocks per game off the bench, and starting center Mark West averaged 5.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.^[20]

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, Barkley and Majerle were both selected for the 1993 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Western Conference All-Star team, while Westphal was selected to coach the Western Conference.^[21][22][23] In addition, Majerle also participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout,^[24][25] while Ceballos participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest for the second consecutive year; Ceballos won the Slam Dunk Contest the previous year.^[24][25] Majerle finished tied in fifth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting,^[26] while Ceballos finished tied in eleventh place in Most Improved Player voting,^[26] Ainge finished tied in second place in Sixth Man of the Year voting, behind Clifford Robinson of the Portland Trail Blazers, and with Chambers finishing in fifth place,^[27][26] and Westphal finished in fourth place in Coach of the Year voting.^[28][26]

In the Western Conference First Round of the 1993 NBA playoffs, the Suns faced off against the 8th–seeded Los Angeles Lakers, a team that featured All-Star forward James Worthy, Sedale Threatt and Byron Scott. The Suns struggled losing the first two games to the Lakers at home, which included a Game 2 loss at the America West Arena, 86–81.^[29][30][31] Despite the threat of elimination, the Suns managed to win the next two games on the road, including a Game 4 win over the Lakers at the Great Western Forum, 101–86 to even the series. The Suns won Game 5 over the Lakers at the America West Arena in overtime, 112–104 to win in a hard-fought five-game series.^[32][33][34]

In the Western Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the 5th–seeded San Antonio Spurs, who were led by the trio of All-Star center David Robinson, All-Star forward Sean Elliott, and Dale Ellis. The Suns took a 2–0 series lead, but then lost the next two games to the Spurs on the road at the HemisFair Arena. After winning Game 5 at the America West Arena, 109–97, the Suns won Game 6 over the Spurs at the HemisFair Arena, 102–100, as Barkley hit a game-winning buzzer-beater to win the series in six games.^[35][36][37]

In the Western Conference Finals, the Suns then faced off against the 3rd–seeded Seattle SuperSonics, a team that featured All-Star forward Shawn Kemp, Ricky Pierce and Gary Payton. The Suns took a 3–2 series lead before losing Game 6 to the SuperSonics on the road, 118–102 at the Seattle Center Coliseum. With the series tied at 3–3, the Suns won Game 7 over the SuperSonics at the America West Arena, 123–110, in which Barkley scored 44 points along with 24 rebounds; the Suns defeated the SuperSonics in a hard-fought seven-game series, and advanced to the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history.^[38][39][40]

In the 1993 NBA Finals, the Suns faced off against the 2nd–seeded, and 2-time defending NBA champion Chicago Bulls, who were led by the trio of All-Star guard Michael Jordan, All-Star forward Scottie Pippen, and Horace Grant. The Suns lost the first two games to the Bulls at home at the America West Arena, but managed to win Game 3 on the road in triple-overtime, 129–121 at the Chicago Stadium. The Suns went on to lose the series to the Bulls in six games; in Game 6 at the America West Arena, Bulls reverse guard John Paxson hit a game-winning three-point shot as the Bulls defeated the Suns, 99–98 to win their third consecutive NBA championship.^[41][42][43]

The Suns finished fifth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 779,943 at the America West Arena during the regular season;^[20][44] the team also sold-out all 41 of their home games during the season. Following the season, Chambers signed as a free agent with the Utah Jazz after five seasons with the Suns.^[45][46][47]

One notable incident of the regular season occurred on March 23, 1993, during a home game against the New York Knicks at the America West Arena. A brawl occurred when Johnson ran into Knicks guard Doc Rivers at the end of the first half; Rivers chased Johnson in retaliation, and Knicks guard Greg Anthony, who was dressed in street clothes because of a sprained ankle, came off the Knicks' bench and punched Johnson.^[48][49][50] Anthony was fined $20,500 and suspended for five games, while Johnson was fined $15,000 and suspended for two games, and Rivers was fined $10,000 and suspended for two games.^[51][52][53] The Suns defeated the Knicks, 121–92.^[54]

For the season, the Suns revealed a new primary logo, known as the "Streaking Sun" logo, and added a changed shade of purple to their color scheme of orange,^[55] plus adding new uniforms, which featured the team's new logo on the front of their jerseys.^[56][57] The team's new primary logo, and new uniforms would both remain in use until 2000. This was the last time the Suns would reach the NBA Finals until the 2020–21 season.