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1979–80 Phoenix Suns season

The 1979–80 Phoenix Suns season was the 12th season for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association and at 55–27, the team's best regular season record since the franchise's inception. The Suns defeated Western Conference foe Kansas City in the opening round of the playoffs, marking the first time the Suns had won a playoff series in back-to-back seasons. In the Western Conference semifinals, the Suns would lose to the Pacific-winning Los Angeles Lakers, who later went on to win the season's championship. The Suns were led by head coach John MacLeod, his seventh season with the team, and played all home games in Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Paul Westphal led the Suns in scoring with a 21.9 point-per-game average and earned All-NBA First Team honors, while Walter Davis was second in team scoring with a 21.5 average. Both Westphal and Davis would return as selections to the All-Star Game. Truck Robinson and Alvan Adams provided an inside presence, averaging 17 and 15 points per game to go with nine and eight rebounds each. Robinson would play in just three of the eight Suns' playoff games, however.

Offseason

NBA draft

Roster

Regular season

Standings

Game log

!!Streak |- |- | 1 | October 12 | Golden State | W 97–89 | Paul Westphal (25) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>11,785 | 1–0 | W 1 |- | 2 | October 14 | Chicago | W 112–102 | Walter Davis (20) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>10,039 | 2–0 | W 2 |- | 3 | October 16 | Seattle | W 102–86 | Alvan Adams (26) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>10,253 | 3–0 | W 3 |- | 4 | October 19 | @ Milwaukee | L 94–95 | Paul Westphal (29) | MECCA Arena<br>10,938 | 3–1 | L 1 |- | 5 | October 20 | @ Chicago | L 104–116 | Alvan Adams (32) | Chicago Stadium<br>12,117 | 3–2 | L 2 |- | 6 | October 21 | @ Kansas City | L 85–122 | Truck Robinson (21) | Kemper Arena<br>6,648 | 3–3 | L 3 |- | 7 | October 23 | Milwaukee | L 108–114 | Truck Robinson (34) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>10,538 | 3–4 | L 4 |- | 8 | October 24 | @ Golden State | W 110–108 (OT) | Paul Westphal (37) | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>6,296 | 4–4 | W 1 |- | 9 | October 26 | @ Seattle | W 92–86 | Walter Davis (22) | Kingdome<br>18,514 | 5–4 | W 2 |- | 10 | October 28 | @ Portland | W 89–88 | Paul Westphal (25) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,66 | 6–4 | W 3 |- | 11 | October 30 | San Antonio | W 142–109 | Truck Robinson (23) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>11,489 | 7–4 | W 4 |- !!Streak |- |- | 12 | November 2 | @ Los Angeles | L 110–112 | Alvan Adams (29) | The Forum<br>14,344 | 7–5 | L 1 |- | 13 | November 6 | @ Utah | W 120–107 | Paul Westphal (31) | Salt Palace<br>6,197 | 8–5 | W 1 |- | 14 | November 7 | | L 102–114 | Alvan Adams (23) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>11,097 | 8–6 | L 1 |- | 15 | November 9 | Cleveland | W 110–106 | Truck Robinson (25) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>10,911 | 9–6 | W 1 |- | 16 | November 11 | Denver | W 116–91 | Truck Robinson (26) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>11,118 | 10–6 | W 2 |- | 17 | November 14 | Indiana | W 104–100 | Walter Davis (30) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>9,762 | 11–6 | W 3 |- | 18 | November 16 | Portland | W 98–97 | Walter Davis (32) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>11,464 | 12–6 | W 4 |- | 19 | November 18 | Golden State | L 95–99 | Walter Davis | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>10,409 | 12–7 | L 1 |- | 20 | November 20 | @ | L 110–117 | Walter Davis (23) | San Diego Sports Arena<br>6,992 | 12–8 | L 2 |- | 21 | November 21 | Kansas City | W 128–120 | Walter Davis (28) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>10,704 | 13–8 | W 1 |- | 22 | November 23 | Los Angeles | W 126–112 | Paul Westphal (25) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 14–8 | W 2 |- | 23 | November 24 | @ Denver | W 115–101 | Walter Davis (40) | McNichols Sports Arena<br>13,664 | 15–8 | W 3 |- | 24 | November 25 | @ Portland | W 87–86 | Walter Davis (22) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,666 | 16–8 | W 4 |- | 25 | November 28 | @ Seattle | L 116–127 | Paul Westphal (30) | Kingdome<br>28,248 | 16–9 | L 1 |- !!Streak |- |- | 26 | December 1 | Chicago | W 99–86 | Truck Robinson,<br>Paul Westphal (17) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 17–9 | W 1 |- | 27 | December 4 | @ New York | L 114–118 | Paul Westphal (35) | Madison Square Garden<br>11,042 | 17–10 | L 1 |- | 28 | December 5 | @ New Jersey | L 100–115 | Walter Davis (28) | Rutgers Athletic Center<br>5,162 | 17–11 | L 2 |- | 29 | December 7 | @ Boston | L 92–100 | Walter Davis (27) | Boston Garden<br>15,320 | 17–12 | L 3 |- | 30 | December 8 | @ Philadelphia | L 96–117 | Truck Robinson (19) | The Spectrum<br>12,051 | 17–13 | L 4 |- | 31 | December 11 | @ Washington | W 123–99 | Paul Westphal (27) | Capital Centre<br>8,216 | 18–13 | W 1 |- | 32 | December 13 | Houston | W 121–113 | Walter Davis (31) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>11,841 | 19–13 | W 2 |- | 33 | December 15 | Detroit | W 126–105 | Walter Davis (32) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>11,844 | 20–13 | W 3 |- | 34 | December 19 | Utah | W 117–99 | Paul Westphal (20) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>10,501 | 21–13 | W 4 |- | 35 | December 21 | @ Chicago | W 127–117 | Truck Robinson (27) | Chicago Stadium<br>5,706 | 22–13 | W 5 |- | 36 | December 22 | @ Kansas City | W 115–111 | Paul Westphal (30) | Kemper Arena<br>8,868 | 23–13 | W 6 |- | 37 | December 23 | @ Milwaukee | W 106–103 | Paul Westphal (26) | MECCA Arena<br>10,938 | 24–13 | W 7 |- | 38 | December 26 | Portland | W 119–99 | Truck Robinson (21) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 25–13 | W 8 |- | 39 | December 28 | Kansas City | W 118–112 | Paul Westphal (31) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 26–13 | W 9 |- | 40 | December 30 | @ Los Angeles | L 105–113 | Paul Westphal (29) | The Forum<br>15,544 | 26–14 | L 1 |- !!Streak |- |- | 41 | January 2 | @ San Antonio | L 109–118 | Truck Robinson (29) | HemisFair Arena<br>8,276 | 26–15 | L 2 |- | 42 | January 5 | @ Houston | L 110–111 | Paul Westphal (26) | The Summit<br>9,122 | 26–16 | L 3 |- | 43 | January 9 | Golden State | W 113–100 | Walter Davis (19) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>11,706 | 27–16 | W 1 |- | 44 | January 12 | @ Golden State | L 96–107 | Walter Davis (19) | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>9,547 | 27–17 | L 1 |- | 45 | January 13 | Utah | W 106–103 | Paul Westphal (28) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>10,725 | 28–17 | W 1 |- | 46 | January 15 | @ Denver | W 107–99 | Paul Westphal (19) | McNichols Sports Arena<br>13,057 | 29–17 | W 2 |- | 47 | January 16 | @ Utah | W 115–108 | Truck Robinson (27) | Salt Palace<br>6,588 | 30–17 | W 3 |- | 48 | January 17 | Atlanta | W 101–99 | Paul Westphal (29) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 31–17 | W 4 |- | 49 | January 19 | | W 137–123 | Paul Westphal (30) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 32–17 | W 5 |- | 50 | January 23 | New York | L 109–119 | Paul Westphal (27) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>11,504 | 32–18 | L 1 |- | 51 | January 25 | Milwaukee | W 110–96 | Truck Robinson (23) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 33–18 | W 1 |- | 52 | January 27 | Philadelphia | W 125–118 | Paul Westphal (26) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 34–18 | W 2 |- | 53 | January 29 | @ | L 121–133 | Truck Robinson (31) | San Diego Sports Arena<br>11,428 | 34–19 | L 1 |- | 54 | January 30 | Denver | W 122–114 | Paul Westphal (30) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>11,069 | 35–19 | W 1 |- !!Streak |- |- | 55 | February 6 | Kansas City | W 97–95 | Walter Davis (21) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,310 | 36–19 | W 2 |- | 56 | February 8 | @ Chicago | W 113–109 | Mike Bratz (20) | Chicago Stadium<br>10,403 | 37–19 | W 3 |- | 57 | February 10 | @ Milwaukee | L 107–109 | Walter Davis (27) | MECCA Arena<br>10,938 | 37–20 | L 1 |- | 58 | February 13 | Boston | W 135–134 | Paul Westphal (34) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 38–20 | W 1 |- | 59 | February 15 | Washington | W 116–104 | Truck Robinson (26) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 39–20 | W 2 |- | 60 | February 17 | New Jersey | W 128–98 | Paul Westphal (24) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,466 | 40–20 | W 3 |- | 61 | February 19 | @ Cleveland | L 109–128 | Walter Davis (32) | Coliseum at Richfield<br>5,739 | 40–21 | L 1 |- | 62 | February 21 | @ Detroit | W 125–116 | Paul Westphal (49) | Pontiac Silverdome<br>5,317 | 41–21 | W 1 |- | 63 | February 22 | @ Atlanta | L 104–111 | Alvan Adams (19) | Omni Coliseum<br>13,150 | 41–22 | L 1 |- | 64 | February 24 | @ Indiana | W 113–105 | Walter Davis (29) | Market Square Arena<br>9,174 | 42–22 | W 1 |- | 65 | February 26 | @ Denver | L 112–121 | Truck Robinson (25) | McNichols Sports Arena<br>11,149 | 42–23 | L 1 |- | 66 | February 27 | Milwaukee | L 110–119 (OT) | Walter Davis (24) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>11,683 | 42–24 | L 2 |- | 67 | February 28 | @ Utah | W 111–101 | Paul Westphal (30) | Salt Palace<br>6,903 | 43–24 | W 1 |- !!Streak |- |- | 68 | March 2 | Los Angeles | W 125–115 | Paul Westphal (25) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 44–24 | W 2 |- | 69 | March 5 | Seattle | W 127–111 | Walter Davis (30) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 45–24 | W 3 |- | 70 | March 7 | Utah | W 110–94 | Walter Davis,<br>Paul Westphal (24) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,245 | 46–24 | W 4 |- | 71 | March 9 | Chicago | W 113–103 (OT) | Paul Westphal (32) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>11,210 | 47–24 | W 5 |- | 72 | March 12 | @ Golden State | W 122–113 | Paul Westphal (31) | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>6,936 | 48–24 | W 6 |- | 73 | March 15 | @ | L 109–120 | Truck Robinson (29) | San Diego Sports Arena<br>10,635 | 48–25 | L 1 |- | 74 | March 16 | @ Los Angeles | L 106–128 | Truck Robinson (26) | The Forum<br>16,587 | 48–26 | L 2 |- | 75 | March 18 | @ Kansas City | W 112–109 | Walter Davis (25) | Kemper Arena<br>11,448 | 49–26 | W 1 |- | 76 | March 19 | Los Angeles | W 112–108 | Paul Westphal (30) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 50–26 | W 2 |- | 77 | March 21 | @ Portland | W 111–100 | Truck Robinson (23) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,666 | 51–26 | W 3 |- | 78 | March 23 | Denver | W 118–102 | Walter Davis (27) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>11,705 | 52–26 | W 4 |- | 79 | March 25 | @ Seattle | L 95–104 | Walter Davis (21) | Kingdome<br>34,152 | 52–27 | L 1 |- | 80 | March 26 | Seattle | W 109–99 | Walter Davis (32) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 53–27 | W 1 |- | 81 | March 28 | Portland | W 114–100 | Walter Davis (20) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,224 | 54–27 | W 2 |- | 82 | March 30 | | W 122–104 | Walter Davis (23) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>10,807 | 55–27 | W 3 |-

Playoffs

Game log

|- | 1 | April 2 | Kansas City | W 96–93 | Paul Westphal (23) | Truck Robinson (14) | Walter Davis (7) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 1–0 |- | 2 | April 4 | @ Kansas City | L 96–106 | Alvan Adams (22) | Alvan Adams (12) | Alvan Adams (7) | Kemper Arena<br>9,637 | 1–1 |- | 3 | April 6 | Kansas City | W 114–99 | Walter Davis (22) | Alvan Adams (20) | Adams, Davis (7) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>11,306 | 2–1 |-

|- | 1 | April 8 | @ Los Angeles | L 110–119 | Mike Bratz (25) | Rich Kelley (10) | Don Buse (9) | The Forum<br>15,892 | 0–1 |- | 2 | April 9 | @ Los Angeles | L 128–131 (OT) | Paul Westphal (37) | Gar Heard (9) | Alvan Adams (12) | The Forum<br>14,286 | 0–2 |- | 3 | April 11 | Los Angeles | L 105–108 | Walter Davis (28) | Gar Heard (11) | Davis, Buse (5) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 0–3 |- | 4 | April 13 | Los Angeles | W 127–101 | Paul Westphal (25) | Gar Heard (9) | Buse, Adams (6) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 1–3 |- | 5 | April 15 | @ Los Angeles | L 101–126 | Walter Davis (24) | Adams, Cook (6) | Rich Kelley (7) | The Forum<br>17,505 | 1–4 |-

Awards and honors

All-Star

  • Paul Westphal was selected as a reserve for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his fourth consecutive All-Star selection. Westphal finished fourth in voting among Western Conference guards with 127,409 votes.
  • Walter Davis was selected as a reserve for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his third consecutive All-Star selection. Davis finished fourth in voting among Western Conference forwards with 100,546 votes.

Season

Player statistics

Season

|- align="center" bgcolor="" | || 75 || 63 || 28.9 || .531 || .000 || .797 || 8.1 || 4.3 || 1.4 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | .7<small>+</small> || 14.9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 82 || 1 || 19.4 || .392 || .244 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | .870 || 2.0 || 2.7 || 1.1 || .1 || 8.5 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | || 81 || 81 || 30.9 || .443 || .241 || .664 || 2.9 || 4.0 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 1.6 || .1 || 7.7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | || 66 || 14 || 13.7 || .469 || .000 || .806 || 3.7 || 1.3 || .4 || .3 || 5.5 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | || 75 || 73 || 30.8 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | .563 || .000 || .819 || 3.6 || 4.5 || 1.5 || .3 || 21.5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 82 || 5 || 17.1 || .417 || .000 || .744 || 4.6 || 1.2 || 1.0 || .6 || 5.0 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 82 || 0 || 13.7 || .446 || .143 || .674 || 2.1 || 1.5 || .9 || .2 || 5.0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | * || 23 || 0 || 16.2 || .506 || . || .783 || 5.1 || 2.2 || 1.2 || .7<small>+</small> || 5.8 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | || 54 || 6 || 13.2 || .469 || .000 || .800 || 2.8 || 1.4 || .5 || .1 || 3.5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 82 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 82 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 33.0 || .512 || . || .667 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 9.4 || 1.7 || .7 || .7 || 17.3 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | || 79 || 3 || 16.5 || .422 || .333<small>†</small> || .779 || 2.9 || 1.2 || .6 || .7 || 4.4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 82 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 82 || 32.5 || .525 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | .280<small>†</small> || .862 || 2.3 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 5.1 || 1.5 || .4 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 21.9

<small>* – Stats with the Suns.</small><br> <small>† – Minimum 25 three-pointers made.</small><br> <small>+ – Minimum 50 games played.</small>

Playoffs

|- align="center" bgcolor="" | || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 8 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 8 || 31.4 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | .566<small>†</small> || . || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | .895<small>^</small> || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 9.6 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 5.8 || .9 || 1.3 || 16.1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 8 || 0 || 21.1 || .512 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | .391 || .900<small>^</small> || 2.5 || 2.0 || 1.1 || .0 || 13.0 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 8 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 8 || 29.5 || .438 || .385 || .636 || 2.6 || 5.5 || .8 || .0 || 8.5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | || 7 || 0 || 14.0 || .667<small>†</small> || . || .846 || 3.0 || 1.0 || .6 || .3 || 7.7 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 8 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 8 || 30.6 || .504 || .000 || .737 || 2.9 || 4.4 || .5 || .1 || 20.8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 8 || 6 || 27.9 || .393 || . || .733 || 6.4 || 1.5 || 1.1 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 1.4 || 6.9 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 8 || 0 || 15.0 || .387 || .000 || .500 || 3.1 || 2.5 || .8 || .3 || 4.0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 8 || 0 || 18.3 || .432 || .000 || .900<small>^</small> || 4.5 || 2.8 || 1.1 || .9 || 5.9 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | || 3 || 2 || 21.3 || .375 || . || .714 || 6.7 || 1.3 || 1.0 || .7 || 5.7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 8 || 0 || 17.5 || .515 || .000 || .500 || 2.8 || 1.3 || .5 || .6 || 4.8 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 8 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 8 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 31.6 || .486 || .083 || .875 || 1.3 || 3.9 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 1.4 || .4 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 20.9

<small>† – Minimum 20 field goals made.</small><br> <small>^ – Minimum 10 free throws made.</small>

Transactions

Trades

Free agents

Additions

Subtractions

References