1993–94 Phoenix Suns season

The 1993–94 Phoenix Suns 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 NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s, and also signed Joe Kleine.

With the addition of Green, the Suns got off to a 15–3 start to the regular season after a seven-game winning streak in December, and later on held a 31–15 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team signed free agent and second-year guard Elliot Perry. The Suns won their final seven games of the season, and finished in second place in the Pacific Division with a 56–26 record, earning the third seed in the Western Conference. The team qualified for the NBA playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.

Reigning MVP Charles Barkley averaged 21.6 points, 11.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game in 65 games, missing 17 due to a quadriceps tendon injury, while Kevin Johnson averaged 20.0 points, 9.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game. 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 sustained during the preseason, while three-point specialist Dan Majerle contributed 16.5 points and 1.6 steals per game, and led the league with 192 three-point field goals, and Green provided the team with 14.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, second-year center Oliver Miller provided with 9.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, Danny Ainge contributed 8.9 points per game off the bench, and Mark West averaged 4.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Barkley and Johnson were both selected for the 1994 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Western Conference All-Star team, although Barkley did not participate due to injury; it was the eighth All-Star selection for Barkley, and the third and final selection for Johnson. Both players were also named to the All-NBA Second Team at the end of the season, while Barkley finished in tenth place in Most Valuable Player voting, and Johnson finished in eleventh place.

In the Western Conference First Round of the 1994 NBA playoffs, the Suns faced off against the 6th–seeded Golden State Warriors, a team that featured All-Star guard Latrell Sprewell, Rookie of the Year, Chris Webber, and All-Star forward Chris Mullin. The Suns won the first two games over the Warriors at home at the America West Arena, before winning Game 3 on the road, 140–133 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena, in which Barkley scored a playoff career-high of 56 points; the Suns won the series over the Warriors in a three-game sweep.

In the Western Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the 2nd–seeded, and Midwest Division champion Houston Rockets, a team that featured All-Star center, Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year, Hakeem Olajuwon, Otis Thorpe and Vernon Maxwell. The Suns took a 2–0 series lead, but then lost the next three games to the Rockets. The Suns won Game 6 at the America West Arena, 103–89 to even the series, but then lost Game 7 to the Rockets on the road, 104–94 at The Summit, thus losing in a hard-fought seven-game series. The Rockets would go on to defeat the New York Knicks in a full seven-game series in the 1994 NBA Finals, winning their first ever NBA championship in franchise history.

The Suns finished sixth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 779,952 at the America West Arena during the regular season. Following the season, Ceballos was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, and Miller signed as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons, while West was traded to the Pistons in exchange for a future draft pick.

Offseason

NBA draft

Roster

Roster Notes

• Small forward Richard Dumas was suspended indefinitely without pay by the NBA for refusing to cooperate in substance-abuse rehabilitation.

Regular season

Standings

Game log

Regular season

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | November 5, 1993 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 108–116 | | | | Great Western Forum | 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | November 7, 1993 | Sacramento | W 132–110 | | | | America West Arena | 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | November 9, 1993 | @ L.A. Clippers | W 114–99 | | | | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | November 10, 1993 | San Antonio | W 101–93 | | | | America West Arena | 3–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | November 13, 1993 | @ Houston | L 95–99 | | | | The Summit | 3–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 6 | November 16, 1993 | @ Golden State | W 116–104 | | | | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 4–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 | November 19, 1993 | Portland | W 118–109 | | | | America West Arena | 5–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 8 | November 20, 1993 | Cleveland | W 112–96 | | | | America West Arena | 6–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 9 | November 24, 1993 | Denver | W 130–97 | | | | America West Arena | 7–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 10 | November 27, 1993 | Utah | W 120–98 | | | | America West Arena | 8–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 11 | November 30, 1993 | @ Chicago | L 113–132 | | | | Chicago Stadium | 8–3

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 12 | December 2, 1993 | @ Detroit | W 102–101 | | | | The Palace of Auburn Hills | 9–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 13 | December 3, 1993 | @ New Jersey | W 104–103 | | | | Brendan Byrne Arena | 10–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 14 | December 5, 1993 | @ Milwaukee | W 117–98 | | | | Bradley Center | 11–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | December 9, 1993 | Washington | W 114–95 | | | | America West Arena | 12–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 16 | December 11, 1993 | @ Dallas | W 114–103 | | | | Reunion Arena | 13–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 17 | December 13, 1993 | Milwaukee | W 112–104 | | | | America West Arena | 14–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 | December 15, 1993 | Golden State | W 110–104 | | | | America West Arena | 15–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 19 | December 17, 1993 | Orlando | L 101–104 | | | | America West Arena | 15–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 20 | December 18, 1993 | L.A. Clippers | W 116–109 | | | | America West Arena | 16–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 21 | December 20, 1993 | Indiana | W 102–94 | | | | America West Arena | 17–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | December 21, 1993 | @ Denver | L 95–121 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 17–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 | December 23, 1993 | @ Seattle | W 87–86 | | | | Seattle Center Coliseum | 18–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 24 | December 25, 1993 | Houston | W 111–91 | | | | America West Arena | 19–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 | December 27, 1993 | Boston | W 118–102 | | | | America West Arena | 20–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 26 | December 30, 1993 | Philadelphia | W 119–107 | | | | America West Arena | 21–5

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 | January 4, 1994 | Seattle | L 106–112 | | | | America West Arena | 21–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 28 | January 5, 1994 | @ Utah | W 107–91 | | | | Delta Center | 22–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 | January 7, 1994 | @ Minnesota | W 110–103 | | | | Target Center | 23–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 | January 9, 1994 | Golden State | W 122–107 | | | | America West Arena | 24–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 31 | January 11, 1994 | Charlotte | L 93–95 | | | | America West Arena | 24–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 32 | January 13, 1994 | @ San Antonio | L 88–107 | | | | Alamodome | 24–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 33 | January 15, 1994 | @ Sacramento | W 119–103 | | | | ARCO Arena | 25–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 34 | January 17, 1994 | @ Golden State | L 99–104 | | | | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 25–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 35 | January 18, 1994 | Dallas | W 113–103 | | | | America West Arena | 26–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 36 | January 20, 1994 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 102–107 | | | | Great Western Forum | 26–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 37 | January 22, 1994 | Portland | W 118–117 | | | | America West Arena | 27–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 38 | January 25, 1994 | @ New York | L 96–98 | | | | Madison Square Garden | 27–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 39 | January 26, 1994 | @ Atlanta | L 107–116 | | | | The Omni | 27–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 40 | January 28, 1994 | @ Philadelphia | W 108–103 | | | | The Spectrum | 28–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 41 | January 30, 1994 | @ Boston | L 94–106 | | | | Boston Garden | 28–13

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 42 | February 1, 1994 | L.A. Clippers | W 108–106 | | | | America West Arena | 29–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 43 | February 3, 1994 | @ Portland | L 105–126 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 29–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 44 | February 6, 1994 | Chicago | W 89–88 | | | | America West Arena | 30–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 45 | February 8, 1994 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 104–107 | | | | Great Western Forum | 30–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 46 | February 9, 1994 | Minnesota | W 111–106 | | | | America West Arena | 31–15 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- style="background:#cfc;" |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 47 | February 16, 1994 | Portland | W 126–100 | | | | America West Arena | 32–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 48 | February 18, 1994 | L.A. Lakers | W 113–96 | | | | America West Arena | 33–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 49 | February 19, 1994 | @ Houston | L 88–106 | | | | The Summit | 33–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 50 | February 21, 1994 | Sacramento | W 112–86 | | | | America West Arena | 34–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 51 | February 24, 1994 | @ Minnesota | W 120–101 | | | | Target Center | 35–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 52 | February 25, 1994 | @ Utah | L 87–107 | | | | Delta Center | 35–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 53 | February 27, 1994 | New York | W 92–78 | | | | America West Arena | 36–17

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 54 | March 3, 1994 | @ Golden State | L 107–120 | | | | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 36–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 55 | March 4, 1994 | Minnesota | W 106–101 | | | | America West Arena | 37–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 56 | March 6, 1994 | Utah | L 92–103 | | | | America West Arena | 37–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 57 | March 8, 1994 | @ Charlotte | L 89–97 | | | | Charlotte Coliseum | 37–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 58 | March 9, 1994 | @ Washington | W 142–106 | | | | USAir Arena | 38–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 59 | March 11, 1994 | @ Miami | W 122–107 | | | | Miami Arena | 39–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 60 | March 13, 1994 | @ Orlando | W 100–93 | | | | Orlando Arena | 40–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 61 | March 15, 1994 | @ Cleveland | W 119–106 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 41–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 62 | March 16, 1994 | @ Indiana | L 98–109 | | | | Market Square Arena | 41–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 63 | March 18, 1994 | Detroit | L 113–114 | | | | America West Arena | 41–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 64 | March 19, 1994 | New Jersey | W 105–93 | | | | America West Arena | 42–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 65 | March 22, 1994 | Miami | W 124–118 (OT) | | | | America West Arena | 43–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 66 | March 24, 1994 | @ Seattle | L 106–116 | | | | Seattle Center Coliseum | 43–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 67 | March 25, 1994 | Dallas | W 99–94 | | | | America West Arena | 44–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 68 | March 27, 1994 | Houston | W 113–98 | | | | America West Arena | 45–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 69 | March 31, 1994 | @ L.A. Clippers | W 117–102 | | | | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 46–23

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 70 | April 1, 1994 | Atlanta | W 93–87 | | | | America West Arena | 47–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 71 | April 3, 1994 | Denver | W 108–98 | | | | America West Arena | 48–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 72 | April 5, 1994 | @ Portland | L 113–135 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 48–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 73 | April 6, 1994 | San Antonio | W 107–95 | | | | America West Arena | 49–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 74 | April 8, 1994 | @ Sacramento | L 101–104 | | | | ARCO Arena | 49–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 75 | April 10, 1994 | @ Seattle | L 108–111 | | | | Seattle Center Coliseum | 49–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 76 | April 12, 1994 | @ Denver | W 107–102 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 50–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 77 | April 13, 1994 | L.A. Lakers | W 117–88 | | | | America West Arena | 51–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 78 | April 16, 1994 | @ San Antonio | W 96–94 | | | | Alamodome | 52–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 79 | April 18, 1994 | @ Dallas | W 106–97 | | | | Reunion Arena | 53–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 80 | April 19, 1994 | Seattle | W 122–116 | | | | America West Arena | 54–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 81 | April 22, 1994 | L.A. Clippers | W 127–121 | | | | America West Arena | 55–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 82 | April 23, 1994 | Sacramento | W 101–100 | | | | America West Arena | 56–26

Playoffs

Game log

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | April 29, 1994 | Golden State | W 111–104 | Charles Barkley (36) | Charles Barkley (19) | Barkley, Johnson (7) | America West Arena<br>19,023 | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | May 1, 1994 | Golden State | W 117–111 | Kevin Johnson (38) | A.C. Green (10) | Kevin Johnson (9) | America West Arena<br>19,023 | 2–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | May 4, 1994 | @ Golden State | W 140–133 | Charles Barkley (56) | Charles Barkley (14) | Kevin Johnson (12) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>15,025 | 3–0

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | May 8, 1994 | @ Houston | W 91–87 | Charles Barkley (21) | Charles Barkley (12) | Kevin Johnson (12) | The Summit<br>15,073 | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | May 11, 1994 | @ Houston | W 124–117 (OT) | Charles Barkley (34) | Charles Barkley (15) | Barkley, Johnson (6) | The Summit<br>16,611 | 2–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | May 13, 1994 | Houston | L 102–118 | Kevin Johnson (38) | Charles Barkley (14) | Kevin Johnson (12) | America West Arena<br>19,023 | 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | May 15, 1994 | Houston | L 96–107 | Kevin Johnson (38) | Charles Barkley (14) | Kevin Johnson (12) | America West Arena<br>19,023 | 2–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | May 17, 1994 | @ Houston | L 86–109 | Charles Barkley (30) | Oliver Miller (7) | Henry, Miller (3) | The Summit<br>16,611 | 2–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 6 | May 19, 1994 | Houston | W 103–89 | Kevin Johnson (28) | Charles Barkley (15) | Kevin Johnson (13) | America West Arena<br>19,023 | 3–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 | May 21, 1994 | @ Houston | L 94–104 | Kevin Johnson (25) | Charles Barkley (15) | Kevin Johnson (11) | The Summit<br>16,611 | 3–4 |-

Awards and honors

• During the preseason period, the Suns would win the 1993 McDonald's Open championship from October 21-23, winning the championship match over Italy's Buckler Beer Bologna.

Week/Month

• Charles Barkley was named Player of the Week for games played November 15 through November 21.
• Oliver Miller was named Player of the Week for games played December 27 through January 2.

All-Star

• Charles Barkley was voted as a starter for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his eighth consecutive All-Star selection. Barkley led all players in voting with 794,936 votes. Barkley was unable to play due to injury and was replaced by Gary Payton.
• Kevin Johnson was selected as a reserve for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his third All-Star selection. Johnson finished third in voting among Western Conference guards with 431,885 votes.
• Other Suns players receiving All-Star votes were A.C. Green (368,601) and Dan Majerle (329,618).

Season

• Charles Barkley was named to the All-NBA Second Team. Barkley also finished tenth in MVP voting.
• Kevin Johnson was named to the All-NBA Second Team. Johnson also finished 11th in MVP voting.
• Dan Majerle led the league in three-point field goals with 192.

Player statistics

Season

<small>* – Stats with the Suns.</small><br> <small>† – Minimum 50 three-pointers made.</small><br> <small>^ – Minimum 125 free-throws made.</small>

Playoffs

<small>† – Minimum 20 field goals made.</small>

Player statistics citation:

Transactions

Trades

Free agents

Additions

Subtractions

Player Transactions Citation:

References

• Standings on Basketball Reference