Founded in 1968 as 1 of 2 new franchises to join the NBA, the Phoenix Suns have a history that’s just about as storied as the sport itself. Though they’ve never won an NBA Championship, the team has taken 6 division and 2 conference titles, and holds the record for the highest winning percentage of any team in the NBA that’s never won the NBA Finals. Over the years, the Phoenix-based squad has had many notable players, including Kevin Johnson, Charles Barkley, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Steve Nash. After several years of decline, the Suns are hoping to work their way back up to the top of the Western Conference, and fans flock to get tickets to watch them take on their rivals.
Alongside the Milwaukee Bucks, the Phoenix Suns joined the NBA in 1968 but didn’t see much success until nearly a decade later. With some key additions like Paul Westphal in 1975, they appeared in playoffs 8 times in 10 years. They made their first trip to the Finals in 1976 but ultimately lost in 6 games to the Boston Celtics. After a few years of struggles, the team returned to prominence in the late 1980s and ‘90s with All-Star players like Kevin Johnson, Charles Barkley, Jason Kidd, and Steve Nash. They appeared in 13 straight NBA Playoffs between 1989 and 2001, took 2 more Pacific Division titles, and became the Western Conference champions in 1993. They faced off against the Chicago Bulls in the Finals but lost the title in another 6 games. After being traded to the Dallas Mavericks, Nash returned to the Suns in 2004, where he played alongside towering rookie Amar'e Stoudemire. Together, they led the team back up the conference once again, earning 3 straight division titles between 2005 and ‘07.
With the loss of Stoudemire in 2010 and Nash in 2012, the team fell into another era of decline that they’re still attempting to work their way out of. They’ve only had 1 winning season since 2011 and have missed the playoffs every year since. Today, the team is in a period of rebuilding, working to create a roster around young players like Devin Booker, Josh Jackson, and Elfrid Payton. Grab tickets to watch them fight to regain their place at the top as they take on rivals like Chicago Bulls, the Houston Rockets, and the San Antonio Spurs.
