The Phoenix Suns History In Game 7
In this story:
History will be made when the Phoenix Suns conclude their back-and-forth series with the Dallas Mavericks. With each team defending its home court in the Western Conference Semifinals, it will all come down to a final meeting in Game 7.
The illustrious Game 7 is the pinnacle of competition. It is the finality of sports that doesn’t exist during the regular season, it is simply win or go home. Unlike any other elimination game, both teams are participants. Fans of both teams are held in suspense as the season lives or dies.
It is what every player imagines as they pretend to hit the game winning shot in some concrete court in a park.
Since their first season in 1968, the Suns have reach the seventh game of a series nine times. In NBA history, 14 teams have played more seven-game series’ than the Suns, as the Celtics lead the way with 33 appearances. When the Suns take the court vs. Dallas tonight, it will the be their first Game 7 in 16 years.
Phoenix has watched the other team celebrate five times while they have enjoyed the thrill of victory on four occasions.
Fans attending the franchise’s 10th Game 7 most likely watched when Phoenix had their most successful run at the final game of the series.
The Suns sped to a 54-28 record during the 2005-06 season. With the third best record in the Western Conference, the Suns lined up with the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round.
Following a victory in Game 1, the Suns dropped three straight games to the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers. Phoenix bounced back to pull off two consecutive wins and returned to their home court for Game 7.
Inside America West Arena, the crowd exploded with excitement as the Suns went to outscore the Lakers 32-to-15 in the first quarter, never giving up the lead. Coming off the bench, Suns guard Leanadro Barbosa led the game in scoring with 26 points, helping the team to a 121-90 victory.
There would not be any rest for Phoenix as they entered a literal back-and-forth series with the Los Angeles Clippers, with each team trading off a win followed by a loss. Again, the series ended in Phoenix and again the game ended in another double-digit win. The Suns would fall short in the Western Conference Finals, losing in six games to the Dallas Mavericks.
The 2006 playoffs was the only time the Suns had ever played in two Game 7’s in one playoff tournament. The Lakers series was the first Game 7 for the Steve Nash and Shawn Marion-led Suns.
Phoenix’s core players heading into this year's Game 7 in Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and DeAndre Ayton have yet to play in a Game 7 together. Last season, the farthest any series the Suns played was a Game 6. Paul has played the final game of a series seven times in his career, earning a 3-4 record.
Before 2005, Game 7’s were commonplace. From 1993-95 Phoenix played in at least one series with a game seven.
In 1993, the Suns fell to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals after previously playing a hard-fought battle with the Seattle SuperSonics. Held in Phoenix, the final game was won in large part to Charles Barkley’s 44-point performance.
The “Round Mound of Rebound” and the Suns would fall to the Houston Rockets in two consecutive seasons that ultimately came down to a Game 7 match. In 1995, the Rockets won on the road 115-114 to send Phoenix into the offseason. It was only the second time the Suns had lost when they had home-court advantage with a Game 7.
As the home team, the Suns team are 3-2. Before “the seven seconds or less” Suns, Phoenix had struggled to find victory at home losing two of its three opportunities.
Phoenix had their first Game 7 two seasons into its existence. In fact, the Suns’ first playoff game went down to the wire. In 1970, the Suns’ first playoff opponent was the Lakers. Phoenix, still a young franchise, willed itself to three consecutive victories before the Lakers answered back and sent the Suns packing.
From 1976-81, the Suns played in three series’ that went down to a Game 7. Their 1976 Western Conference Final victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 7 sent them to their first championship appearance.
Since 1947, the NBA has hosted 142 Game 7 matchups. The Suns have participated in 6.3% of those games.
