The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Suns began playing in the NBA as an expansion team in the 1968–69 NBA season. In their inaugural season, the Suns posted a win–loss record of 16–66. They participated in the playoffs only once in their first seven seasons.
In the 1975–76 season, a rookie Alvan Adams helped the team reach its first NBA Finals, which they lost to the Boston Celtics 4–2. Charles Barkley and Steve Nash won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award while playing for the Suns. Barkley led the Suns to the 1993 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Chicago Bulls. After signing with the Suns in 2004, Nash led the team to three straight division titles, but after reaching the conference finals in 2009–10 the Suns subsequently experienced their worst period of on-court failure, missing the playoffs for ten consecutive seasons until the 2020–21 season (the franchise's previous record playoff drought was five seasons, which happened after the team made the postseason in only their second year of existence during the 1969–70 campaign).
Despite their failures in the 2010s, the Suns franchise has the NBA's eighth-best all-time winning percentage, having won nearly 54% of their contests as of the conclusion of the 2022–23 NBA season. In their first forty-three seasons, the Suns made the playoffs 29 times, posted nineteen seasons with fifty or more wins, appeared nine times in the Western Conference finals, and advanced to the NBA Finals three times in 1976, 1993, and 2021. As a result, based on their all-time winning percentage, the Suns are the 2nd-most successful franchise to never win an NBA championship, behind only the Utah Jazz.
Table key
ASG MVPAll-Star Game Most Valuable PlayerCOYCoach of the YearFinishFinal position in league or division standingsGBGames behind first-place team in divisionLossesNumber of regular season lossesEOYExecutive of the YearJWKCJ. Walter Kennedy CitizenshipMVPMost Valuable PlayerROYRookie of the YearSIXSixth Man of the YearSPORSportmanship AwardWinsNumber of regular season winsWin%Winning percentage
Seasons Note: Statistics are correct as of the end of the . NBA championsConference championsDivision championsPlayoff berthPlay-in berth
Season League Conference Finish Division Finish Wins Losses Win% GBPlayoffsAwardsHead coach1968–69 NBA — — Western 7th 16 66 .195 Johnny Kerr 1969–70 NBA — — Western 4th 39 43 .476 Lost Division semifinals (Lakers) 4–3 Johnny KerrJerry Colangelo 1970–71 NBA Western 5th Midwest 3rd 48 34 .585 Cotton Fitzsimmons 1971–72 NBA Western 5th Midwest 3rd 49 33 .598 1972–73 NBA Western 6th Pacific 3rd 38 44 .463 Butch van Breda KolffJerry Colangelo 1973–74 NBA Western 8th Pacific 4th 30 52 .366 John MacLeod 1974–75 NBA Western 8th Pacific 4th 32 50 .390 1975–76 NBA Western 3rd Pacific 3rd 42 40 .512 Won conference semifinals (SuperSonics) 4–2 Won conference finals (Warriors) 4–3 Lost NBA Finals (Celtics) 4–2 Alvan Adams (ROY) Jerry Colangelo (EOY) 1976–77 NBA Western 10th Pacific 5th 34 48 .415 1977–78 NBA Western 3rd Pacific 2nd 49 33 .598 Lost First round (Bucks) 2–0 Walter Davis (ROY) 1978–79 NBA Western 3rd Pacific 2nd 50 32 .610 Won First round (Trail Blazers) 2–1 Won conference semifinals (Kings) 4–1 Lost conference finals (SuperSonics) 4–3 1979–80 NBA Western 4th Pacific 3rd 55 27 .671 Won First round (Kings) 2–1 Lost conference semifinals (Lakers) 4–1 1980–81 NBA Western 1st Pacific1st 57 25 .695 — Lost conference semifinals (Kings) 4–3 Jerry Colangelo (EOY) 1981–82 NBA Western 5th Pacific 3rd 46 36 .561 Won First round (Nuggets) 2–1 Lost conference semifinals (Lakers) 4–0 1982–83 NBA Western 3rd Pacific 2nd 53 29 .646 Lost First round (Nuggets) 2–1 1983–84 NBA Western 6th Pacific 4th 41 41 .500 Won First round (Trail Blazers) 3–2 Won conference semifinals (Jazz) 4–2 Lost conference finals (Lakers) 4–2 1984–85 NBA Western 8th Pacific 3rd 36 46 .439 Lost First round (Lakers) 3–0 1985–86 NBA Western 9th Pacific 3rd 32 50 .390 1986–87 NBA Western 9th Pacific 5th 36 46 .439 John MacLeodDick Van Arsdale 1987–88 NBA Western 9th Pacific 4th 28 54 .341 John Wetzel 1988–89 NBA Western 3rd Pacific 2nd 55 27 .671 Won First round (Nuggets) 3–0 Won conference semifinals (Warriors) 4–1 Lost conference finals (Lakers) 4–0 Eddie Johnson (SIX) Kevin Johnson (MIP)Cotton Fitzsimmons (COY) Jerry Colangelo (EOY) Cotton Fitzsimmons 1989–90 NBA Western 5th Pacific 3rd 54 28 .659 Won First round (Jazz) 3–2 Won conference semifinals (Lakers) 4–1 Lost conference finals (Trail Blazers) 4–2 1990–91 NBA Western 4th Pacific 3rd 55 27 .671 Lost First round (Jazz) 3–1 Kevin Johnson (JWKC) 1991–92 NBA Western 4th Pacific 3rd 53 29 .646 Won First round (Spurs) 3–0 Lost conference semifinals (Trail Blazers) 4–1 1992–93 NBA Western 1st Pacific 1st 62 20 .756 — Won First round (Lakers) 3–2 Won conference semifinals (Spurs) 4–2 Won conference finals (SuperSonics) 4–3 Lost NBA Finals (Bulls) 4–2 Charles Barkley (MVP) Jerry Colangelo (EOY) Paul Westphal 1993–94 NBA Western 3rd Pacific 2nd 56 26 .683 Won First round (Warriors) 3–0 Lost conference semifinals (Rockets) 4–3 1994–95 NBA Western 2nd Pacific 1st 59 23 .720 — Won First round (Trail Blazers) 3–0 Lost conference semifinals (Rockets) 4–3 1995–96 NBA Western 7th Pacific 4th 41 41 .500 Lost First round (Spurs) 3–1 Paul WestphalCotton Fitzsimmons 1996–97 NBA Western 7th Pacific 4th 40 42 .488 Lost First round (SuperSonics) 3–2 Cotton FitzsimmonsDanny Ainge 1997–98 NBA Western 4th Pacific 3rd 56 26 .683 Lost First round (Spurs) 3–1 Danny Manning (SIX) Danny Ainge 1998–99 NBA Western 7th Pacific 3rd 27 23 .540 Lost First round (Trail Blazers) 3–0 1999–00 NBA Western 5th Pacific 3rd 53 29 .646 Won First round (Spurs) 3–1 Lost conference semifinals (Lakers) 4–1 Rodney Rogers (SIX) Danny AingeScott Skiles 2000–01 NBA Western 6th Pacific 3rd 51 31 .623 Lost First round (Kings) 3–1 Scott Skiles 2001–02 NBA Western 10th Pacific 6th 36 46 .439 Scott SkilesFrank Johnson 2002–03 NBA Western 8th Pacific 4th 44 38 .537 Lost First round (Spurs) 4–2 Amar'e Stoudemire (ROY) Frank Johnson 2003–04 NBA Western 13th Pacific 6th 29 53 .354 Frank JohnsonMike D'Antoni 2004–05 NBA Western 1st Pacific 1st 62 20 .756 — Won First round (Grizzlies) 4–0 Won conference semifinals (Mavericks) 4–2 Lost conference finals (Spurs) 4–1 Steve Nash (MVP)Mike D'Antoni (COY) Bryan Colangelo (EOY) Mike D'Antoni 2005–06 NBA Western 2nd Pacific 1st 54 28 .659 — Won First round (Lakers) 4–3 Won conference semifinals (Clippers) 4–3 Lost conference finals (Mavericks) 4–2 Steve Nash (MVP)Boris Diaw (MIP) 2006–07 NBA Western 2nd Pacific 1st 61 21 .744 — Won First round (Lakers) 4–1 Lost conference semifinals (Spurs) 4–2 Leandro Barbosa (SIX)Steve Nash (JWKC) 2007–08 NBA Western 6th Pacific 2nd 55 27 .671 Lost First round (Spurs) 4–1 Grant Hill (SPOR) 2008–09 NBA Western 9th Pacific 2nd 46 36 .561 Shaquille O'Neal (ASG MVP) Terry PorterAlvin Gentry 2009–10 NBA Western 3rd Pacific 2nd 54 28 .659 Won First round (Trail Blazers) 4–2 Won conference semifinals (Spurs) 4–0 Lost conference finals (Lakers) 4–2 Grant Hill (SPOR) Alvin Gentry 2010–11 NBA Western 10th Pacific 2nd 40 42 .488 2011–12 NBA Western 10th Pacific 3rd 33 33 .500 2012–13 NBA Western 15th Pacific 5th 25 57 .305 Alvin GentryLindsey Hunter 2013–14 NBA Western 9th Pacific 3rd 48 34 .585 Goran Dragić (MIP) Jeff Hornacek 2014–15 NBA Western 10th Pacific 3rd 39 43 2015–16 NBA Western 14th Pacific 4th 23 59 Jeff HornacekEarl Watson 2016–17 NBA Western 15th Pacific 5th 24 58 Earl Watson 2017–18 NBA Western 15th Pacific 5th 21 61 Earl WatsonJay Triano 2018–19 NBA Western 15th Pacific 5th 19 63 Igor Kokoškov 2019–20 NBA Western 10th Pacific 3rd 34 39 Monty Williams 2020–21 NBA Western 2nd Pacific 1st 51 21 .708 — Won First round (Lakers) 4–2 Won conference semifinals (Nuggets) 4–0 Won conference finals (Clippers) 4–2Lost NBA Finals (Bucks) 4–2 James Jones (EOY) 2021–22 NBA Western 1st Pacific 1st 64 18 .780 — Won First round (Pelicans) 4–2 Lost conference semifinals (Mavericks) 4–3 Monty Williams (COY) 2022–23 NBA Western 4th Pacific 2nd 45 37 Won First round (Clippers) 4–1 Lost conference semifinals (Nuggets) 4–2 2023–24 NBA Western 6th Pacific 2nd 49 33 Lost First round (Timberwolves) 4–0 Frank Vogel 2024–25 NBA Western 11th Pacific 5th 36 46 Mike Budenholzer 2025–26 NBA Western 8th Pacific 2nd 45 37 Lost First round (Thunder) 4–0 Jordan Ott
All-time records StatisticWinsLossesWin%Regular season record (1968–present) 2,510 2,179 Postseason record (1968–present) 160 168 All-time regular and post-season record (1968–present) 2,670 2,347
Notes
This is determined by adding the absolute difference in wins between the leading team and the team of interest to the absolute difference in losses between the two teams, and dividing by two. Because of a lockout, the season did not start until February 5, 1999, and all 29 teams played a shortened 50-game regular season schedule. Because of a lockout, the season did not start until December 25, 2011, and all 30 teams played a shortened 66-game regular season schedule. Shaquille O'Neal shared the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player award with Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers. Fell to 8th after losing to the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA play-in tournament.
References General
Citations