The 1994–95 Phoenix Suns season was the 27th season for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association. The city of Phoenix, Arizona hosted the NBA All-Star weekend at the America West Arena this season.
Season summary
Off-season During the off-season, the Suns signed free agents, All-Star forward Danny Manning, Wayman Tisdale, and Danny Schayes. The team had the 23rd overall pick in the 1994 NBA draft, and selected shooting guard Wesley Person from the University of Auburn.
For the season, the Suns revealed new black alternate road uniforms, which featured a purple and orange trim, and a purple side panel with an orange outline on the left leg of their shorts; these uniforms would remain in use until 2000.
Regular season With the addition of Manning, Tisdale and Person, the Suns won 10 of their first 13 games of the regular season, and posted a seven-game winning streak in December. The team posted another seven-game winning streak in January, and later on held the league's best record at 38–10 before the All-Star break. The Suns won eight of their final nine games of the season, and finished in first place in the Pacific Division with a 59–23 record, earning the second seed in the Western Conference. It was the first time in the team's franchise history, in which they had ended the season with 55 or more wins for three consecutive seasons; the Suns qualified for the NBA playoffs for the seventh consecutive year.
Charles Barkley averaged 23.0 points, 11.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game, while Manning averaged 17.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, but only appeared in just 46 games due to a torn ligament in his left knee, which sidelined him for the remainder of the regular season, as he did not appear in any NBA playoff games for the Suns. In addition, Kevin Johnson provided the team with 15.5 points and 7.7 assists per game, despite only playing just 47 games due to injuries, while three-point specialist Dan Majerle contributed 15.6 points and 4.1 assists per game, and finished the season tied for second with 199 three-point field goals, and A.C. Green provided with 11.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Person contributed 10.4 points per game and 116 three-point field goals, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, while Tisdale contributed 10.0 points per game, Elliot Perry played most of the regular season as the team's starting point guard in Johnson's absence, as he averaged 9.7 points, 4.8 assists and led the Suns with 1.9 steals per game, and Danny Ainge contributed 7.7 points per game off the bench.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at the America West Arena in Phoenix, Barkley and Majerle were both selected for the 1995 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Western Conference All-Star team, while head coach Paul Westphal was selected to coach the Western Conference; it was the ninth All-Star selection for Barkley, and the third and final selection for Majerle. In addition, Majerle also participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout, while Person and undrafted rookie point guard Trevor Ruffin were both selected for the NBA Rookie Game, as members of the White team. After the regular season had ended, Barkley was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and also finished in sixth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Perry finished in second place in Most Improved Player voting, behind Dana Barros of the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Suns finished seventh in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 779,943 at the America West Arena during the regular season.
NBA playoffs In the Western Conference First Round of the 1995 NBA playoffs, the Suns faced off against the 7th–seeded Portland Trail Blazers, a team that featured All-Star forward Clifford Robinson, Rod Strickland, and sixth man Otis Thorpe. The Suns won the first two games over the Trail Blazers at home at the America West Arena, before winning Game 3 on the road, 117–109 at the Memorial Coliseum to win the series in a three-game sweep.
In the Western Conference Semi-finals, and for the second consecutive year, the Suns faced off against the 6th–seeded, and defending NBA champion Houston Rockets, a team that featured All-Star center Hakeem Olajuwon, All-Star guard Clyde Drexler, and Robert Horry. The Suns won the first two games at the America West Arena, then after losing Game 3 to the Rockets on the road, 118–85 at The Summit, the Suns won Game 4 on the road, 114–110 to take a 3–1 series lead over the Rockets. However, the Rockets managed to win the next three games, as the Suns lost Game 7 to the Rockets at the America West Arena, 115–114, thus losing in a hard-fought seven-game series.
The Rockets would go on to defeat the Orlando Magic in a four-game sweep in the 1995 NBA Finals, winning their second consecutive NBA championship.
Aftermath Following the season, Majerle was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers after seven seasons with the Suns, while Ainge retired. Meanwhile, Richard Dumas signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers, Schayes signed with the Miami Heat during the next season, and Ruffin was left unprotected in the 1995 NBA expansion draft, where he was selected by the Vancouver Grizzlies expansion team.
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College / Team 1 23 Wesley Person SG/SF Auburn 2 29 Antonio Lang SF Duke 2 50 Charles Claxton C Georgia 2 52 Anthony Goldwire PG Houston
Roster
Regular season
Standings
Regular season
Game log
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 | December 22, 19946:00p.m. MST | @ Houston | L 106–114 | Manning (23) | Barkley (14) | Manning, Perry (6) | The Summit16,611 | 18–6
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 46 | February 5, 19951:30p.m. MST | Houston | L 100–124 | Barkley (24) | Barkley (11) | Barkley (7) | America West Arena19,023 | 36–10 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- style="background:#cfc;" |- bgcolor="#bbffbb"
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 60 | March 7, 19956:00p.m. MST | @ Houston | W 113–102 | Barkley (26) | Barkley (14) | Johnson (11) | The Summit16,611 | 46–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 68 | March 24, 19957:00p.m. MST | Houston | L 97–99 | Barkley (34) | Barkley (26) | Johnson (10) | America West Arena19,023 | 49–19
Playoffs
Game log
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | April 28 | Portland | W 129–102 | Charles Barkley (29) | Charles Barkley (16) | Kevin Johnson (10) | America West Arena19,023 | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | April 30 | Portland | W 103–94 | Kevin Johnson (28) | A.C. Green (15) | Kevin Johnson (6) | America West Arena19,023 | 2–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | May 2 | @ Portland | W 117–109 | Charles Barkley (47) | Charles Barkley (12) | Kevin Johnson (11) | Memorial Coliseum12,888 | 3–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | May 9, 19957:30p.m. MST | Houston | W 130–108 | Barkley (26) | Green (15) | Johnson (13) | America West Arena19,023 | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | May 11, 19957:30p.m. MST | Houston | W 118–94 | Barkley (30) | Green (14) | Johnson (12) | America West Arena19,023 | 2–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | May 13, 199510:00a.m. MST | @ Houston | L 85–118 | Johnson (14) | Green (9) | Ainge, Barkley, Johnson (4) | The Summit16,611 | 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | May 14, 199510:00a.m. MST | @ Houston | W 114–110 | Johnson (43) | Green (12) | Johnson (9) | The Summit16,611 | 3–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | May 16, 19957:30p.m. MST | Houston | L 97–103 (OT) | Johnson (28) | Barkley, Green (20) | Johnson (8) | America West Arena19,023 | 3–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 | May 18, 19955:30p.m. MST | @ Houston | L 103–116 | Barkley (34) | Barkley (14) | Johnson (10) | The Summit16,611 | 3–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 | May 20, 199512:30p.m. MST | Houston | L 114–115 | Johnson (46) | Barkley (23) | Johnson (10) | America West Arena19,023 | 3–4
Awards and honors
Week/Month Elliot Perry was named Player of the Week for games played November 14 through November 20. Charles Barkley was named Player of the Week for games played February 13 through February 19.
All-Star Charles Barkley was voted as a starter for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his ninth consecutive All-Star selection. Barkley finished first in voting among Western Conference forwards with 1,046,105 votes. Dan Majerle was voted as a starter for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his third All-Star selection. Majerle finished first in voting among Western Conference guards with 868,115 votes. Paul Westphal coached the Western Conference in the All-Star Game, which was held in Phoenix for the second time. The West defeated the East 139–112. Other Suns players receiving All-Star votes were: Danny Manning (327,554). Dan Majerle was selected to compete in the Three-Point Shootout. Majerle was eliminated in the first round. Wesley Person and Trevor Ruffin were selected to play in the Rookie Challenge.
Season Charles Barkley was named to the All-NBA Second Team. Barkley also finished sixth in MVP voting. Wesley Person was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Elliot Perry finished second in Most Improved Player voting.
Injuries/Missed games 10/08/94: Richard Dumas: League suspension (failed drug test); reinstated March 13 11/03/94: Charles Barkley: Strained stomach muscle; placed on injured list until November 26 11/03/94: Aaron Swinson: Sprained ankle; placed on injured list until November 15 11/11/94: Kevin Johnson: Sprained rib cage muscle; out until November 18 11/12/94: Danny Ainge: Flu; did not play 11/15/94: Antonio Lang: Back spasms; placed on injured list until February 6 11/16/94: Wayman Tisdale: Sprained ankle; out until November 29 11/23/94: Kevin Johnson: Sore knee; did not play 11/26/94: Kevin Johnson: Strained groin; placed on injured list until December 12 11/27/94: Charles Barkley: Strained stomach muscle; did not play 12/12/94: Kevin Johnson: Strained groin; did not play 12/12/94: Aaron Swinson: Knee tendinitis; placed on injured list until December 29 01/03/95: Kevin Johnson: Strained quadriceps; out until January 22 01/03/95: Wayman Tisdale: Flu; did not play 01/26/95: Kevin Johnson: Strained quadriceps; out until February 19 01/29/95: Wesley Person: Sore foot; out until February 3 02/03/95: Wayman Tisdale: Separated rib cartilage; out until February 17 02/06/95: Danny Manning: Torn ACL; placed on injured list for rest of season 02/17/95: Danny Ainge: League suspension (punched Chris Dudley on February 15); did not play 02/26/95: Joe Kleine: Personal reasons; did not play 02/28/95: Charles Barkley: Sprained knee; did not play 03/01/95: Charles Barkley: Sprained knee; did not play 03/14/95: Wayman Tisdale: Strained rib; placed on injured reserve until March 24 03/24/95: Trevor Ruffin: Bruised shoulder; did not play 03/24/95: Antonio Lang: Sprained knee; placed on injured list for rest of season 03/31/95: Richard Dumas: Urinary tract infection; did not play 04/02/95: Richard Dumas: Urinary tract infection; did not play 04/09/95: Danny Ainge: Bruised knee, sore back; did not play 04/09/95: Danny Ainge: Bruised knee, sore back; did not play 04/15/95: Charles Barkley: League suspension (exceeded flagrant foul limit); did not play 05/09/95: Richard Dumas: Bruised wrist; out until waived on May 18
Player statistics
Season