Phoenix Suns 2010-11 Media Guide - NBA Media Central

Season Review 88-89
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Review88-89
Review88-89
Season
RECORD
When the season began, no one predicted that the Suns would end up
with the fourth-best record in the NBA and give the defending World 55-27
Champion Los Angeles Lakers a serious run for the Pacific Division title.
However, the Suns did just that on their way to the third-biggest turnaround in NBA history,
improving by 27 games.
The 1988-89 Suns did not resemble any past Suns squads as Jeff Hornacek was the lone
holdover from two years before. Director of Player Personnel Cotton Fitzsimmons took over
as head coach prior to the season and brought assistant coaches Paul Westphal, Lionel
Hollins and Truck Robinson on board.
The Suns won 55 games, including 18 of their last 22 games. They were the only team in
the league to have three players average 20-plus points (Tom Chambers 25.7, Eddie
Johnson 21.5, Kevin Johnson 20.4) and led the league with 118.6 points per game.
The Suns set a new Coliseum attendance record with an average of 12,465 fans at home
and 18 sellouts, also a franchise record.
The Suns defeated Denver in the first round of the playoffs and won their second round
series against Golden State 4-1. Next up were the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.
They played the Lakers tough but fell 4-0.
The Suns were showered with postseason awards. Eddie Johnson won the NBA Sixth Man
Award, Kevin Johnson was named the Most Improved Player, Fitzsimmons won NBA Coach of
the Year and President and CEO Jerry Colangelo was named NBA Executive of the Year for
the third time. It was the first time in NBA history that a single team won four postseason
league awards. Chambers and KJ were also selected to the All-NBA Second Team.
FRONT ROW: Assistant Coach Lionel Hollins, Assistant Coach Paul Westphal, Dan Majerle, Dean Garrett, Mark
West, Armon Gilliam, Tyrone Corbin, Trainer Joe Proski, Head Coach Cotton Fitzsimmons.
BACK ROW: Kevin Johnson, Jeff Hornacek, Winston Crite, Eddie Johnson, Kenny Gattison, Andrew Lang, Tom
Chambers, Tim Perry, Steve Kerr, Craig Hodges.