Phoenix Suns 2010-11 Media Guide - NBA Media Central
Phoenix Suns 2010-11 Media Guide - NBA Media Central
Phoenix Suns 2010-11 Media Guide - NBA Media Central
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Season Review 04-05<br />
194<br />
Review04-05<br />
Season<br />
Review04-05RECORD<br />
The <strong>Phoenix</strong> <strong>Suns</strong> posted one of the most remarkable turnarounds in <strong>NBA</strong><br />
history under the direction of new majority owner Robert Sarver and became only 62-20<br />
the second team in <strong>NBA</strong> history (1979-80 Boston Celtics) to post a 60-win season<br />
following a 50-loss season. Prior to the start of the season, few could have predicted what would<br />
ensue… best record in the <strong>NBA</strong>, the third-greatest turnaround in league history, a franchise-record<br />
tying 62 regular season victories, including a remarkable 31-10 road record, the team’s first trip to<br />
the Western Conference Finals since 1993, and <strong>NBA</strong> MVP (Steve Nash), Coach of the Year (Mike<br />
D’Antoni) and Executive of the Year (Bryan Colangelo) individual honors.<br />
Aided by the offseason signings of Nash and Quentin Richardson, the <strong>Suns</strong> jumped out to a 31-4<br />
start and never looked back. The two teamed with Amar’e Stoudemire, Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson<br />
to form one of the most explosive starting fives in the <strong>NBA</strong> in recent memory. The club’s high-octane<br />
offense posted the league’s highest scoring average in a decade (<strong>11</strong>0.4) and broke the <strong>NBA</strong> record for<br />
most three-pointers made in a single season (796).<br />
The surprising <strong>Suns</strong> were well represented at the 2005 All-Star Weekend in Denver with the entire<br />
starting five in attendance, including the outstanding trio of Nash, Stoudemire and Marion in the main<br />
event. Nash was the catalyst for the <strong>Suns</strong>’ 33-game improvement and was rewarded by becoming only<br />
the second <strong>Suns</strong> player (Charles Barkley, 1992-93) to be named <strong>NBA</strong> MVP after averaging 15.5 points<br />
and a career-high <strong>11</strong>.5 assists. In only his third <strong>NBA</strong> season, Stoudemire averaged a team-high 26.0<br />
points, trailing only Tom Chambers’ franchise-best 27.2 scoring average set in 1989-90. Marion, who<br />
averaged 19.4 points and a career-high <strong>11</strong>.3 rebounds, became only the second player ever (David<br />
Robinson, 1991-92) to rank in the top five in the league in rebounding and steals.<br />
After locking up home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, the top-seeded <strong>Suns</strong> earned their<br />
first sweep ever in a best-of-seven series by ousting the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round. Then<br />
despite losing Johnson to a devastating orbital bone fracture that sidelined him for the remainder of<br />
the Western Conference Semifinals in Game 2, the <strong>Suns</strong> bounced back in spectacular fashion to knock<br />
off the Dallas Mavericks in a thrilling six-game series. The eventual <strong>NBA</strong> Champion San Antonio Spurs<br />
knocked off the <strong>Suns</strong> 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals.<br />
FRONT ROW: Assistant Athletic Trainer Mike Elliott, Strength Coach/Assistant Trainer Erik Phillips, Athletic<br />
Trainer Aaron Nelson, Head Coach Mike D’Antoni, Steve Nash, Joe Johnson, Shawn Marion, Quentin Richardson,<br />
Jim Jackson, Leandro Barbosa, Assistant Coach Phil Weber, Equipment Manager Rich Howell, Assistant<br />
Equipment Manager Jay Gaspar. BACK ROW: Assistant Coach/<strong>NBA</strong> Scout Todd Quinter, Assistant Coach Marc<br />
Iavaroni, Bo Outlaw, Walter McCarty, Jake Voskuhl, Steven Hunter, Paul Shirley, Amar’e Stoudemire, Assistant<br />
Coach Alvin Gentry, Video Coordinator Noel Gillespie.
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