1984–85 Phoenix Suns season
The 1984–85 Phoenix Suns season was the 17th season for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association. The Suns were without All-Star Walter Davis for much of the season due to injury. They would be without him in the playoffs, extending a then-franchise record to eight consecutive seasons even though the Suns finished the regular season with the team's first losing record since the 1976–77 season. The Suns' playoff run would not last long, being swept in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs by the eventual league champions, the Los Angeles Lakers. The team was led by head coach John MacLeod, in his 12th year with the Suns, and played all home games in Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
| 1984–85 Phoenix Suns season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | John MacLeod |
| General manager | Jerry Colangelo |
| Owners | Richard L. Bloch |
| Arena | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum |
| Results | |
| Record | 36–46 (.439) |
| Place | Division: 3rd (Pacific) Conference: 8th (Western) |
| Playoff finish | First round (lost to Lakers 0–3) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Local media | |
| Television | KNXV-TV |
| Radio | KTAR |
Larry Nance would earn his first career All-Star selection, and led the Suns in scoring for the first time, averaging 20 points per game. He also tied with Maurice Lucas for team leader in rebounds, each averaging 8.8 on the season. Walter Davis was hampered by an injury, starting just nine games on the season and averaging only 15.0 points, while 7-footer James Edwards brought in 14.9 points per game.
Offseason
NBA draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | Jay Humphries | Guard | Colorado | |
| 2 | 36 | Charles Jones | Forward | Louisville | |
| 3 | 59 | Murray Jarman | Forward | Clemson | |
| 4 | 82 | Jeff Collins | Guard | UNLV | |
| 5 | 105 | Bill Flye | Center | Richmond | |
| 6 | 128 | Herman Veal | Forward | Maryland | |
| 7 | 151 | Raymond Crenshaw | Forward | Oklahoma State | |
| 8 | 174 | Mark Fothergill | Forward | Maryland | |
| 9 | 196 | Buddy Cox | Forward | Bellarmine | |
| 10 | 218 | Ezra Hill | Guard | Liberty Baptist |
Roster
| Phoenix Suns roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Regular season
Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| y-Los Angeles Lakers | 62 | 20 | .756 | – | 36–5 | 26–15 | 18–12 |
| x-Portland Trail Blazers | 42 | 40 | .512 | 20 | 33–8 | 15–26 | 17–13 |
| x-Phoenix Suns | 36 | 46 | .439 | 26 | 32–9 | 10–31 | 14–16 |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 31 | 51 | .378 | 31 | 31–10 | 10–31 | 16–14 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 31 | 51 | .378 | 31 | 27–14 | 10–31 | 13–17 |
| Golden State Warriors | 22 | 60 | .268 | 40 | 25–16 | 5–36 | 12–18 |
| # | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
| 1 | c-Los Angeles Lakers | 62 | 20 | .756 | – |
| 2 | y-Denver Nuggets | 52 | 30 | .634 | 10 |
| 3 | x-Houston Rockets | 48 | 34 | .585 | 14 |
| 4 | x-Dallas Mavericks | 44 | 38 | .537 | 18 |
| 5 | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 42 | 40 | .512 | 20 |
| 6 | x-Utah Jazz | 41 | 41 | .500 | 21 |
| 7 | x-San Antonio Spurs | 41 | 41 | .500 | 21 |
| 8 | x-Phoenix Suns | 36 | 46 | .439 | 26 |
| 9 | Seattle SuperSonics | 31 | 51 | .378 | 31 |
| 10 | Los Angeles Clippers | 31 | 51 | .378 | 31 |
| 11 | Kansas City Kings | 31 | 51 | .378 | 31 |
| 12 | Golden State Warriors | 22 | 60 | .268 | 40 |
Record vs. opponents
| 1984–85 NBA records | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAC | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | — | 1–4 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 0–5 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 |
| Boston | 4–1 | — | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 |
| Chicago | 3–3 | 2–4 | — | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–2 |
| Cleveland | 3–3 | 0–6 | 4–2 | — | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| Dallas | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | 2–4 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 1–5 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | — | 0–2 | 5–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 2–0 |
| Detroit | 5–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 |
| Golden State | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 0–2 | — | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | — | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 0–2 |
| Indiana | 0–6 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–4 |
| Kansas City | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | — | 3–2 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 |
| L.A. Clippers | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | — | 0–6 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| L.A. Lakers | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 6–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–1 |
| Milwaukee | 4–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 3–3 | 5–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| New Jersey | 3–3 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | — | 6–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–2 |
| New York | 3–3 | 0–6 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 0–6 | — | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–6 |
| Philadelphia | 5–0 | 3–3 | 5–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| Phoenix | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | — | 3–3 | 1–4 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Portland | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | — | 3–2 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| San Antonio | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–3 | — | 4–1 | 1–5 | 0–2 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 1–4 | — | 3–2 | 2–0 |
| Utah | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 2–3 | — | 1–1 |
| Washington | 3–3 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 6–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — |
Game log
Playoffs
Game log
| 1985 playoff game log | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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First Round: 0–3 (home: 0–1; road: 0–2)
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| 1985 schedule | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Awards and honors
Week/Month
- Larry Nance was named Player of the Week for games played October 26 through November 4.
All-Star
- Larry Nance was selected as a reserve for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. Nance finished fifth in voting among Western Conference forwards with 287,665 votes.
- Larry Nance competed in the Slam Dunk Contest. Nance, the 1984 Dunk champion, was eliminated in the semifinals.
Season
- Kyle Macy led the league in free throw percentage with 90.7%.
Player statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
Season
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alvan Adams | 82 | 69 | 26.0 | .520 | . | .883 | 6.1 | 3.8 | 1.4 | .6 | 14.7 |
| Walter Davis | 23 | 9 | 24.8 | .450 | .300 | .877 | 1.5 | 4.3 | .8 | .0 | 15.0 |
| James Edwards | 70 | 58 | 25.5 | .501 | .000 | .746 | 5.5 | 2.2 | .4 | .7 | 14.9 |
| Rod Foster | 79 | 1 | 16.7 | .450 | .325† | .755 | 1.0 | 2.4 | .8 | .0 | 8.8 |
| Mike Holton | 74 | 59 | 23.8 | .446 | .311 | .814 | 1.8 | 2.7 | .8 | .1 | 8.4 |
| Jay Humphries | 80 | 39 | 25.8 | .446 | .200 | .829 | 2.1 | 4.4 | 1.3 | .1 | 8.8 |
| Charles Jones | 78 | 14 | 20.1 | .520 | .000 | .648 | 5.1 | 1.6 | .6 | .8 | 8.4 |
| Maurice Lucas | 63 | 22 | 26.5 | .476 | .000 | .750 | 8.8 | 2.3 | .6 | .3 | 13.4 |
| Kyle Macy | 65 | 52 | 31.0 | .485 | .271 | .907 | 2.8 | 5.8 | 1.3 | .0 | 11.0 |
| Larry Nance | 61 | 55 | 36.1 | .587 | .500† | .709 | 8.8 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 19.9 |
| Charles Pittman | 68 | 3 | 14.7 | .471 | .000 | .747 | 3.3 | 1.0 | .3 | .3 | 4.8 |
| Rick Robey | 4 | 0 | 12.0 | .222 | . | .500 | 2.0 | 1.3 | .5 | .0 | 1.3 |
| Mike Sanders | 21 | 11 | 19.9 | .486 | . | .763 | 4.2 | 1.4 | 1.1 | .2 | 10.2 |
| Alvin Scott | 77 | 18 | 16.1 | .429 | .200 | .716 | 2.1 | 1.6 | .5 | .3 | 3.6 |
| Michael Young | 2 | 0 | 5.5 | .333 | .000 | . | 1.0 | 0.0 | .0 | .0 | 2.0 |
† – Minimum 25 three-pointers made.
Playoffs
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alvan Adams | 3 | 3 | 26.3 | .500 | . | .833 | 5.7 | 3.7 | 2.3 | .3 | 17.0 |
| Rod Foster | 3 | 0 | 18.7 | .280 | .000 | .750 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 1.7 | .0 | 6.7 |
| Mike Holton | 3 | 0 | 18.3 | .474 | .000 | 1.000 | 0.7 | 3.0 | .0 | .0 | 7.3 |
| Jay Humphries | 3 | 3 | 30.0 | .645 | . | .750 | 1.7 | 5.3 | .7 | .0 | 16.3 |
| Charles Jones | 2 | 0 | 17.0 | .600 | . | 1.000 | 1.5 | 1.5 | .0 | 1.5 | 6.0 |
| Maurice Lucas | 3 | 0 | 28.0 | .468 | . | .789 | 11.0 | 3.3 | .7 | .7 | 19.7 |
| Kyle Macy | 3 | 3 | 28.3 | .500 | .250 | .800 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 2.0 | .0 | 10.3 |
| Charles Pittman | 3 | 3 | 27.3 | .609 | . | .706 | 6.3 | 3.0 | .0 | 1.0 | 13.3 |
| Mike Sanders | 3 | 3 | 30.3 | .595 | . | .800 | 5.0 | 3.3 | 1.7 | .0 | 17.3 |
| Alvin Scott | 3 | 0 | 21.3 | .250 | .000 | .833 | 2.7 | 3.3 | .3 | 1.3 | 3.7 |
Transactions
Additions
| Date | Player | Contract | Old Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 24, 1984 | Michael Holton | Undisclosed | Puerto Rico Coquis (CBA) |
| November 27, 1984 | Michael Young | Undisclosed |
Subtractions
| Date | Player | Reason Left | New Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 12, 1984 | Paul Westphal | Waived | |
| December 10, 1984 | Michael Young | Waived | Detroit Spirits (CBA) |