1979–80 Phoenix Suns season


The 1979-80 Phoenix Suns season was the 12th season for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association and at 55-27, the team's best regular season record since the franchise's inception. The Suns defeated Western Conference foe Kansas City in the opening round of the playoffs, marking the first time the Suns had won a playoff series in back-to-back seasons. In the Western Conference Semifinals, the Suns would lose to the Pacific-winning Los Angeles Lakers, who later went on to win the season's championship. The Suns were led by head coach John MacLeod, his seventh season with the team, and played all home games in Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Paul Westphal led the Suns in scoring with a 21.9 point-per-game average and earned All-NBA First Team honors, while Walter Davis was second in team scoring with a 21.5 average. Both Westphal and Davis would return as selections to the All-Star Game. Truck Robinson and Alvan Adams provided an inside presence, averaging 17 and 15 points per game to go with nine and eight rebounds each. Robinson would play in just three of the eight Suns' playoff games, however.

Offseason

NBA Draft

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityCollege
122Kyle MacyGuardUnited StatesKentucky
224Johnny HighGuardUnited StatesNevada
364Al GreenGuardUnited StatesLouisiana State
486Malcolm CesareForwardUnited StatesFlorida
5107Mark EatonCenterUnited StatesCypress JC
6127Dale ShackelfordForwardUnited StatesSyracuse
7147Ollie MatsonForwardUnited StatesPepperdine
8165Charles JonesCenterUnited StatesAlbany State
9183Hosea ChampineGuardUnited StatesRobert Morris
10201Korky NelsonCenterUnited StatesSanta Clara

Roster

Regular season

Standings

Record vs. opponents

Game log

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Playoffs

Game log

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Awards and honors

All-Star

Season

Playoffs

Transactions

Trades

Free agents

Additions

Subtractions