1985–86 Phoenix Suns season
The 1985–86 Phoenix Suns season was the 18th season for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association. The Suns finished the regular season tied with their third-worst record to that point, going just 32–50. Coupled with every team in the Western Conference's Midwest division finishing with a better record than all but two teams from the Pacific division, and the Suns were out of the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons, ending a then-franchise record streak for consecutive playoff berths. The Suns were led by head coach John MacLeod, in his 13th year with the Suns, and played all home games in Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
1985–86 Phoenix Suns season | |
---|---|
Head coach | John MacLeod |
General manager | Jerry Colangelo |
Owners | Richard Bloch |
Arena | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum |
Results | |
Record | 32–50 (.390) |
Place | Division: 3rd (Pacific) Conference: 9th (Western) |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | KNXV-TV |
Radio | KTAR |
Walter Davis bounced back from injury that caused him to miss the majority of the previous season, leading the Suns in scoring at 22 points per game, his highest output since his 1978–79 season with the Suns. Phoenix boasted a pair of 20–20 scorers, as Larry Nance continued to increase his scoring each season since being drafted five seasons by Phoenix, with a 20.2 average a game for the season. Nance would finish the season ranked third in the NBA in field goal percentage and lead the Suns in rebounds. Mike Sanders came off the bench and appeared in all 82 regular season games, averaging a career-high 11.0 points a game.
Offseason
NBA Draft
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College / Club |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 10 | Ed Pinckney | Forward | Villanova | |
2 | 32 | Nick Vanos | Center | Santa Clara | |
3 | 56 | Jerry Everett | Guard | Lamar | |
4 | 78 | Granger Hall | Forward | Temple | |
5 | 102 | Shawn Campbell | Center | Weber State | |
6 | 124 | Charles Rayne | Guard | Temple | |
7 | 148 | Georgi Glouchkov | Forward |
Roster
Phoenix Suns roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Regular season
- The Suns were the last winless team, starting the season 0-9.
- On February 18, 1986, Alvin Robertson recorded the second quadruple-double (double digits in four statistical categories in a single game) in NBA history, when he registered 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals while playing for the Spurs against the Suns.[1] He is also the only player to do so with steals as the fourth category (the other three were with blocks).[2]
Standings
Pacific Division | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y-Los Angeles Lakers | 62 | 20 | .756 | – | 35–6 | 27–14 | 23–7 |
x-Portland Trail Blazers | 40 | 42 | .488 | 22 | 27–14 | 13–28 | 18–12 |
Phoenix Suns | 32 | 50 | .390 | 30 | 23–18 | 9–32 | 16–14 |
Los Angeles Clippers | 32 | 50 | .390 | 30 | 22–19 | 10–31 | 10–20 |
Seattle SuperSonics | 31 | 51 | .378 | 31 | 24–17 | 7–34 | 11–19 |
Golden State Warriors | 30 | 52 | .366 | 32 | 24–17 | 6–35 | 12–18 |
# | Western Conference | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
1 | c-Los Angeles Lakers | 62 | 20 | .756 | – |
2 | y-Houston Rockets | 51 | 31 | .622 | 11 |
3 | x-Denver Nuggets | 47 | 35 | .573 | 15 |
4 | x-Dallas Mavericks | 44 | 38 | .537 | 18 |
5 | x-Utah Jazz | 42 | 40 | .512 | 20 |
6 | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 40 | 42 | .488 | 22 |
7 | x-Sacramento Kings | 37 | 45 | .451 | 25 |
8 | x-San Antonio Spurs | 35 | 47 | .427 | 27 |
9 | Phoenix Suns | 32 | 50 | .390 | 30 |
10 | Los Angeles Clippers | 32 | 50 | .390 | 30 |
11 | Seattle SuperSonics | 31 | 51 | .378 | 31 |
12 | Golden State Warriors | 30 | 52 | .366 | 32 |
Record vs. opponents
1985-86 NBA Records | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | UTA | WAS |
Atlanta | — | 0–6 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–4 |
Boston | 6–0 | — | 5–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 |
Chicago | 1–5 | 1–5 | — | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 |
Cleveland | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–6 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 |
Dallas | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 3–3 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 |
Denver | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | — | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 |
Detroit | 2–4 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
Golden State | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | — | 0–5 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 |
Houston | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 5–0 | — | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 |
Indiana | 1–5 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 5–1 |
L.A. Clippers | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 0–2 | — | 2–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 0–2 |
L.A. Lakers | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 5–0 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 |
Milwaukee | 3–3 | 0–5 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 4–2 | 6–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
New Jersey | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | — | 5–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 |
New York | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 1–5 | — | 0–6 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 |
Philadelphia | 1–4 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 6–0 | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
Phoenix | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 2–4 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 |
Portland | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–2 | — | 3–2 | 1–4 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 |
Sacramento | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | — | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 |
San Antonio | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 1–5 | — | 2–3 | 2–4 | 2–0 |
Seattle | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 0–5 | 3–2 | — | 2–3 | 1–1 |
Utah | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3–2 | — | 1–1 |
Washington | 4–1 | 1–5 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — |
Awards and honors
Week/Month
- Larry Nance was named Player of the Week for games played December 16 through December 22.
All-Star
This was the first year in franchise history that the Suns were not represented in the All-Star Game.
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 | 78 | 45 | 25.7 | .502 | . | .783 | 6.1 | 4.2 | 1.3 | .6 | 10.8 |
Walter Davis | 70 | 62 | 32.0 | .485 | .237 | .843 | 2.9 | 5.2 | 1.4 | .0 | 21.8 |
Devin Durrant | 4 | 0 | 12.8 | .381 | . | .250 | 2.0 | 1.3 | .8 | .0 | 4.3 |
James Edwards | 52 | 51 | 25.3 | .542 | . | .702 | 5.8 | 1.4 | .4 | .6 | 16.3 |
Rod Foster | 48 | 0 | 14.7 | .390 | .281 | .719 | 1.2 | 2.5 | .5 | .0 | 4.2 |
Georgi Glouchkov | 49 | 16 | 15.8 | .402 | 1.000 | .574 | 3.3 | 0.7 | .5 | .5 | 4.9 |
Mike Holton* | 4 | 0 | 16.3 | .200 | .000 | .667 | 0.8 | 1.8 | .5 | .0 | 3.0 |
Jay Humphries | 82 | 82 | 33.3 | .479 | .138 | .767 | 3.2 | 6.4 | 1.6 | .1 | 11.0 |
Charles Jones | 43 | 18 | 17.3 | .457 | .000 | .510 | 4.5 | 1.2 | .7 | .6 | 4.7 |
Larry Nance | 73 | 69 | 34.0 | .581† | .000 | .698 | 8.5 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 20.2 |
Ed Pinckney | 80 | 24 | 20.0 | .558 | .000 | .673 | 3.9 | 1.1 | .9 | .5 | 8.5 |
Charles Pittman | 69 | 17 | 16.4 | .583† | . | .702 | 3.6 | 0.8 | .5 | .3 | 5.1 |
Rick Robey | 46 | 1 | 13.7 | .377 | .000 | .688 | 3.2 | 1.3 | .4 | .1 | 3.8 |
Mike Sanders | 82 | 5 | 20.0 | .513 | .200 | .809 | 3.3 | 1.8 | .9 | .4 | 11.0 |
Bernard Thompson | 61 | 20 | 21.0 | .489 | .000 | .809 | 2.3 | 2.2 | .8 | .2 | 8.5 |
Sedric Toney* | 10 | 0 | 20.6 | .441 | .300 | .667 | 2.3 | 2.6 | .5 | .0 | 7.5 |
Nick Vanos | 11 | 0 | 18.4 | .319 | . | .348 | 5.5 | 1.5 | .2 | .5 | 4.9 |
* – Stats with the Suns.
† – Minimum 300 field goals made.
Transactions
Trades
June 14, 1985 |
To Portland Trail Blazers----
|
To Phoenix Suns---- |
August 19, 1985 |
To Los Angeles Lakers---- | To Phoenix Suns----
|
October 4, 1985 |
To Chicago Bulls----
Suns agree to waive their right of first refusal on free agent Kyle Macy |
To Phoenix Suns----
|
Free agents
Additions
Date | Player | Contract | Old Team |
---|---|---|---|
September 26, 1985 | Alvin Scott | Re-signed to 1-year contract | Phoenix Suns |
October 8, 1985 | Devin Durrant | Undisclosed | Indiana Pacers |
December 13, 1985 | Charles Pittman | Undisclosed | Phoenix Suns |
March 29, 1986 | Sedric Toney | Undisclosed | Atlanta Hawks |
Subtractions
Date | Player | Reason Left | New Team |
---|---|---|---|
October 4, 1985 | Kyle Macy | Free agent | Chicago Bulls |
October 14, 1985 | Alvin Scott | Waived | RCD Espanyol Bàsquet (Spain) |
November 4, 1985 | Devin Durrant | Waived | Olympique Antibes (France) |
November 4, 1985 | Michael Holton | Waived | Florida Stingers (CBA) |
December 10, 1985 | Charles Pittman | Waived | Phoenix Suns |
References
- "San Antonio Spurs History". spurs.com. Archived from the original on April 24, 2007. Retrieved April 20, 2007.
- "Nate Thurmond's Most MemoraBull Game". December 18, 2006. Retrieved April 21, 2007.