NBA team season
NBA professional basketball team season
1981–82 Phoenix Suns season |
---|
Head coach | John MacLeod |
---|
General manager | Jerry Colangelo |
---|
Owners | Karl Eller, Don Pitt, Don Diamond, Bhavik Darji, Marvin Meyer, Richard L. Bloch |
---|
Arena | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum |
---|
Results |
---|
Record | 46–36 (.561) |
---|
Place | Division: 3rd (Pacific) Conference: 4th (Western) |
---|
Playoff finish | Conference semifinals (lost to Lakers 0–4) |
---|
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com |
Local media |
---|
Television | KNXV |
---|
Radio | KTAR |
---|
|
The 1981–82 Phoenix Suns season was the 14th season for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association. The Suns were in the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season, extending a then-franchise record. In the first round, Denver was taken down by the Suns, two games to one. Phoenix would find a tougher opponent, however, in the Western Conference Semifinals, getting swept four games to zero by the eventual league champions, Los Angeles Lakers. The Suns were led by head coach John MacLeod and played all home games in Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Dennis Johnson again earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors and was the lone All-Star Game participant from the Suns. Additionally, he led the Suns in scoring with his 19.5 points average, a personal career-high. Truck Robinson was not far behind with his 19.1 average, and paired that with rebounding average of 9.7 a game. Fellow big man Alvan Adams brought in 7 rebounds and 15 points a contest.
Offseason
NBA draft
Roster
Phoenix Suns roster |
Players | Coaches |
Pos. | # | Name | Height | Weight | DOB (Y-M-D) | From | F/C | 33 | Adams, Alvan | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 1954-07-19 | Oklahoma | G/F | 7 | Bradley, Dudley | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 195 lb (88 kg) | 1957-03-19 | North Carolina | F/C | 45 | Cook, Jeff | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | 1956-10-21 | Idaho State | G/F | 6 | Davis, Walter | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 193 lb (88 kg) | 1954-09-09 | North Carolina | F | 35 | Dykema, Craig | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 1959-06-11 | Long Beach State | G | 24 | Johnson, Dennis | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 1954-09-18 | Pepperdine | C | 53 | Kelley, Rich | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) | 235 lb (107 kg) | 1953-03-23 | Stanford | F | 50 | Kramer, Joel | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 203 lb (92 kg) | 1955-11-30 | San Diego State | G | 4 | Macy, Kyle | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | 1957-04-09 | Kentucky | F/C | 22 | Nance, Larry | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | 1959-02-12 | Clemson | F | 21 | Robinson, Leonard | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 225 lb (102 kg) | 1951-10-04 | Tennessee State | F | 14 | Scott, Alvin | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 1955-09-14 | Oral Roberts | | - Head coach
- Assistant coach(es)
- Legend
- (DP) Unsigned draft pick
- (FA) Free agent
- (S) Suspended
- Injured
|
Regular season
Standings
Record vs. opponents
1981–82 NBA records |
Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SDC | SEA | UTA | WAS |
Atlanta | — | 1–5 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 |
Boston | 5–1 | — | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 |
Chicago | 3–2 | 2–4 | — | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
Cleveland | 2–4 | 0–5 | 1–5 | — | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 |
Dallas | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
Denver | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | — | 1–1 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 |
Detroit | 4–2 | 0–6 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 |
Golden State | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 | — | 1–4 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
Houston | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 4–1 | — | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 2–0 |
Indiana | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 |
Kansas City | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | — | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 1–5 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 |
Los Angeles | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 |
Milwaukee | 3–3 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 4–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 |
New Jersey | 2–3 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | — | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
New York | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | — | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 |
Philadelphia | 3–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 5–1 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 |
Phoenix | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 3–3 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
Portland | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | — | 3–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–2 |
San Antonio | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | — | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
San Diego | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–3 | — | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 |
Seattle | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 5–1 | — | 5–0 | 1–1 |
Utah | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–5 | — | 1–1 |
Washington | 4–2 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — |
Playoffs
Game log
1982 playoff game log |
First Round: 2–1 (home: 1–0; road: 1–1) |
Conference semifinals: 0–4 (home: 0–2; road: 0–2) |
1982 schedule |
Awards and honors
All-Star
- Dennis Johnson was selected as a reserve for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. Johnson finished fourth in voting among Western Conference guards with 220,914 votes. It was his fourth consecutive All-Star selection.
- The other Suns player who received All-Star votes was Alvan Adams (134,441).
Season
Player statistics
Legend 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
Phoenix Suns statistics Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
Alvan Adams | 79 | 75 | 30.3 | .494 | .000 | .781 | 7.4 | 4.5 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 15.1 |
Dudley Bradley | 64 | 3 | 14.6 | .445 | .250 | .740 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.2 | .2 | 5.1 |
Jeff Cook | 76 | 22 | 17.1 | .422 | .000 | .664 | 4.0 | 1.3 | .5 | .3 | 5.1 |
Walter Davis | 55 | 12 | 21.5 | .523† | .188 | .820 | 1.9 | 2.9 | .8 | .1 | 14.4 |
Craig Dykema | 32 | 0 | 3.2 | .459 | .500^ | .778 | 0.4 | 0.5 | .1 | .0 | 1.3 |
Dennis Johnson | 80 | 77 | 36.7 | .470 | .190 | .806 | 5.1 | 4.6 | 1.3 | .7 | 19.5 |
Rich Kelley | 81 | 39 | 23.4 | .467 | .000 | .749 | 6.1 | 3.6 | .8 | .9 | 7.9 |
Joel Kramer | 56 | 0 | 9.8 | .414 | . | .786 | 1.9 | 0.9 | .3 | .2 | 2.6 |
Kyle Macy | 82 | 72 | 34.7 | .514 | .390^ | .899 | 3.2 | 4.7 | 1.7 | .1 | 14.2 |
John McCullough | 8 | 0 | 2.9 | .692† | . | .600 | 0.5 | 0.4 | .3 | .0 | 2.6 |
Larry Nance | 80 | 0 | 14.8 | .521 | .000 | .641 | 3.2 | 1.0 | .5 | .9 | 6.6 |
Truck Robinson | 74 | 72 | 37.1 | .513 | 1.000^ | .687 | 9.7 | 2.4 | .6 | .4 | 19.1 |
Alvin Scott | 81 | 38 | 21.5 | .497 | .000 | .730 | 3.6 | 1.8 | .7 | .9 | 6.0 |
† – Minimum 300 field goals made.
^ – Minimum 25 three-pointers made.
Playoffs
Phoenix Suns statistics Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
Alvan Adams | 7 | 7 | 33.3 | .522 | . | .786 | 7.3 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 16.9 |
Dudley Bradley | 7 | 0 | 3.4 | .250 | . | 1.000^ | 0.1 | 0.7 | .1 | .1 | 0.7 |
Jeff Cook | 7 | 0 | 6.4 | .500 | . | . | 1.3 | 1.0 | .3 | .3 | 1.1 |
Walter Davis | 7 | 0 | 24.7 | .448 | .333 | .917 | 3.1 | 4.3 | .7 | .1 | 18.1 |
Craig Dykema | 6 | 0 | 2.0 | .167 | . | . | 0.7 | 0.3 | .0 | .0 | 0.3 |
Dennis Johnson | 7 | 7 | 38.7 | .477 | .000 | .769 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 2.1 | .6 | 22.3 |
Rich Kelley | 7 | 7 | 27.3 | .500 | . | .700 | 6.9 | 4.3 | .9 | .4 | 9.7 |
Joel Kramer | 4 | 0 | 5.0 | .714† | . | .667 | 1.3 | 0.3 | .3 | .0 | 3.0 |
Kyle Macy | 7 | 7 | 34.7 | .427 | .364 | .938^ | 3.1 | 4.0 | 1.0 | .1 | 13.6 |
Larry Nance | 7 | 0 | 18.3 | .610† | . | .500 | 4.6 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 7.7 |
Truck Robinson | 7 | 7 | 30.4 | .563 | . | .300 | 7.6 | 2.7 | .7 | .1 | 13.3 |
Alvin Scott | 7 | 0 | 18.1 | .438 | .000 | .500 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 4.6 |
† – Minimum 20 field goals made.
^ – Minimum 10 free throws made.
Transactions
Trades
Free agents
Additions
Date | Player | Contract | Old Team |
June 19, 1981 | Alvin Scott | Re-signed to four-year contract | Phoenix Suns |
October 26, 1981 | John McCullough | Undisclosed | |
Subtractions
Date | Player | Reason Left | New Team |
June 18, 1981 | Mike Niles | Waived | |
December 18, 1981 | John McCullough | Waived | Billings Volcanos (CBA) |
References
- Standings on Basketball Reference
Phoenix Suns seasons |
---|
|
1960s | |
---|
1970s | |
---|
1980s | |
---|
1990s | |
---|
2000s | |
---|
2010s | |
---|
2020s | |
---|