Phoenix Suns 2010-11 Media Guide - NBA Media Central

Season Review 93-94
172
Review93-94
Review93-94
Season
RECORD
The Suns added veterans A.C. Green and Joe Kleine to their Western
Conference Championship team, but battled injuries throughout the 56-26
season. Despite losing 211 player games to injury and illness the Suns
posted a 56-26 record, the fifth best overall mark in the NBA. The Suns posted an
impressive 13-2 record in December, but the team’s fortunes took a drastic turn for the
worse in January. After playing the first two months of the season virtually injury-free, the
Suns top two players, Kevin Johnson and Charles Barkley, went down with injuries.
Johnson missed 15 games from January 5 to February 6 with a sprained right ankle and a
bout with chicken pox. Barkley suffered a torn quadriceps tendon in his right knee, January
7, at Minnesota and missed the next 17 contests. The team struggled to a 7-8 mark, their
first losing month since November 1991.
Cedric Ceballos, who returned to the lineup after missing the first 29 games, led the
team during January and had two 40-point nights in a three-game stretch. Green averaged
19.3 points and led the team with 11.4 rebounds. Phoenix bounced back to capture an 8-4
mark in February. KJ, Barkley and Danny Ainge all returned to the lineup. KJ played in his
third All-Star Game while Barkley, the league’s leading vote-getter in balloting, was unable
to play due to injury.
The Suns’ march to the playoffs included a seven-game win streak. KJ had an impressive
April, including a Suns record 25 assists in a win over San Antonio on April 6. The Suns
beat Golden State 3-0 in the first round. In Game 3, Barkley scored 56 points, the third
highest total ever in an NBA playoff game. After overcoming a 20-point fourth quarter
deficit to take Game 1, the Suns again came from behind to win Game 2 of their secondround
matchup against Houston. But, the eventual champion Rockets were too tough, and
battled back to take the series 4-3.
FRONT ROW: Assistant Coach Scotty Robertson, Assistant Coach Lionel Hollins, Head Coach Paul Westphal,
Duane Cooper, Frank Johnson, Charles Barkley, Danny Ainge, Kevin Johnson, Elliot Perry, Video Coach Garrick
Barr, NBA Scout Todd Quinter, Senior Executive VP Cotton Fitzsimmons, Trainer Joe Proski.
BACK ROW: Strength Coach Robin Pound, Cedric Ceballos, A.C. Green, Jerrod Mustaf, Joe Kleine, Mark West,
Malcolm Mackey, Oliver Miller, Dan Majerle, Assistant Trainer Aaron Nelson.