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Phoenix Suns: The NBA’s Most Depressed Fan Base?

By Gerald Bourguet

Nov 30, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic at US Airways Center. The Magic defeated the Suns 93-90. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic at US Airways Center. The Magic defeated the Suns 93-90. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Phoenix Suns
Nov 30, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic at US Airways Center. The Magic defeated the Suns 93-90. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

In a way, the pursuit of a playoff spot for the 2014-15 Phoenix Suns was a microcosm of this franchise’s pursuit of a championship over its 47-year history: good enough to compete and spark fans’ interest, but not quite good enough to reach the ultimate goal.

The Suns are one of the winningest franchises in the NBA, but over the last five years, they’ve become something of a joke. The reputation of “fair weather Arizona sports fans” plays into the narrative here, but Phoenix fans have every right to be hesitant supporting a team that’s broken their hearts again and again and is now in the middle of yet another rebuilding process.

Phoenix has a bright future, but patience is wearing thin after the Suns took a step backward in 2014-15. Bearing all this in mind, here’s a question worth asking: Do the Phoenix Suns have the most depressed fanbase in the NBA?

It seems like a silly question, and maybe it is a bit of an overreaction. The Suns haven’t always been depressing, and fans have plenty of happy memories from the glory years of Charles Barkley and Steve Nash.

But when you combine the regular season success with the lack of a title, it gets harder and harder to fight the notion that the Suns are one of the sadder franchises in professional sports. It’s time to take a look at where that depression fits in compared to the rest of the league.

Next: The Glory Years

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