Valley of the Suns
Fansided

Top Five Classic Suns Teams for NBA 2K18

By Steve Miner

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 13: Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets plays NBA2k15 with fans at the Playstation area at NBA House at Moynihan Station during the 2015 NBA All-Star on February 13, 2015 in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 13: Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets plays NBA2k15 with fans at the Playstation area at NBA House at Moynihan Station during the 2015 NBA All-Star on February 13, 2015 in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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#3 – The Turnaround Team (1988-1989)

PHOENIX, AZ – CIRCA 1989: Tom Chambers #24 of the Phoenix Suns drives towards the basket against the New York Knicks during an NBA basketball game circa 1989 at America West Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. Chambers played for the Suns from 1988-93. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ – CIRCA 1989: Tom Chambers #24 of the Phoenix Suns drives towards the basket against the New York Knicks during an NBA basketball game circa 1989 at America West Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. Chambers played for the Suns from 1988-93. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

The 20th season since they joined the NBA, the Phoenix Suns jumped to 55 wins from only 28 the year before. Everything about this team had changed. Gone were Walter Davis, Larry Nance, and Alvan Adams. In their place came Tom Chambers, Kevin Johnson, and Dan Majerle. They even had a new Head Coach in Cotton Fitzsimmons. It was truly out with the old, in with the new in only one season, thanks to Jerry Colangelo.

This team was riddled with awards by the end of the year. Chambers became the only All-Star (after averaging a whopping 25.7 points and 8.4 rebounds), but the franchise earned a few more awards as well: KJ was named Most Improved Player, Eddie Johnson was the Sixth Man of the Year, Cotton was the Coach of the Year, and Colangelo was the Executive of the Year. Almost a clean sweep.

Of course, the one thing missing was MVP. We found it in the Western Conference Finals, when Magic Johnson and the Lakers swept them (Strangely enough, even KJ finished ahead of Chambers in that voting). But in those days, it was basically a privilege to lose to the Lakers in the WCF. More importantly, it showed that this team was on the right track, ushering in nearly a decade of success.

Beyond all of that, this team would be fun to play with. Tom Chambers and Eddie Johnson at their prime, with a young KJ (who still averaged 20 and 12), Majerle, Jeff Hornacek, and Steve Kerr. I would have a blast with that.

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