1991–92 Phoenix Suns season

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1991–92 Phoenix Suns season
Head coachCotton Fitzsimmons
General managerJerry Colangelo
Owner(s)Jerry Colangelo
ArenaArizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Results
Record53–29 (.646)
PlaceDivision: 3rd (Pacific)
Conference: 4th (Western)
Playoff finishConference Semifinals
(Lost to Trail Blazers 1–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television
RadioKTAR
< 1990–91 1992–93 >

The 1991–92 NBA season was the 24th season for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association.[1] In the off-season, the Suns acquired three-point specialist Trent Tucker from the New York Knicks. However, Tucker never played for the team as he was released to free agency, and later on signed with the San Antonio Spurs.[2] The Suns were led by head coach Cotton Fitzsimmons, which would be the last of his four-season second stint as coach of the Suns.[3] All home games were played at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The team got off to a slow 5–9 start, but went on a nine-game winning streak as they won 14 of their next 15 games. The Suns finished third in the Pacific Division with a 53–29 record.[4] In the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs, they swept the Spurs in three straight games,[5] but lost 4–1 to the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Semi-finals.[6]

Guard Jeff Hornacek led the Suns in scoring, averaging 20.1 points per game plus contributing 5.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game. In addition, Kevin Johnson averaged 19.7 points and led the team with 10.7 assists per game, while sixth man Dan Majerle provided the team with 17.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game off the bench, and Tom Chambers, at 32 years of age, appeared in 69 games and contributed 16.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Tim Perry stepped into the lineup averaging 12.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, while Andrew Lang replaced Mark West in the lineup at center, averaging 7.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and leading the team with 2.5 blocks per game.[7] Hornacek finished the season third in three-point field goal percentage at .439, while Johnson's assist average was good for second-best in the league.[8]

Hornacek and Majerle were both selected for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game,[9] while by season's end, Johnson was selected to the All-NBA Third Team, and second-year forward Cedric Ceballos won the Slam Dunk Contest during the All-Star Weekend in Orlando. Following the season, Hornacek, Perry and Lang were all traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.[10]

Draft picks[]

Main article: 1991 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
2 32 Chad Gallagher Center  United States Creighton
2 46 Richard Dumas Forward  United States Oklahoma State
2 50 Joey Wright Guard  United States Texas

Roster[]

1991–92 Phoenix Suns roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY-MM-DD) From
G 15 Burtt, Steve 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1962–11–05 Iona
F 23 Ceballos, Cedric 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1969–08–02 Cal State Fullerton
F 24 Chambers, Tom 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1959–06–21 Utah
F 21 Dumas, Richard (S) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1969–05–19 Oklahoma State
G 14 Hornacek, Jeff 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1963–05–03 Iowa State
G 7 Johnson, Kevin (C) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1966–03–04 California
G 32 Knight, Negele Injured 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1967–03–06 Dayton
C 28 Lang, Andrew 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1966–06–28 Arkansas
F 9 Majerle, Dan 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1965–09–09 Central Michigan
F 0 Mustaf, Jerrod 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 238 lb (108 kg) 1969–10–28 Maryland
F 45 Nealy, Ed 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 238 lb (108 kg) 1960–02–19 Kansas State
F 34 Perry, Tim 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1965–06–04 Temple
F 31 Rambis, Kurt 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 213 lb (97 kg) 1958–02–25 Santa Clara
C 41 West, Mark 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1960–11–05 Old Dominion
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Last transaction: April 23, 1992

Roster Notes[]

Regular season[]

Season standings[]

Pacific Division
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Portland Trail Blazers 57 25 .695 — 33–8 24–17 21–9
x-Golden State Warriors 55 27 .671 2 31–10 24–17 19–11
x-Phoenix Suns 53 29 .646 4 36–5 17–24 17–13
x-Seattle SuperSonics 47 35 .573 10 28–13 19–22 16–14
x-Los Angeles Clippers 45 37 .549 12 29–12 16–25 13–17
x-Los Angeles Lakers 43 39 .524 14 24–17 19–22 13–17
Sacramento Kings 29 53 .354 28 21–20 8–33 6–24
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Portland Trail Blazers 57 25 .695 –
2 y-Utah Jazz 55 27 .671 2
3 x-Golden State Warriors 55 27 .671 2
4 x-Phoenix Suns 53 29 .646 4
5 x-San Antonio Spurs 47 35 .573 10
6 x-Seattle SuperSonics 47 35 .573 10
7 x-Los Angeles Clippers 45 37 .549 12
8 x-Los Angeles Lakers 43 39 .524 14
9 Houston Rockets 42 40 .512 15
10 Sacramento Kings 29 53 .354 28
11 Denver Nuggets 24 58 .293 33
12 Dallas Mavericks 22 60 .268 35
13 Minnesota Timberwolves 15 67 .183 42
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents[]

1991–92 NBA records
Team ATL BOS CHA CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MIA MIL MIN NJN NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA UTA WAS
Atlanta — 3–1 2–2 0–5 0–5 2–0 2–0 1–4 1–1 2–0 1–4 1–1 0–2 2–2 3–1 2–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–0 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–2
Boston 1–3 — 3–1 1–3 3–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 1–1 1–1 2–2 2–0 2–0 3–2 2–2 0–2 2–3 3–2 5–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–1
Charlotte 2–2 1–3 — 0–4 2–3 1–1 1–1 1–4 1–1 0–2 3–2 0–2 1–1 1–3 2–3 1–1 1–3 0–4 3–1 3–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–2
Chicago 5–0 3–1 4–0 — 3–2 2–0 2–0 4–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 4–0 3–2 2–0 4–0 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 4–0
Cleveland 5–0 1–3 3–2 2–3 — 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 1–1 5–0 1–1 2–0 3–1 3–1 2–0 2–2 4–0 3–1 4–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0
Dallas 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 — 3–2 0–2 0–4 4–2 1–1 1–3 0–4 1–1 1–1 3–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–2 0–4 1–3 0–5 0–4 1–4 0–2
Denver 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–3 — 0–2 0–4 2–3 0–2 0–4 1–3 0–2 1–1 2–3 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–4 1–3 1–5 1–1
Detroit 4–1 0–4 4–1 1–4 1–3 2–0 2–0 — 1–1 2–0 2–2 0–2 2–0 2–2 3–2 1–1 2–2 2–2 4–0 3–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1
Golden State 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 4–0 1–1 — 2–2 2–0 3–2 3–2 1–1 2–0 4–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–2 2–3 5–0 2–2 3–2 1–3 2–0
Houston 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–4 3–2 0–2 2–2 — 1–1 2–2 2–2 2–0 1–1 3–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–3 3–1 3–1 3–2 1–3 1–4 2–0
Indiana 4–1 2–2 2–3 1–3 0–5 1–1 2–0 2–2 0–2 1–1 — 0–2 2–0 3–1 4–1 2–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–2
L.A. Clippers 1–1 0–2 2–0 0–2 1–1 3–1 4–0 2–0 2–3 2–2 2–0 — 2–3 2–0 2–0 4–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 3–2 2–3 2–3 2–2 2–3 1–3 0–2
L.A. Lakers 2–0 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 4–0 3–1 0–2 2–3 2–2 0–2 3–2 — 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–3 1–4 4–1 1–3 1–4 1–3 1–1
Miami 2–2 2–3 3–1 0–4 1–3 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 0–2 0–2 — 4–0 2–0 2–2 1–4 3–1 1–4 0–2 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 5–0
Milwaukee 1–3 2–2 3–2 2–3 1–3 1–1 1–1 2–3 0–2 1–1 1–4 0–2 1–1 0–4 — 2–0 0–4 1–3 3–1 3–1 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1
Minnesota 0–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–3 3–2 1–1 0–4 2–3 0–2 0–4 1–3 0–2 0–2 — 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–4 0–4 1–3 0–6 0–4 2–3 0–2
New Jersey 1–3 3–2 3–1 0–4 2–2 2–0 1–1 2–2 0–2 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 2–2 4–0 2–0 — 2–3 3–1 3–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–3
New York 2–2 2–3 4–0 0–4 0–4 2–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–0 0–2 4–1 3–1 2–0 3–2 — 4–1 3–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 4–0
Orlando 2–2 0–5 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–1 0–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 2–2 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–3 2–0 1–3 1–4 — 3–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 2–3
Philadelphia 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 0–4 2–0 0–2 1–3 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 4–1 1–3 2–0 2–3 1–3 2–3 — 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 5–0
Phoenix 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 3–1 2–0 2–3 3–1 1–1 2–3 3–2 2–0 2–0 4–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 — 3–2 4–1 3–1 3–2 2–2 2–0
Portland 2–0 1–1 2–0 0–2 2–0 4–0 3–1 0–2 3–2 1–3 2–0 3–2 4–1 2–0 2–0 4–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–3 — 5–0 2–2 4–1 2–2 2–0
Sacramento 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 3–1 2–2 0–2 0–5 1–3 1–1 3–2 1–4 0–2 2–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–4 0–5 — 1–3 1–4 1–3 2–0
San Antonio 2–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 5–0 4–1 1–1 2–2 2–3 0–2 2–2 3–1 1–1 1–1 6–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–3 2–2 3–1 — 3–1 1–4 0–2
Seattle 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 1–1 2–3 3–1 2–0 3–2 4–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 2–0 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–3 1–4 4–1 1–3 — 3–1 2–0
Utah 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 4–1 5–1 1–1 3–1 4–1 1–1 3–1 3–1 1–1 1–1 3–2 2–0 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 4–1 1–3 — 2–0
Washington 2–2 1–3 2–2 0–4 0–4 2–0 1–1 1–3 0–2 0–2 2–2 2–0 1–1 0–5 1–3 2–0 3–2 0–4 3–2 0–5 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 —

Game log[]

Playoffs[]

Game log[]

1992 playoff game log
First Round: 3–0 (Home: 2–0; Road: 1–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 24 San Antonio W 117–111 Dan Majerle (25) Cedric Ceballos (9) Kevin Johnson (17) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
14,496 		1–0
2 April 26 San Antonio W 119–107 Hornacek, Perry (31) Lang, Perry (10) Kevin Johnson (19) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
14,496 		2–0
3 April 29 @ San Antonio W 101–92 Hornacek, Johnson (22) Tim Perry (9) Kevin Johnson (11) HemisFair Arena
14,853 		3–0
Conference Semifinals: 1–4 (Home: 1–1; Road: 0–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 May 5 @ Portland L 111–113 Kevin Johnson (24) Chambers, Johnson (8) Jeff Hornacek (12) Memorial Coliseum
12,888 		0–1
2 May 7 @ Portland L 119–126 Kevin Johnson (35) Jeff Hornacek (11) Dan Majerle (6) Memorial Coliseum
12,888 		0–2
3 May 9 Portland W 124–117 Jeff Hornacek (30) Majerle, Perry (9) Kevin Johnson (16) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
14,496 		1–2
4 May 11 Portland L 151–153 (2OT) Kevin Johnson (35) Dan Majerle (11) Kevin Johnson (14) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
14,496 		1–3
5 May 14 @ Portland L 106–118 Chambers, Perry (19) Tom Chambers (8) Kevin Johnson (6) Memorial Coliseum
12,888 		1–4
1992 schedule

Awards and honors[]

Week/Month[]

All-Star[]

  • Jeff Hornacek was selected as a reserve for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his first and only All-Star selection. Hornacek finished seventh in voting among Western Conference guards with 271,180 votes.
  • Dan Majerle was selected as a reserve for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his first All-Star selection.
  • Other Suns players receiving All-Star votes were Tom Chambers (406,185) and Kevin Johnson (309,820).
  • Cedric Ceballos won the Slam Dunk Contest, winning the competition with the famous "Hocus Pocus" blindfolded dunk.
  • Jeff Hornacek participated in the Three-Point Shootout, losing to champion and former Suns teammate Craig Hodges.

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[]

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Steve Burtt 31 2 11.5 .463 .167 .704 1.1 1.9 .5 .1 6.0
Cedric Ceballos 64 4 11.3 .482 .167 .736 2.4 0.8 .3 .2 7.2
Tom Chambers 69 66 28.2 .431 .367 .830 5.8 2.1 .8 .5 16.3
Jeff Hornacek 81 81 38.0 .512 .439 .886 5.0 5.1 2.0 .4 20.1
Kevin Johnson 78 78 37.2 .479 .217 .807 3.7 10.7 1.5 .3 19.7
Negele Knight 42 1 15.0 .475 .308 .688 1.1 2.7 .6 .1 5.8
Andrew Lang 81 71 24.3 .522 .000 .768 6.7 0.5 .6 2.5 7.7
Dan Majerle 82 15 34.8 .478 .382 .756 5.9 3.3 1.6 .5 17.3
Jerrod Mustaf 52 3 10.5 .477 . .690 2.8 0.9 .4 .3 4.5
Ed Nealy 52 4 9.7 .512 .400 .667 2.1 0.7 .3 .0 3.1
Tim Perry 80 69 31.0 .523 .375 .712 6.9 1.7 .6 1.5 12.3
Kurt Rambis 28 5 13.6 .463 . .778 3.8 1.3 .4 .5 3.2
Mark West 82 11 17.5 .632 . .637 4.5 0.3 .2 1.0 6.1

Playoffs[]

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Steve Burtt 8 0 13.0 .421 .000 .857 1.5 1.8 .6 .0 6.3
Cedric Ceballos 8 8 23.5 .550 . .667 6.4 1.5 .8 .8 13.5
Tom Chambers 7 0 27.7 .459 .571^ .844 4.4 2.7 .3 .7 15.6
Jeff Hornacek 8 8 42.9 .484 .471^ .912 6.4 5.3 1.8 .3 20.4
Kevin Johnson 8 8 41.9 .484 .500^ .861 4.1 11.6 1.5 .3 23.6
Andrew Lang 8 8 24.0 .375 . .789 4.0 0.3 .4 1.9 5.6
Dan Majerle 7 0 38.0 .432 .273 .962+ 6.3 2.9 1.4 .0 18.6
Ed Nealy 8 0 8.4 .389 .385 1.000+ 2.3 0.5 .4 .0 2.9
Tim Perry 8 8 23.1 .603† . .719 4.9 1.4 .4 .8 12.4
Mark West 8 0 12.0 .737† . .500 2.1 0.3 .3 .5 4.0

† – Minimum 20 field goals made.
^ – Minimum 5 three-pointers made.
+ – Minimum 10 free throws made.

Transactions[]

Trades[]

June 27, 1991 To Cleveland Cavaliers---- To Phoenix Suns----
October 1, 1991 To New York Knicks---- To Phoenix Suns----

Free agents[]

Additions[]

Date Player Contract Old Team
February 14, 1992 Steve Burtt Signed two 10-day contracts Oklahoma City Cavalry (CBA)
March 5, 1992 Steve Burtt Signed for rest of season Phoenix Suns

Subtractions[]

Date Player Reason Left New Team
August 6, 1991 Ian Lockhart Free agent Cholet Basket (France)
October 29, 1991 Joey Wright Waived Pensacola HotShots (GBA)
October 30, 1991 Joe Barry Carroll Waived N/A (Retired)
November 15, 1991 Trent Tucker Waived San Antonio Spurs

Player Transactions Citation:[13]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "1991-92 Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats".
  2. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Tucker Joins Spurs". New York Times. February 28, 1992. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  3. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Suns to Change Coaches". New York Times. April 24, 1992. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  4. ^ "1991–92 Phoenix Suns Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  5. ^ "PRO BASKETBALL; Jordan Scores 56 Points, Finishing Sweep of Heat". New York Times. April 30, 1992. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  6. ^ "Trail Blazers 118, Suns 106". UPI Archives. May 15, 1992. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  7. ^ "1991–92 Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  8. ^ "1991–92 NBA Leaders". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  9. ^ "1992 NBA All-Star Game: West 153, East 113". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  10. ^ "Suns Trade 3 For Barkley 76ers Get Hornacek, Perry, Lang". Sun Sentinel. June 18, 1992. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  11. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Suns Suspend Dumas". New York Times. November 1, 1991. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  12. ^ a b "1991–92 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  13. ^ "1991–92 Phoenix Suns Transactions". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
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