The 1994–95 NBA season was the 27th season for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association.[1] During the off-season, the Suns signed free agents Danny Manning and Wayman Tisdale.[2][3] The team was led by Paul Westphal, in his third year as head coach of the Suns. The Suns held the league's best record at 38–10 before the All-Star break, and finished the regular season with 59 wins and 23 losses, the first time in the franchise's history they had ended the season with 55 or more wins for three consecutive seasons.[4] The Suns swept the Portland Trail Blazers in three straight games in the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs,[5] but for the second year in a row, had their playoff run stopped in a Western Conference Semi-finals' Game 7 loss at the hands of the 6th-seeded defending and eventual back-to-back NBA champion Houston Rockets after leading the series 3–1.[6] All home games were played at America West Arena.
All-Star forward Charles Barkley averaged 23.0 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, while Manning, who was coming off an All-Star year, averaged 17.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, but the oft-injured Manning appeared in only just 46 games in his first season in Phoenix, and would not be available for the Suns' playoff run due to a torn ACL.[7] In addition, point guardKevin Johnson averaged 15.5 points and led the team with 7.7 assists per game, despite only playing just 47 games due to injuries, which happened earlier enough in the season, that he would be able to play in the Suns' fourth consecutive Western Conference Semi-finals,[8] and three-point specialist Dan Majerle provided the team with 15.6 points per game, and finished the season tied for second in made three-point field goals at 199. The Suns front court was supplanted by A.C. Green, who provided with 11.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, and Tisdale, who contributed 10.0 points per game. The Suns' pick in the draft was used to select Wesley Person, a shooting guard out of Auburn,[9] who contributed 10.4 points per game while connecting on a team-high 43.6% of his three-pointers. By season's end, Person was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Elliot Perry played most of the season as the team's starting point guard in Johnson's absence, as he contributed 9.7 points, 4.8 assists and led the Suns with 1.9 steals per game.[10]
Barkley was named to his ninth All-Star Game, which was hosted in Phoenix, joined by Majerle, who was selected for his third and final All-Star Game. Westphal was also selected to coach the Western Conference in the All-Star Game.[11] Barkley repeated as an All-NBA Second Team selection. Following the season, Majerle was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers,[12] while Danny Ainge retired,[13]Richard Dumas signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers,[14] and undrafted rookie guard Trevor Ruffin left in the 1995 NBA Expansion Draft.[15]
For the season, the Suns added new black alternate road uniforms, which remained in use until 2000.[16]
Elliot Perry was named Player of the Week for games played November 14 through November 20.
Charles Barkley was named Player of the Week for games played February 13 through February 19.
All-Star[]
Charles Barkley was voted as a starter for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his ninth consecutive All-Star selection. Barkley finished first in voting among Western Conference forwards with 1,046,105 votes.
Dan Majerle was voted as a starter for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his third All-Star selection. Majerle finished first in voting among Western Conference guards with 868,115 votes.
Paul Westphal coached the Western Conference in the All-Star Game, which was held in Phoenix for the second time. The West defeated the East 139–112.
Other Suns players receiving All-Star votes were: Danny Manning (327,554).
Dan Majerle was selected to compete in the Three-Point Shootout. Majerle was eliminated in the first round.