The 1971-72 season marked the fourth campaign for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association. Under the guidance of head coach Cotton Fitzsimmons, the Suns aimed to build on their previous performances. However, the team faced challenges with consistency throughout the season, finishing with a record of 49 wins and 33 losses. This placed them third in the Pacific Division and earned them a spot in the playoffs.
Key players for the Suns included Connie Hawkins, who continued to be a significant presence on the court, and Dick Van Arsdale, known for his scoring prowess. Additionally, Neal Walk provided crucial contributions in the paint, helping the Suns balance their offense and defense. Despite a strong regular season, the Suns’ playoff journey was short-lived. They faced the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals, where they were defeated in a closely contested series, 4-1.
The 1971-72 season was a stepping stone for the Suns, showcasing their potential in a competitive league. Their performance demonstrated the capability to contend with more established teams, signifying a promising future. The Suns’ efforts during this season laid foundational aspects for subsequent improvements, as they continued to develop their roster and strategy in pursuit of greater success in the NBA.
- Regular Season Record: 49-33
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats for 1971-72 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Connie Hawkins | 76 | 21.0 | 8.3 | 3.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Dick Van Arsdale | 82 | 19.7 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Charlie Scott | 6 | 18.8 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Paul Silas | 80 | 17.5 | 11.9 | 4.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Clem Haskins | 79 | 15.7 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Neal Walk | 81 | 15.6 | 8.2 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Mo Layton | 80 | 9.1 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Otto Moore | 81 | 7.6 | 6.7 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Mel Counts | 76 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Lamar Green | 67 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Art Harris | 21 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Jeff Webb | 27 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| John Wetzel | 51 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Fred Taylor | 13 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
Phoenix Suns 1971-72 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1971-72 season for the Phoenix Suns.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 14, 1971 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 110-97 | |
| Oct 16, 1971 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 128-108 | |
| Oct 22, 1971 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 116-109 | |
| Oct 24, 1971 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 105-104 | |
| Oct 26, 1971 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 126-99 | |
| Oct 29, 1971 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 137-135 | |
| Oct 30, 1971 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 101-94 | |
| Nov 02, 1971 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 108-101 | |
| Nov 03, 1971 | @ Buffalo Braves | W 100-98 | |
| Nov 05, 1971 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 107-87 | |
| Nov 06, 1971 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 110-95 | |
| Nov 09, 1971 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 118-113 | |
| Nov 12, 1971 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 128-119 | |
| Nov 14, 1971 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 119-105 | |
| Nov 16, 1971 | @ New York Knicks | L 112-111 | |
| Nov 17, 1971 | @ Boston Celtics | L 140-121 | |
| Nov 18, 1971 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 128-126 | |
| Nov 20, 1971 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 115-109 | |
| Nov 23, 1971 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 128-107 | |
| Nov 25, 1971 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 122-103 | |
| Nov 28, 1971 | @ Houston Rockets | W 116-110 | |
| Nov 30, 1971 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 121-111 | |
| Dec 01, 1971 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 139-103 | |
| Dec 04, 1971 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 128-92 | |
| Dec 05, 1971 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 120-87 | |
| Dec 09, 1971 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 135-115 | |
| Dec 10, 1971 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 126-117 | |
| Dec 11, 1971 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 111-110 | |
| Dec 14, 1971 | @ New York Knicks | W 110-100 | |
| Dec 15, 1971 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 127-108 | |
| Dec 17, 1971 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 123-102 | |
| Dec 18, 1971 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 132-106 | |
| Dec 19, 1971 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 130-127 | |
| Dec 21, 1971 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 124-119 | |
| Dec 23, 1971 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 117-108 | |
| Dec 25, 1971 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 116-86 | |
| Dec 29, 1971 | @ Houston Rockets | W 124-106 | |
| Dec 30, 1971 | vs. Buffalo Braves | W 123-102 | |
| Jan 01, 1972 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 114-104 | |
| Jan 02, 1972 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 116-111 | |
| Jan 04, 1972 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 112-108 | |
| Jan 07, 1972 | @ Buffalo Braves | W 123-110 | |
| Jan 08, 1972 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 130-119 | |
| Jan 09, 1972 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 109-103 | |
| Jan 11, 1972 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 115-114 | |
| Jan 14, 1972 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 117-107 | |
| Jan 15, 1972 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 118-110 | |
| Jan 16, 1972 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | L 107-104 | |
| Jan 20, 1972 | vs. New York Knicks | W 130-109 | |
| Jan 21, 1972 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 128-113 | |
| Jan 22, 1972 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 116-102 | |
| Jan 25, 1972 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 129-119 | |
| Jan 28, 1972 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 116-102 | |
| Jan 29, 1972 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 111-100 | |
| Jan 30, 1972 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 105-103 | |
| Feb 01, 1972 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 129-117 | |
| Feb 02, 1972 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 106-103 | |
| Feb 04, 1972 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 113-105 | |
| Feb 05, 1972 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 118-117 | |
| Feb 06, 1972 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 107-94 | |
| Feb 08, 1972 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 120-108 | |
| Feb 10, 1972 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 131-98 | |
| Feb 12, 1972 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 117-95 | |
| Feb 16, 1972 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 110-109 | |
| Feb 18, 1972 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 126-115 | |
| Feb 20, 1972 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 121-107 | |
| Feb 22, 1972 | @ Boston Celtics | L 114-103 | |
| Feb 23, 1972 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 120-118 | |
| Feb 25, 1972 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 115-107 | |
| Feb 26, 1972 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 119-117 | |
| Feb 27, 1972 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 127-125 | |
| Mar 01, 1972 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | L 95-90 | |
| Mar 05, 1972 | vs. Buffalo Braves | W 131-103 | |
| Mar 07, 1972 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 129-121 | |
| Mar 08, 1972 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 122-105 | |
| Mar 11, 1972 | @ New York Knicks | W 110-106 | |
| Mar 15, 1972 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 110-106 | |
| Mar 17, 1972 | vs. New York Knicks | W 111-106 | |
| Mar 18, 1972 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 134-116 | |
| Mar 21, 1972 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 160-128 | |
| Mar 24, 1972 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 112-110 | |
| Mar 25, 1972 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 118-99 |