The 1976-77 Phoenix Suns season marked the franchise’s ninth year in the NBA. Coming off a surprise NBA Finals appearance the previous season, the Suns aimed to build on that success. The team was led by head coach John MacLeod, who was in his fourth year at the helm. Key players included Paul Westphal, Alvan Adams, and Gar Heard, who were instrumental in the Suns’ run to the Finals in 1976.
During the regular season, the Suns compiled a 34-48 record, finishing third in the Pacific Division. Despite a talented roster, the team struggled with consistency and could not replicate the postseason success of the previous year. Paul Westphal, a standout guard, was the team’s leading scorer, averaging over 21 points per game, and he was named an NBA All-Star for his contributions. Alvan Adams also continued to be a key figure, contributing significantly in both scoring and rebounding.
The 1976-77 season did not see the Suns qualify for the playoffs, as they were unable to secure enough wins in a competitive Western Conference. This was a step back for a team that had tasted the NBA Finals just a year before. Nonetheless, the season was a valuable learning experience for the young squad, setting the foundation for future success in the subsequent years. Despite the setbacks, the Suns remained a competitive team on the rise in the NBA landscape.
- Regular Season Record: 34-48
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats for 1976-77 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Paul Westphal | 81 | 21.3 | 2.3 | 5.7 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Alvan Adams | 72 | 18.0 | 9.1 | 4.5 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Ricky Sobers | 79 | 13.6 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Curtis Perry | 44 | 10.7 | 9.0 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Ron Lee | 82 | 10.2 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Gar Heard | 46 | 9.7 | 9.6 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Ira Terrell | 78 | 8.5 | 5.0 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Dick Van Arsdale | 78 | 7.7 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Keith Erickson | 50 | 6.4 | 2.9 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Tom Van Arsdale | 77 | 5.8 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Dennis Awtrey | 72 | 5.7 | 4.9 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Butch Feher | 48 | 5.2 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Dale Schlueter | 39 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | |||||||
Phoenix Suns 1976-77 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1976-77 season for the Phoenix Suns.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 22, 1976 | @ New Orleans Jazz | L 111-98 | |
| Oct 23, 1976 | @ Houston Rockets | L 129-126 | |
| Oct 27, 1976 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 115-106 | |
| Oct 29, 1976 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 95-82 | |
| Oct 30, 1976 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 113-107 | |
| Nov 05, 1976 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 88-84 | |
| Nov 11, 1976 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 108-98 | |
| Nov 13, 1976 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 103-90 | |
| Nov 17, 1976 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 103-95 | |
| Nov 18, 1976 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 131-111 | |
| Nov 19, 1976 | vs. New York Nets | L 90-88 | |
| Nov 21, 1976 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 101-96 | |
| Nov 25, 1976 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 104-98 | |
| Nov 27, 1976 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 119-107 | |
| Nov 30, 1976 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 103-97 | |
| Dec 01, 1976 | @ New York Nets | W 106-96 | |
| Dec 03, 1976 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 113-99 | |
| Dec 05, 1976 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 103-98 | |
| Dec 08, 1976 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 116-95 | |
| Dec 10, 1976 | @ Boston Celtics | W 107-103 | |
| Dec 11, 1976 | @ New York Knicks | L 112-96 | |
| Dec 12, 1976 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 106-91 | |
| Dec 14, 1976 | @ Buffalo Braves | L 108-99 | |
| Dec 15, 1976 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 97-87 | |
| Dec 17, 1976 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 118-105 | |
| Dec 18, 1976 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 90-89 | |
| Dec 23, 1976 | vs. Buffalo Braves | W 107-92 | |
| Dec 25, 1976 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 113-96 | |
| Dec 28, 1976 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 110-102 | |
| Dec 29, 1976 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 97-87 | |
| Jan 02, 1977 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 89-88 | |
| Jan 04, 1977 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 139-111 | |
| Jan 05, 1977 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 118-115 | |
| Jan 07, 1977 | @ Washington Bullets | L 99-89 | |
| Jan 08, 1977 | @ New York Knicks | L 102-95 | |
| Jan 10, 1977 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 93-92 | |
| Jan 11, 1977 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 93-90 | |
| Jan 13, 1977 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 131-101 | |
| Jan 15, 1977 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 94-79 | |
| Jan 19, 1977 | vs. New York Knicks | W 97-90 | |
| Jan 20, 1977 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 107-103 | |
| Jan 21, 1977 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 125-96 | |
| Jan 23, 1977 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 98-88 | |
| Jan 25, 1977 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 116-108 | |
| Jan 27, 1977 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 111-94 | |
| Jan 29, 1977 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | W 118-102 | |
| Jan 30, 1977 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 97-91 | |
| Feb 02, 1977 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 130-113 | |
| Feb 04, 1977 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 109-106 | |
| Feb 06, 1977 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 115-104 | |
| Feb 08, 1977 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 117-104 | |
| Feb 10, 1977 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 109-103 | |
| Feb 15, 1977 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 102-96 | |
| Feb 16, 1977 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 111-93 | |
| Feb 18, 1977 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 102-96 | |
| Feb 19, 1977 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 92-88 | |
| Feb 20, 1977 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 109-107 | |
| Feb 22, 1977 | @ Buffalo Braves | L 115-114 | |
| Feb 24, 1977 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 109-106 | |
| Feb 26, 1977 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 108-104 | |
| Mar 02, 1977 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 108-104 | |
| Mar 04, 1977 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 101-87 | |
| Mar 06, 1977 | @ Washington Bullets | L 118-110 | |
| Mar 08, 1977 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 122-115 | |
| Mar 09, 1977 | @ Houston Rockets | L 105-100 | |
| Mar 11, 1977 | @ New York Nets | L 82-73 | |
| Mar 13, 1977 | @ Boston Celtics | L 124-107 | |
| Mar 16, 1977 | vs. New York Knicks | W 124-91 | |
| Mar 18, 1977 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | L 104-100 | |
| Mar 20, 1977 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 126-106 | |
| Mar 24, 1977 | vs. Buffalo Braves | L 107-102 | |
| Mar 25, 1977 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 118-93 | |
| Mar 26, 1977 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 109-102 | |
| Mar 27, 1977 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 121-100 | |
| Mar 29, 1977 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 122-110 | |
| Mar 30, 1977 | @ New Orleans Jazz | L 112-100 | |
| Apr 01, 1977 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 133-116 | |
| Apr 03, 1977 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 124-109 | |
| Apr 05, 1977 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 108-102 | |
| Apr 07, 1977 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 121-110 | |
| Apr 08, 1977 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 122-111 | |
| Apr 10, 1977 | vs. New York Nets | W 128-104 |