The 1980-81 Phoenix Suns concluded their season with a 57-25 record, securing the top spot in the Pacific Division. This marked a significant achievement for the team, as it was their first division title. Under the leadership of head coach John MacLeod, the Suns showcased a well-rounded roster that consistently delivered strong performances throughout the season.
Key players such as Walter Davis and Dennis Johnson were instrumental in the Suns’ success. Davis, known for his scoring prowess, led the team with an average of 18.0 points per game. Meanwhile, Johnson contributed significantly on both ends of the court, known for his defensive skills and playmaking ability. The presence of Alvan Adams also provided the Suns with a reliable inside presence, averaging 14.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
In the playoffs, the Suns faced the Kansas City Kings in the Western Conference Semifinals. Despite having home-court advantage, Phoenix struggled against the Kings. The series extended to a full seven games, with the Suns ultimately falling to the Kings 4-3. This playoff exit was disappointing for the Suns, considering their regular-season success and aspirations for a deeper postseason run.
Overall, the 1980-81 season remains a memorable one for the Phoenix Suns, highlighted by their division title and strong regular-season performance. However, their playoff exit underscored the challenges of translating regular-season success into postseason victories.
- Regular Season Record: 57-25
- Playoff Result: Western Conference Semifinals: 3-4
Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats for 1980-81 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Truck Robinson | 82 | 18.8 | 9.6 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 7 | 10.6 | 10.7 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Dennis Johnson | 79 | 18.8 | 4.6 | 3.7 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 21.6 | 7 | 19.6 | 4.7 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 20.0 |
| Walter Davis | 78 | 18.0 | 2.6 | 3.9 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 41.2 | 7 | 16.0 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Alvan Adams | 75 | 14.9 | 7.3 | 4.6 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 7 | 10.6 | 5.9 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Jeff Cook | 79 | 8.5 | 5.9 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 7 | 9.3 | 6.7 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 100.0 |
| Johnny High | 81 | 8.4 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 8.3 | 7 | 5.3 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Kyle Macy | 82 | 8.1 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 24.0 | 7 | 7.0 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 50.0 |
| Rich Kelley | 81 | 7.0 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 7 | 4.1 | 5.0 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Alvin Scott | 82 | 5.4 | 3.3 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 14.3 | 7 | 5.4 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| Joel Kramer | 82 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 7 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Mike Niles | 44 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 40.1 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Phoenix Suns in the 1981 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. Kansas City Kings
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 07, 1981 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 102-80 | |
| Apr 08, 1981 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 88-83 | |
| Apr 10, 1981 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 93-92 | |
| Apr 12, 1981 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 102-95 | |
| Apr 15, 1981 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 101-89 | |
| Apr 17, 1981 | @ Kansas City Kings | W 81-76 | |
| Apr 19, 1981 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 95-88 |
Phoenix Suns 1980-81 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1980-81 season for the Phoenix Suns.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 1980 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 121-101 | |
| Oct 12, 1980 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 109-100 | |
| Oct 15, 1980 | @ Utah Jazz | W 107-93 | |
| Oct 17, 1980 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 116-109 | |
| Oct 19, 1980 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 102-84 | |
| Oct 21, 1980 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 111-99 | |
| Oct 24, 1980 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 117-94 | |
| Oct 25, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 100-75 | |
| Oct 29, 1980 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 105-89 | |
| Oct 31, 1980 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 103-98 | |
| Nov 01, 1980 | @ Kansas City Kings | W 127-100 | |
| Nov 04, 1980 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 109-108 | |
| Nov 05, 1980 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 114-84 | |
| Nov 08, 1980 | @ Houston Rockets | W 116-115 | |
| Nov 11, 1980 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 109-107 | |
| Nov 12, 1980 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 130-127 | |
| Nov 15, 1980 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 119-108 | |
| Nov 16, 1980 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 119-107 | |
| Nov 18, 1980 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 102-91 | |
| Nov 20, 1980 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 102-99 | |
| Nov 21, 1980 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 116-88 | |
| Nov 23, 1980 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 131-113 | |
| Nov 26, 1980 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 113-103 | |
| Nov 28, 1980 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 102-101 | |
| Nov 29, 1980 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 113-108 | |
| Nov 30, 1980 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 117-114 | |
| Dec 02, 1980 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 122-107 | |
| Dec 03, 1980 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 103-100 | |
| Dec 05, 1980 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 90-88 | |
| Dec 07, 1980 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 106-88 | |
| Dec 09, 1980 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 123-108 | |
| Dec 10, 1980 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 102-90 | |
| Dec 14, 1980 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 116-110 | |
| Dec 17, 1980 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 115-102 | |
| Dec 19, 1980 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 108-90 | |
| Dec 21, 1980 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 111-100 | |
| Dec 22, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 109-98 | |
| Dec 23, 1980 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 113-104 | |
| Dec 25, 1980 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 131-111 | |
| Dec 27, 1980 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 116-106 | |
| Dec 30, 1980 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 116-97 | |
| Jan 02, 1981 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 133-132 | |
| Jan 06, 1981 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 113-106 | |
| Jan 07, 1981 | @ Boston Celtics | L 108-90 | |
| Jan 09, 1981 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 112-95 | |
| Jan 11, 1981 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 123-109 | |
| Jan 13, 1981 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 104-99 | |
| Jan 14, 1981 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 128-102 | |
| Jan 16, 1981 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 92-89 | |
| Jan 18, 1981 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 120-86 | |
| Jan 20, 1981 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 119-112 | |
| Jan 21, 1981 | @ Houston Rockets | L 106-100 | |
| Jan 23, 1981 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 131-122 | |
| Jan 25, 1981 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 98-93 | |
| Jan 26, 1981 | @ New York Knicks | W 99-94 | |
| Jan 28, 1981 | @ Washington Bullets | L 108-98 | |
| Jan 29, 1981 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 115-111 | |
| Feb 04, 1981 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 114-89 | |
| Feb 06, 1981 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 112-99 | |
| Feb 08, 1981 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 113-107 | |
| Feb 10, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 107-93 | |
| Feb 11, 1981 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 119-97 | |
| Feb 13, 1981 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 110-94 | |
| Feb 15, 1981 | vs. New York Knicks | L 115-101 | |
| Feb 17, 1981 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 118-109 | |
| Feb 19, 1981 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 127-126 | |
| Feb 20, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 112-111 | |
| Feb 22, 1981 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 116-110 | |
| Feb 27, 1981 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 121-117 | |
| Mar 01, 1981 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 101-96 | |
| Mar 04, 1981 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 126-106 | |
| Mar 05, 1981 | @ Utah Jazz | W 112-100 | |
| Mar 06, 1981 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 128-107 | |
| Mar 08, 1981 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 105-68 | |
| Mar 10, 1981 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 107-103 | |
| Mar 18, 1981 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 126-114 | |
| Mar 21, 1981 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 114-105 | |
| Mar 22, 1981 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 107-91 | |
| Mar 24, 1981 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 120-111 | |
| Mar 25, 1981 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 110-101 | |
| Mar 27, 1981 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 124-100 | |
| Mar 29, 1981 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 105-90 |