The 1998-99 Phoenix Suns season was a remarkable campaign marked by resilience and strategic moves in a lockout-shortened NBA season. The team finished with a 27-23 record, placing them fourth in the Pacific Division and securing the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Under the guidance of head coach Danny Ainge, the Suns demonstrated a balanced approach with a mix of veteran leadership and emerging talent.
Key players for the Suns included Jason Kidd, who was instrumental as the team’s floor general, leading the NBA in assists with 10.8 per game. The roster also featured Tom Gugliotta, who averaged 17 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, providing a solid offensive presence. Clifford Robinson contributed significantly with his versatility and defensive prowess, while Rex Chapman delivered crucial scoring from the perimeter.
In the playoffs, the Suns faced the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the first round. Despite a valiant effort, they were swept 3-0 by the eventual champions. The series highlighted the Suns’ need for more depth and interior strength to compete against elite teams. Despite the early exit, the season set the stage for future growth and adjustments.
Overall, the 1998-99 Phoenix Suns season was a testament to their competitive spirit and determination, navigating a challenging season with a focus on building a foundation for future success. The team’s performance laid the groundwork for subsequent improvements and playoff aspirations in the coming years.
- Regular Season Record: 27-23
- Playoff Result: Western Conference First Round: 0-3
Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats for 1998-99 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Tom Gugliotta | 43 | 17.0 | 8.9 | 2.8 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 28.6 | 3 | 10.7 | 8.3 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Jason Kidd | 50 | 16.9 | 6.8 | 10.8 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 36.6 | 3 | 15.0 | 2.3 | 10.3 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 25.0 |
| Clifford Robinson | 50 | 16.4 | 4.5 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 41.7 | 3 | 15.7 | 5.3 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 22.2 |
| Rex Chapman | 38 | 12.1 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 35.1 | 3 | 5.7 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 33.3 |
| Randy Livingston | 1 | 12.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 5.3 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Danny Manning | 50 | 9.1 | 4.4 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 11.1 | 3 | 12.7 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| George McCloud | 48 | 8.9 | 3.4 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 41.6 | 3 | 14.0 | 4.3 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 45.0 |
| Luc Longley | 39 | 8.7 | 5.7 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 3 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Pat Garrity | 39 | 5.6 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 38.9 | 3 | 9.0 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 100.0 |
| Chris Morris | 44 | 4.2 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 28.6 | 1 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 |
| Shawn Respert | 12 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 30.8 | |||||||
| Toby Bailey | 27 | 2.9 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 20.0 | |||||||
| Alvin Sims | 4 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 100.0 | |||||||
| Gerald Brown | 33 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 30.0 | 1 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Joe Kleine | 31 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Jimmy Oliver | 2 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | |||||||
| Marko Milič | 11 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
Phoenix Suns in the 1999 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Portland Trail Blazers
In the 1999 NBA Playoffs, the Phoenix Suns faced the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round. Despite a strong effort from the Suns, they were overpowered by the Blazers' depth and defensive prowess, resulting in Phoenix being swept 3-0 in the best-of-five series. The Suns struggled to contain Portland's balanced attack and failed to advance past the opening round.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 08, 1999 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 95-85 | |
| May 10, 1999 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 110-99 | |
| May 12, 1999 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 103-93 |
Phoenix Suns 1998-99 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1998-99 season for the Phoenix Suns.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 05, 1999 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 101-92 | |
| Feb 07, 1999 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 115-108 | |
| Feb 09, 1999 | vs. Sacramento Kings | L 112-95 | |
| Feb 11, 1999 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 82-74 | |
| Feb 13, 1999 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 107-104 | |
| Feb 15, 1999 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 115-106 | |
| Feb 16, 1999 | @ Houston Rockets | L 109-92 | |
| Feb 17, 1999 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 79-76 | |
| Feb 19, 1999 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 101-93 | |
| Feb 22, 1999 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 101-83 | |
| Feb 25, 1999 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 94-86 | |
| Feb 26, 1999 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 94-90 | |
| Feb 28, 1999 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 102-89 | |
| Mar 01, 1999 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 97-91 | |
| Mar 03, 1999 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 101-95 | |
| Mar 04, 1999 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 101-93 | |
| Mar 06, 1999 | vs. Sacramento Kings | L 111-99 | |
| Mar 09, 1999 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 103-91 | |
| Mar 10, 1999 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 86-73 | |
| Mar 12, 1999 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 99-97 | |
| Mar 14, 1999 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 104-90 | |
| Mar 16, 1999 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 110-92 | |
| Mar 17, 1999 | @ Charlotte Hornets | L 119-111 | |
| Mar 19, 1999 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 93-85 | |
| Mar 20, 1999 | @ Houston Rockets | L 103-93 | |
| Mar 22, 1999 | vs. Vancouver Grizzlies | W 89-84 | |
| Mar 24, 1999 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 106-101 | |
| Mar 25, 1999 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 97-84 | |
| Mar 26, 1999 | vs. New York Knicks | L 94-87 | |
| Mar 28, 1999 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 88-86 | |
| Mar 31, 1999 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 93-78 | |
| Apr 02, 1999 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 91-90 | |
| Apr 03, 1999 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 98-93 | |
| Apr 06, 1999 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 88-83 | |
| Apr 07, 1999 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | W 90-82 | |
| Apr 09, 1999 | @ Utah Jazz | L 93-92 | |
| Apr 10, 1999 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 110-84 | |
| Apr 12, 1999 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 94-77 | |
| Apr 14, 1999 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 101-94 | |
| Apr 16, 1999 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 92-85 | |
| Apr 18, 1999 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 99-93 | |
| Apr 20, 1999 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 104-100 | |
| Apr 21, 1999 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 91-82 | |
| Apr 25, 1999 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 95-71 | |
| Apr 26, 1999 | @ Utah Jazz | W 99-85 | |
| Apr 28, 1999 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | L 97-92 | |
| Apr 29, 1999 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 98-87 | |
| May 01, 1999 | vs. Vancouver Grizzlies | W 107-77 | |
| May 02, 1999 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 111-100 | |
| May 05, 1999 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | W 100-96 |