1985–86 Phoenix Suns season

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1985–86 Phoenix Suns season
Head coachJohn MacLeod
General managerJerry Colangelo
OwnersKarl Eller, Don Pitt, Don Diamond, Bhavik Darji, Marvin Meyer, Richard L. Bloch[1]
ArenaArizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Results
Record32–50 (.390)
PlaceDivision: 3rd (Pacific)
Conference: 9th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKNXV-TV
RadioKTAR
< 1984–85 1986–87 >

The 1985–86 Phoenix Suns season was the 18th season for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association. The Suns finished the regular season tied with their third-worst record to that point, going just 32–50. Coupled with every team in the Western Conference's Midwest division finishing with a better record than all but two teams from the Pacific division, and the Suns were out of the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons, ending a then-franchise record streak for consecutive playoff berths. The Suns were led by head coach John MacLeod, in his 13th year with the Suns, and played all home games in Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Walter Davis bounced back from injury that caused him to miss the majority of the previous season, leading the Suns in scoring at 22 points per game, his highest output since his 1978–79 season with the Suns. Phoenix boasted a pair of 20–20 scorers, as Larry Nance continued to increase his scoring each season since being drafted five seasons ago by Phoenix, with a 20.2 average a game for the season. Nance would finish the season ranked third in the NBA in field goal percentage and lead the Suns in rebounds. Mike Sanders came off the bench and appeared in all 82 regular season games, averaging a career-high 11.0 points a game.

Offseason[edit]

NBA draft[edit]

Main article: 1985 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College / Club
1 10 Ed Pinckney Forward  United States Villanova
2 32 Nick Vanos Center  United States Santa Clara
3 56 Jerry Everett Guard  United States Lamar
4 78 Granger Hall Forward  United States Temple
5 102 Shawn Campbell Center  United States Weber State
6 124 Charles Rayne Guard  United States Temple
7 148 Georgi Glouchkov Forward Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria Akademik Varna

Roster[edit]

Phoenix Suns roster
Players Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Height Weight DOB (Y-M-D) From
F/C 33 United States Adams, Alvan 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1954-07-19 Oklahoma
G/F 6 United States Davis, Walter 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 193 lb (88 kg) 1954-09-09 North Carolina
C 53 United States Edwards, James Injured 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1955-11-22 Washington
G 10 United States Foster, Rod 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 160 lb (73 kg) 1960-10-10 UCLA
F 16 Bulgaria Glouchkov, Georgi 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1960-01-10 Bulgaria
G 24 United States Humphries, Jay 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1962-10-17 Colorado
F 34 United States Jones, Charles 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1962-01-12 Louisville
F/C 22 United States Nance, Larry 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1959-02-12 Clemson
F 54 United States Pinckney, Ed 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1963-03-27 Villanova
F 32 United States Pittman, Charles 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1958-03-23 Maryland
C 8 United States Robey, Rick 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1956-01-30 Kentucky
G/F 11 United States Sanders, Mike 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1960-05-07 UCLA
G/F 7 United States Thompson, Bernard 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1962-08-30 Fresno State
G 15 United States Toney, Sedric 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 178 lb (81 kg) 1962-04-13 Dayton
C 30 United States Vanos, Nick 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 255 lb (116 kg) 1963-04-13 Santa Clara
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season[edit]

  • The Suns were the last winless team, starting the season 0-9.
  • On February 18, 1986, Alvin Robertson recorded the second quadruple-double (double digits in four statistical categories in a single game) in NBA history, when he registered 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals while playing for the Spurs against the Suns.[2] He is also the only player to do so with steals as the fourth category (the other three were with blocks).[3]

Standings[edit]

Pacific Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Los Angeles Lakers 62 20 .756 – 35–6 27–14 23–7
x-Portland Trail Blazers 40 42 .488 22 27–14 13–28 18–12
Phoenix Suns 32 50 .390 30 23–18 9–32 16–14
Los Angeles Clippers 32 50 .390 30 22–19 10–31 10–20
Seattle SuperSonics 31 51 .378 31 24–17 7–34 11–19
Golden State Warriors 30 52 .366 32 24–17 6–35 12–18
#
Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Los Angeles Lakers 62 20 .756 –
2 y-Houston Rockets 51 31 .622 11
3 x-Denver Nuggets 47 35 .573 15
4 x-Dallas Mavericks 44 38 .537 18
5 x-Utah Jazz 42 40 .512 20
6 x-Portland Trail Blazers 40 42 .488 22
7 x-Sacramento Kings 37 45 .451 25
8 x-San Antonio Spurs 35 47 .427 27
9 Phoenix Suns 32 50 .390 30
10 Los Angeles Clippers 32 50 .390 30
11 Seattle SuperSonics 31 51 .378 31
12 Golden State Warriors 30 52 .366 32

Record vs. opponents[edit]

1985-86 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MIL NJN NYK PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA UTA WAS
Atlanta — 0–6 5–1 4–2 1–1 1–1 4–2 1–1 1–1 5–1 2–0 1–1 3–3 4–2 5–1 4–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–4
Boston 6–0 — 5–1 5–1 1–1 1–1 4–1 2–0 2–0 5–1 2–0 2–0 5–0 4–2 5–1 4–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 5–1
Chicago 1–5 1–5 — 3–3 0–2 2–0 2–4 2–0 1–1 3–3 1–1 0–2 1–5 2–3 4–2 1–5 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–4
Cleveland 2–4 1–5 3–3 — 1–1 1–1 1–5 0–2 0–2 3–2 1–1 1–1 1–5 3–3 4–1 0–6 2–0 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–5
Dallas 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 — 3–3 0–2 4–1 1–5 2–0 2–3 1–4 0–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 5–0 2–3 3–3 4–2 3–2 5–1 1–1
Denver 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–3 — 1–1 3–2 3–3 2–0 4–1 3–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–1 3–2 3–3 3–3 2–3 3–3 2–0
Detroit 2–4 1–4 4–2 5–1 2–0 1–1 — 1–1 1–1 5–1 2–0 1–1 2–4 4–2 4–1 2–4 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 4–2
Golden State 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–0 1–4 2–3 1–1 — 0–5 1–1 5–1 2–4 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–4 1–5 2–3 2–3 2–4 2–3 1–1
Houston 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 5–1 3–3 1–1 5–0 — 2–0 3–2 1–4 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–2 3–2 4–2 5–1 3–2 3–3 2–0
Indiana 1–5 1–5 3–3 2–3 0–2 0–2 1–5 1–1 0–2 — 2–0 0–2 2–4 2–3 2–4 0–6 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 5–1
L.A. Clippers 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 3–2 1–4 0–2 1–5 2–3 0–2 — 2–4 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 2–4 2–4 5–0 1–4 3–3 3–2 0–2
L.A. Lakers 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 4–1 2–3 1–1 4–2 4–1 2–0 4–2 — 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 5–1 6–0 5–0 4–1 4–2 5–0 2–0
Milwaukee 3–3 0–5 5–1 5–1 2–0 0–2 4–2 2–0 2–0 4–2 1–1 0–2 — 4–2 6–0 4–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 4–2
New Jersey 2–4 2–4 3–2 3–3 0–2 1–1 2–4 1–1 1–1 3–2 0–2 1–1 2–4 — 5–1 2–4 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–4
New York 1–5 1–5 2–4 1–4 1–1 1–1 1–4 1–1 0–2 4–2 0–2 1–1 0–6 1–5 — 0–6 2–0 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 3–3
Philadelphia 1–4 2–4 5–1 6–0 2–0 1–1 4–2 1–1 1–1 6–0 2–0 0–2 1–4 4–2 6–0 — 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–3
Phoenix 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–5 1–4 2–0 4–2 2–3 1–1 4–2 1–5 1–1 0–2 0–2 0–2 — 2–4 2–3 3–2 5–1 1–4 1–1
Portland 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 3–2 2–3 1–1 5–1 2–3 2–0 4–2 0–6 0–2 0–2 2–0 0–2 4–2 — 3–2 1–4 5–1 2–3 0–2
Sacramento 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 3–3 3–3 2–0 3–2 2–4 2–0 0–5 0–5 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 3–2 2–3 — 5–1 5–0 2–4 1–1
San Antonio 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–4 3–3 1–1 3–2 1–5 1–1 4–1 1–4 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–3 4–1 1–5 — 2–3 2–4 2–0
Seattle 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–3 3–2 0–2 4–2 2–3 0–2 3–3 2–4 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–5 1–5 0–5 3–2 — 2–3 1–1
Utah 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–5 3–3 1–1 3–2 3–3 2–0 2–3 0–5 0–2 0–2 2–0 1–1 4–1 3–2 4–2 4–2 3–2 — 1–1
Washington 4–1 1–5 4–1 5–1 1–1 0–2 2–4 1–1 0–2 1–5 2–0 0–2 2–4 4–2 3–3 3–3 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 —

Awards and honors[edit]

Week/Month[edit]

  • Larry Nance was named Player of the Week for games played December 16 through December 22.

All-Star[edit]

This was the first year in franchise history that the Suns were not represented in the All-Star Game.

Player statistics[edit]

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

Season[edit]

Phoenix Suns statistics
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Alvan Adams 78 45 25.7 .502 . .783 6.1 4.2 1.3 .6 10.8
Walter Davis 70 62 32.0 .485 .237 .843 2.9 5.2 1.4 .0 21.8
Devin Durrant 4 0 12.8 .381 . .250 2.0 1.3 .8 .0 4.3
James Edwards 52 51 25.3 .542 . .702 5.8 1.4 .4 .6 16.3
Rod Foster 48 0 14.7 .390 .281 .719 1.2 2.5 .5 .0 4.2
Georgi Glouchkov 49 16 15.8 .402 1.000 .574 3.3 0.7 .5 .5 4.9
Mike Holton* 4 0 16.3 .200 .000 .667 0.8 1.8 .5 .0 3.0
Jay Humphries 82 82 33.3 .479 .138 .767 3.2 6.4 1.6 .1 11.0
Charles Jones 43 18 17.3 .457 .000 .510 4.5 1.2 .7 .6 4.7
Larry Nance 73 69 34.0 .581† .000 .698 8.5 3.3 1.0 1.8 20.2
Ed Pinckney 80 24 20.0 .558 .000 .673 3.9 1.1 .9 .5 8.5
Charles Pittman 69 17 16.4 .583† . .702 3.6 0.8 .5 .3 5.1
Rick Robey 46 1 13.7 .377 .000 .688 3.2 1.3 .4 .1 3.8
Mike Sanders 82 5 20.0 .513 .200 .809 3.3 1.8 .9 .4 11.0
Bernard Thompson 61 20 21.0 .489 .000 .809 2.3 2.2 .8 .2 8.5
Sedric Toney* 10 0 20.6 .441 .300 .667 2.3 2.6 .5 .0 7.5
Nick Vanos 11 0 18.4 .319 . .348 5.5 1.5 .2 .5 4.9

* – Stats with the Suns.
† – Minimum 300 field goals made.

Transactions[edit]

Trades[edit]

June 14, 1985 To Portland Trail Blazers
1987 second-round draft pick (United States Nikita Wilson) 		To Phoenix Suns
United States Bernard Thompson
August 19, 1985 To Los Angeles Lakers
United States Maurice Lucas 		To Phoenix Suns
1988 second-round draft pick (United States Steve Kerr)
1989 second-round draft pick (United States Greg Grant)
October 4, 1985 To Chicago Bulls
Suns agree to waive their right of first refusal on free agent Kyle Macy 		To Phoenix Suns
1986 second-round draft pick (United States Rafael Addison)
1990 second-round draft pick (Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Miloš Babić)

Free agents[edit]

Additions[edit]

Date Player Contract Old Team
September 26, 1985 Alvin Scott Re-signed to 1-year contract Phoenix Suns
October 8, 1985 Devin Durrant Undisclosed Indiana Pacers
December 13, 1985 Charles Pittman Undisclosed Phoenix Suns
March 29, 1986 Sedric Toney Undisclosed Atlanta Hawks

Subtractions[edit]

Date Player Reason Left New Team
October 4, 1985 Kyle Macy Free agent Chicago Bulls
October 14, 1985 Alvin Scott Waived RCD Espanyol Bàsquet (Spain)
November 4, 1985 Devin Durrant Waived Olympique Antibes (France)
November 4, 1985 Michael Holton Waived Florida Stingers (CBA)
December 10, 1985 Charles Pittman Waived Phoenix Suns

References[edit]

  1. ^ https://basketball.realgm.com/nba/teams/Phoenix-Suns/23/staff-members/Historical/player
  2. ^ "San Antonio Spurs History". spurs.com. Archived from the original on April 24, 2007. Retrieved April 20, 2007.
  3. ^ "Nate Thurmond's Most MemoraBull Game". December 18, 2006. Retrieved April 21, 2007.
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