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NBA professional basketball team season
The 1968–69 Phoenix Suns season was the inaugural season for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Head coach Red Kerr led the franchise to its first win in their debut game, over the Seattle SuperSonics . The Suns lost more games in their initial season than in any year since, and did not have a winning record against any other team. They played all their home games in the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum .
Dick Van Arsdale was the franchise's first All-Star selection when he was selected to play in the 1969 All-Star Game . He was the team's second leading scorer at 21 points per game, behind eventual Hall of Fame member Gail Goodrich , who averaged 23.8, the seventh-highest in the league for the season. Goodrich was selected to replace an injured Jerry West in the All-Star Game.
Offseason
NBA Expansion Draft
The Suns participated in the NBA's fourth expansion draft along with the Milwaukee Bucks , the other expansion team that joined the league in 1968. Each of the league's other 12 teams protected seven of their top players, with the remaining unprotected players available in the draft. The two expansion teams selected three players from each team, totaling 18 selections each.
The Suns received the first, fourth and fifth picks, while the Bucks, which had not yet chosen their team name at the time, received the second and third picks. The Suns' first selection was swingman Dick Van Arsdale of the New York Knicks . The Bucks then selected center Wayne Embry of the Boston Celtics , and power forward Fred Hetzel of the San Francisco Warriors . The Suns rounded out the top five by picking point guard Gail Goodrich of the Los Angeles Lakers and shooting guard Dick Snyder of the Atlanta Hawks .[ 1] Dick Van Arsdale would have a historic career with the Suns after being drafted, with him being an All-Star in his first three seasons with the team, as well as be named a member of the All-Defensive Second Team in 1974 and helping the team reach the 1976 NBA Finals before retiring in 1977, having his number become the second in franchise history to be retired into the Phoenix Suns Ring of Honor in the 1977–78 season, behind Connie Hawkins .
NBA Draft
Roster
Phoenix Suns roster
Players
Coaches
Head coach Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended
Regular season
Standings
Record vs. opponents
1968–69 NBA records
Team
ATL
BAL
BOS
CHI
CIN
DET
LAL
MIL
NYK
PHI
PHO
SDR
SFW
SEA
Atlanta
—
2–4
3–3
6–1
4–2
6–0
3–4
4–2
2–4
1–5
6–0
3–4
4–3
4–2
Baltimore
4–2
—
5–2
6–0
4–3
7–0
3–3
5–1
3–4
2–4
6–0
5–1
3–3
4–2
Boston
3–3
2–5
—
4–2
5–2
5–1
2–4
5–1
1–6
5–2
6–0
4–2
3–3
3–3
Chicago
1–6
0–6
2–4
—
1–5
3–3
3–4
5–1
2–4
1–5
4–2
3–3
4–3
4–3
Cincinnati
2–4
3–4
2–5
5–1
—
3–4
2–4
5–1
4–2
3–4
4–2
2–4
3–3
3–3
Detroit
0–6
0–7
1–5
3–3
4–3
—
3–3
2–4
3–4
3–4
4–2
3–3
2–4
4–2
Los Angeles
4–3
3–3
4–2
4–3
4–2
3–3
—
5–1
5–1
1–5
6–0
7–0
4–3
5–1
Milwaukee
2–4
1–5
1–5
1–5
1–5
4–2
1–5
—
0–6
0–6
6–2
4–2
3–3
3–5
New York
4–2
4–3
6–1
4–2
2–4
4–3
1–5
6–0
—
4–3
5–1
3–3
5–1
6–0
Philadelphia
5–1
4–2
2–5
5–1
4–3
4–3
5–1
6–0
3–4
—
5–1
4–2
2–4
6–0
Phoenix
0–6
0–6
0–6
2–4
2–4
2–4
0–6
2–6
1–5
1–5
—
1–7
2–4
3–3
San Diego
4–3
1–5
2–4
3–3
4–2
3–3
0–7
2–4
3–3
2–4
7–1
—
3–3
3–3
San Francisco
3–4
3–3
3–3
3–4
3–3
4–2
3–4
3–3
1–5
4–2
4–2
3–3
—
4–3
Seattle
2–4
2–4
3–3
3–4
3–3
2–4
1–5
5–3
0–6
0–6
3–3
3–3
3–4
—
Game log
1968–69 game log
October: 4–3 (home: 3–2; road: 1–1)
November: 1–12 (home: 1–5; road: 0–7)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
Location
Record
Streak
8
November 3
Los Angeles
L 109–127
Dick Van Arsdale (38)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 4–4
L 1
9
November 4
San Francisco
L 108–119
Dick Van Arsdale (29)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 4–5
L 2
10
November 10
Detroit
W 130–128 (OT)
George Wilson (33)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5–5
W 1
11
November 14
Detroit
L 109–111
Gail Goodrich (25)
Tucson , AZ 5–6
L 1
12
November 15
@ Seattle
L 124–128 (2OT)
Dick Van Arsdale (34)
Seattle Center Coliseum 5–7
L 2
13
November 17
Boston
L 98–130
Gail Goodrich ,Dave Lattin (13)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5–8
L 3
14
November 19
@ Philadelphia
L 110–126
Dick Van Arsdale (29)
New York City, NY
5–9
L 4
15
November 22
@ Boston
L 106–133
McCoy McLemore (18)
Boston Garden 5–10
L 5
16
November 23
@ Milwaukee
L 112–115
McCoy McLemore (28)
Milwaukee Arena 5–11
L 6
17
November 26
Philadelphia
L 119–126
Gail Goodrich (32)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5–12
L 7
18
November 27
@ Detroit
L 111–125
George Wilson (24)
Cobo Arena 5–13
L 8
19
November 29
@ Baltimore
L 106–124
Gail Goodrich ,Dick Van Arsdale (24)
Baltimore Civic Center 5–14
L 9
20
November 30
@ Chicago
L 96–100
Dick Van Arsdale (29)
Chicago Stadium 5–15
L 10
December: 3–15 (home: 2–5; road: 1–10)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
Location
Record
Streak
21
December 2
Seattle
L 108–118
Gail Goodrich (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5–16
L 11
22
December 3
@ Los Angeles
L 108–122
Gail Goodrich (23)
The Forum 5–17
L 12
23
December 4
San Francisco
W 126–97
Gail Goodrich (32)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 6–17
W 1
24
December 6
@ San Diego
L 106–117
Dick Van Arsdale (33)
San Diego Sports Arena 6–18
L 1
25
December 8
Atlanta
L 99–121
Dick Van Arsdale (17)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 6–19
L 2
26
December 10
@ New York
L 106–111
Gail Goodrich (29)
Madison Square Garden 6–20
L 3
27
December 11
@ Philadelphia
L 123–143
Gail Goodrich (19)
The Spectrum 6–21
L 4
28
December 13
@ Cincinnati
L 123–130 (OT)
Dick Van Arsdale (31)
Cleveland , OH 6–22
L 5
29
December 14
@ Detroit
W 123–118
Gail Goodrich (41)
Cobo Arena 7–22
W 1
30
December 15
@ Cincinnati
L 101–119
Stan McKenzie (basketball) (28)
Omaha , NE 7–23
L 1
31
December 17
Philadelphia
L 128–145
Dick Snyder (25)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7–24
L 2
32
December 18
Cincinnati
W 123–114
Gail Goodrich (34)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8–24
W 1
33
December 21
@ Baltimore
L 117–131
Gail Goodrich (28)
Baltimore Civic Center 8–25
L 1
34
December 22
@ Milwaukee
L 116–127
Dick Van Arsdale (26)
Milwaukee Arena 8–26
L 2
35
December 25
Los Angeles
L 99–119
Dick Van Arsdale (27)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8–27
L 3
36
December 26
@ San Francisco
L 118–119
Gail Goodrich (40)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 8–28
L 4
37
December 28
San Diego
L 126–136
Gail Goodrich (29)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8–29
L 5
38
December 30
@ Seattle
L 118–120
Jim Fox (24)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8–30
L 6
January: 3–12 (home: 3–6; road: 0–6)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
Location
Record
Streak
39
January 1
Boston
L 87–93
Dick Van Arsdale (22)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8–31
L 7
40
January 3
@ Milwaukee
L 104–121
Dick Snyder (22)
Milwaukee Arena 8–32
L 8
41
January 4
@ Chicago
L 92–103
Jim Fox (27)
Chicago Stadium 8–33
L 9
42
January 5
@ Atlanta
L 96–97
Dick Snyder ,Dick Van Arsdale (22)
Alexander Memorial Coliseum 8–34
L 10
43
January 7
Seattle
W 116–112
Gail Goodrich (35)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 9–34
W 1
44
January 9
New York
L 120–134
Stan McKenzie (basketball) (18)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 9–35
L 1
45
January 11
Baltimore
L 107–118
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 9–36
L 2
All-Star Break
46
January 16
@ Atlanta
L 107–112
Gary Gregor (26)
Columbia , SC 9–37
L 3
47
January 17
@ Atlanta
L 107–112
Gail Goodrich (27)
Alexander Memorial Coliseum 9–38
L 4
48
January 19
San Diego
L 118–136
Gail Goodrich (29)
San Diego Sports Arena 9–39
L 5
49
January 22
Atlanta
L 107–125
Bob Warlick (23)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 9–40
L 6
50
January 24
Chicago
W 117–106
Dick Van Arsdale (27)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 10–40
W 1
51
January 25
@ San Diego
L 120–133
Jim Fox ,Gail Goodrich (22)
San Diego Sports Arena 10–41
L 1
52
January 26
San Francisco
L 93–117
Neil Johnson (22)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 10–42
L 2
53
January 29
Milwaukee
W 111–107
Gail Goodrich (33)
Tacoma , WA 11–42
W 1
February: 3–14 (home: 2–4; road: 1–10)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
Location
Record
Streak
54
February 2
Milwaukee
W 122–121
Gail Goodrich (37)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 12–42
W 2
55
February 4
Philadelphia
W 125–116
Jim Fox ,Dick Van Arsdale (25)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 13–42
W 3
56
February 6
Cincinnati
L 103–124
Gail Goodrich (35)
Tucson , AZ 13–43
L 1
57
February 7
@ San Diego
L 119–130
Gail Goodrich (33)
San Diego Sports Arena 13–44
L 2
58
February 8
Los Angeles
L 104–122
Gail Goodrich (29)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 13–45
L 3
59
February 9
@ Los Angeles
L 116–134
Gail Goodrich (29)
The Forum 13–46
L 4
60
February 12
@ New York
L 105–112
Gail Goodrich (26)
Madison Square Garden 13–47
L 5
61
February 14
@ Detroit
L 123–128
Jim Fox (24)
Cobo Arena 13–48
L 6
62
February 16
@ Cincinnati
W 125–113
Gail Goodrich (25)
Cincinnati Gardens 14–48
W 1
63
February 18
@ Boston
L 110–116
Gail Goodrich (29)
Boston Garden 14–49
L 1
64
February 20
@ Baltimore
L 121–124
Dick Van Arsdale (44)
Detroit , MI 14–50
L 2
65
February 21
Chicago
L 121–133
Gail Goodrich (43)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 14–51
L 3
66
February 22
Boston
L 100–124
Dick Van Arsdale (21)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 14–52
L 4
67
February 23
@ Milwaukee
L 103–107
Gail Goodrich (29)
Green Bay , WI 14–53
L 5
68
February 25
@ Boston
L 99–112
Dick Van Arsdale (22)
New York City, NY
14–54
L 6
69
February 26
@ Philadelphia
L 97–104
Dick Van Arsdale (22)
The Spectrum 14–55
L 7
70
February 28
@ Los Angeles
L 117–121
Gail Goodrich (43)
The Forum 14–56
L 8
March: 2–10 (home: 1–7; road: 1–3)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
Location
Record
Streak
71
March 1
@ San Francisco
W 119–118
Gail Goodrich (33)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 15–56
W 1
72
March 4
Cincinnati
L 122–141
Gail Goodrich (37)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 15–57
L 1
73
March 6
@ Chicago
L 117–125 (OT)
Gail Goodrich (33)
Carbondale , IL 15–58
L 2
74
March 7
@ New York
L 87–119
Bob Warlick (18)
Philadelphia , PA 15–59
L 3
75
March 9
San Diego
W 146–133
Gail Goodrich (47)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 16–59
W 1
76
March 10
Baltimore
L 121–140
Dick Van Arsdale (37)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 16–60
L 1
77
March 11
@ San Diego
L 106–116
Dick Van Arsdale (26)
San Diego Sports Arena 16–61
L 2
78
March 15
San Diego
L 124–141
Gail Goodrich (38)
Tucson , AZ 16–62
L 3
79
March 17
Detroit
L 95–119
Stan McKenzie (basketball) (18)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 16–63
L 4
80
March 19
Milwaukee
L 110–117
Dick Van Arsdale (32)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 16–64
L 5
81
March 21
New York
L 104–139
Gary Gregor (23)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 16–65
L 6
82
March 23
Milwaukee
L 118–128
Dick Van Arsdale (31)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 16–66
L 7
1968–69 schedule
Team-by-team results
Awards and honors
All-Star
Season
Player statistics
Season
* – Stats with the Suns. ^ – Minimum 230 field goals. + – Minimum 230 free throws.
Transactions
Trades
Free agents
Additions
Subtractions
References
^ Boatner, Verne (May 7, 1968), "Suns Stress Youth in Draft Choices", Arizona Republic
1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
United States
