1991–92 Phoenix Suns season

The '''[[1991–92 NBA season]]''' was the 24th season for the [[Phoenix Suns]] in the [[National Basketball Association]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/PHO/1992.html|title = 1991-92 Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats}}</ref> During the off-season, the Suns acquired three-point specialist [[Trent Tucker]] from the [[1990–91 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]];<ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Clifton | title = BASKETBALL; Knicks Add Firepower by Acquiring McDaniel | work = The New York Times | date = October 2, 1991 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1991/10/02/sports/basketball-knicks-add-firepower-by-acquiring-mcdaniel.html | access-date = November 20, 2022}}</ref> however, Tucker never played for the team as he was released to free agency, and later on signed with the [[1991–92 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio Spurs]].<ref>{{cite news | title = SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Suns Release Tucker | work = The New York Times | date = November 17, 1991 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/17/sports/sports-people-basketball-suns-release-tucker.html | access-date = November 20, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Tucker Joins Spurs | work = The New York Times | date = February 28, 1992 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1992/02/28/sports/sports-people-pro-basketball-tucker-joins-spurs.html | access-date = January 19, 2022}}</ref> The Suns were led by [[head coach]] [[Cotton Fitzsimmons]], which would be the last of his four-season second stint as coach of the Suns.<ref>{{cite news | title = SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Suns to Change Coaches | work = The New York Times | date = April 24, 1992 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1992/04/24/sports/sports-people-basketball-suns-to-change-coaches.html | access-date = December 31, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Staff and Wire Reports | title = NBA Firings: Westhead, Hamblen | work = Los Angeles Times | date = April 24, 1992 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-04-24-sp-910-story.html | access-date = November 18, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Westhead Fired by Nuggets, Fitzsimmons Steps Down | work = The Washington Post | date = April 24, 1992 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1992/04/24/westhead-fired-by-nuggets-fitzsimmons-steps-down/97ceed14-1586-4d2d-b498-1b6846ef5c24/ | access-date = May 2, 2023}}</ref> All home games were played at the [[Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum]].

The '''[[1991–92 NBA season]]''' was the 24th season for the [[Phoenix Suns]] in the [[National Basketball Association]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/PHO/1992.html|title = 1991-92 Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats}}</ref> During the off-season, the Suns acquired three-point specialist [[Trent Tucker]] from the [[1990–91 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]];<ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Clifton | title = BASKETBALL; Knicks Add Firepower by Acquiring McDaniel | work = The New York Times | date = October 2, 1991 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1991/10/02/sports/basketball-knicks-add-firepower-by-acquiring-mcdaniel.html | access-date = November 20, 2022}}</ref> however, Tucker never played for the team as he was released to free agency, and later on signed with the [[1991–92 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio Spurs]].<ref>{{cite news | title = SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Suns Release Tucker | work = The New York Times | date = November 17, 1991 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/17/sports/sports-people-basketball-suns-release-tucker.html | access-date = November 20, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Tucker Joins Spurs | work = The New York Times | date = February 28, 1992 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1992/02/28/sports/sports-people-pro-basketball-tucker-joins-spurs.html | access-date = January 19, 2022}}</ref> The Suns were led by [[head coach]] [[Cotton Fitzsimmons]], which would be the last of his four-season second stint as coach of the Suns.<ref>{{cite news | title = SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Suns to Change Coaches | work = The New York Times | date = April 24, 1992 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1992/04/24/sports/sports-people-basketball-suns-to-change-coaches.html | access-date = December 31, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Staff and Wire Reports | title = NBA Firings: Westhead, Hamblen | work = Los Angeles Times | date = April 24, 1992 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-04-24-sp-910-story.html | access-date = November 18, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Westhead Fired by Nuggets, Fitzsimmons Steps Down | work = The Washington Post | date = April 24, 1992 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1992/04/24/westhead-fired-by-nuggets-fitzsimmons-steps-down/97ceed14-1586-4d2d-b498-1b6846ef5c24/ | access-date = May 2, 2023}}</ref> All home games were played at the [[Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum]].

The Suns got off to a slow 5–9 start to the regular season, but then posted a nine-game winning streak as they won 14 of their next 15 games, and held a 32–16 record at the All-Star break.<ref>{{cite web | title = NBA Games Played on February 6, 1992 | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/index.fcgi?month=2&day=6&year=1992 | access-date = November 21, 2022}}</ref> The Suns finished in third place in the [[Pacific Division (NBA)|Pacific Division]] with a 53–29 record, and earned the #4 seed in the [[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Conference]].<ref name="schedule">{{cite web | title = 1991–92 Phoenix Suns Schedule and Results | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/PHO/1992_games.html | access-date = October 14, 2021}}</ref>

The Suns got off to a slow 5–9 start to the regular season, but then posted a nine-game winning streak as they won 14 of their next 15 games, and held a 32–16 record at the All-Star break.<ref>{{cite web | title = NBA Games Played on February 6, 1992 | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/index.fcgi?month=2&day=6&year=1992 | access-date = November 21, 2022}}</ref> The Suns finished in third place in the [[Pacific Division (NBA)|Pacific Division]] with a 53–29 record, and earned the fourth seed in the [[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Conference]].<ref name="schedule">{{cite web | title = 1991–92 Phoenix Suns Schedule and Results | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/PHO/1992_games.html | access-date = October 14, 2021}}</ref>

[[Jeff Hornacek]] averaged 20.1 [[point (basketball)|points]], 5.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game, while [[Kevin Johnson (basketball)|Kevin Johnson]] averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 [[assist (basketball)|assists]] and 1.5 steals per game, and was named to the [[All-NBA Team|All-NBA Third Team]], and sixth man [[Dan Majerle]] provided the team with 17.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game off the bench. In addition, [[Tom Chambers (basketball)|Tom Chambers]] contributed 16.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, while [[Tim Perry]] showed improvement becoming the team's starting small forward averaging 12.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, and [[Andrew Lang (basketball)|Andrew Lang]] replaced [[Mark West (basketball)|Mark West]] as the team's starting center this season, averaging 7.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and leading the team with 2.5 blocks per game. Meanwhile, second-year forward [[Cedric Ceballos]] contributed 7.2 points per game, West averaged 6.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, and second-year guard [[Negele Knight]] provided with 5.8 points and 2.7 assists per game.<ref name="stats">{{cite web | title = 1991–92 Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/PHO/1992.html | access-date = October 14, 2021}}</ref>

[[Jeff Hornacek]] averaged 20.1 [[point (basketball)|points]], 5.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game, while [[Kevin Johnson (basketball)|Kevin Johnson]] averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 [[assist (basketball)|assists]] and 1.5 steals per game, and was named to the [[All-NBA Team|All-NBA Third Team]], and sixth man [[Dan Majerle]] provided the team with 17.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game off the bench. In addition, [[Tom Chambers (basketball)|Tom Chambers]] contributed 16.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, while [[Tim Perry]] showed improvement becoming the team's starting small forward averaging 12.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, and [[Andrew Lang (basketball)|Andrew Lang]] replaced [[Mark West (basketball)|Mark West]] as the team's starting center this season, averaging 7.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and leading the team with 2.5 blocks per game. Meanwhile, second-year forward [[Cedric Ceballos]] contributed 7.2 points per game, West averaged 6.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, and second-year guard [[Negele Knight]] provided with 5.8 points and 2.7 assists per game.<ref name="stats">{{cite web | title = 1991–92 Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/PHO/1992.html | access-date = October 14, 2021}}</ref>