2005–06 Phoenix Suns season NBA team season
NBA professional basketball team season
The 2005–06 Phoenix Suns season was the 38th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Suns were led by head coach Mike D'Antoni , posting a 54–28 record, third best in the Western Conference. All home games were played at the former America West Arena , which changed its name to US Airways Center in January 2006.
The Suns looked to improve on their league-best 62–20 record and a trip to the Western Conference finals in the 2004–05 season . The Suns suffered a major setback before the season, when All-Star Amar'e Stoudemire underwent microfracture surgery on his left knee. Stoudemire returned for three games, before undergoing another surgery on his right knee. The team was led by defending MVP Steve Nash and All-Star Shawn Marion . Marion led the team in points (21.8), rebounds (11.8), steals (2.0) and blocks (1.7) per game. Nash led the league in assists with 10.5 a game, while posting a career- high 18.8 points a game, earning his second consecutive MVP award.
With injuries to Stoudemire and backup forward-center Kurt Thomas , the Suns looked to second-year forward Boris Diaw to fill in the middle. Listed in the Suns' media guide as a guard before the season, the 6-foot 8-inch Diaw started at small forward, power forward and center throughout the season, posting 13 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and a block a game, earning Most Improved Player honors.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Suns fell into a 1–3 hole against their longtime rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers . They became, at the time, the eighth team in NBA history to recover from a 3–1 deficit, winning the final three games of the series to advance to the semifinals. In the semifinals, they defeated the Lakers' Staples Center co-tenants, the Los Angeles Clippers , in another seven-game series. The Suns fell in the conference finals to the Dallas Mavericks in six games.[ 1]
Offseason
NBA draft
Roster
2005–06 Phoenix Suns roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
G
10
Barbosa, Leandro
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
176 lb (80 kg)
1982-11-28
Brazil
G/F
19
Bell, Raja
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
204 lb (93 kg)
1976-09-19
FIU
C
11
Burke, Pat
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
250 lb (113 kg)
1973-12-14
Auburn
F/C
3
Diaw, Boris
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
1982-04-16
France
F/C
55
Grant, Brian
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
254 lb (115 kg)
1972-03-05
Xavier
G
50
House, Eddie
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
1978-05-14
Arizona State
SF
22
Jones, James
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
1980-10-04
Miami (FL)
F
31
Marion, Shawn
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
1978-05-07
UNLV
PG
13
Nash, Steve
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
1974-02-07
Santa Clara
F/C
32
Stoudemire, Amar'e
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
245 lb (111 kg)
1982-11-16
Cypress Creek HS (FL)
F/C
40
Thomas, Kurt
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
1972-10-04
TCU
F/C
2
Thomas, Tim
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
1977-02-26
Villanova
G/F
1
Thompson, Dijon
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
1982-02-23
UCLA
F
15
Tskitishvili, Nikoloz
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
1983-04-14
Georgia
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Regular season
Standings
Record vs. opponents
2005-06 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BOS
CHA
CHI
CLE
DAL
DEN
DET
GSW
HOU
IND
LAC
LAL
MEM
MIA
MIL
MIN
NJN
NOK
NYK
ORL
PHI
PHO
POR
SAC
SAS
SEA
TOR
UTA
WAS
Atlanta
—
2–1
1–3
0–3
1–2
0–2
1–1
1–3
1–1
1–1
4–0
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–3
1–3
1–1
1–3
1–1
2–2
2–2
1–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–3
0–2
1–3
Boston
1–2
—
2–1
0–4
0–4
0–2
1–1
0–3
1–1
1–1
3–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–3
0–3
1–1
1–3
2–0
3–1
1–3
3–1
0–2
2–0
1–1
0–2
0–2
3–1
2–0
1–3
Charlotte
3–1
1–2
—
2–2
0–3
0–2
0–2
0–4
1–1
1–1
2–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–4
0–3
1–1
1–3
0–2
3–0
1–3
3–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–3
1–1
1–3
Chicago
3–0
4–0
2–2
—
0–4
0–2
1–1
0–4
1–1
1–1
2–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–2
2–2
1–1
2–1
1–1
2–1
3–1
2–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
4–0
1–1
3–1
Cleveland
2–1
4–0
3–0
4–0
—
1–1
1–1
1–3
0–2
1–1
3–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–2
3–1
1–1
2–2
2–0
1–2
3–1
2–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–0
2–0
1–3
Dallas
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
1–1
—
3–1
1–1
1–3
4–0
2–0
3–1
1–2
3–1
2–0
1–1
2–1
1–1
4–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–2
4–0
2–1
2–2
3–0
2–0
3–1
2–0
Denver
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–3
—
1–1
2–1
2–2
2–0
1–3
1–2
2–1
2–0
1–1
3–1
0–2
2–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–3
4–0
1–3
2–2
2–2
2–0
1–3
1–1
Detroit
3–1
3–0
4–0
4–0
3–1
1–1
1–1
—
2–0
2–0
3–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
3–1
3–1
2–0
2–2
2–0
3–1
2–1
3–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
3–1
0–2
0–3
Golden State
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
3–1
1–2
0–2
—
1–3
0–2
1–3
0–4
0–3
1–1
1–1
2–2
1–1
1–2
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–3
4–0
2–2
0–4
2–1
2–0
1–3
0–2
Houston
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–4
2–2
0–2
3–1
—
1–1
2–2
1–2
0–4
0–2
2–0
2–2
1–1
1–3
2–0
1–1
1–1
0–3
2–1
2–2
0–4
3–1
0–2
1–2
2–0
Indiana
0–4
1–3
2–2
2–2
1–3
0–2
0–2
1–3
2–0
1–1
—
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–1
2–2
1–1
2–1
2–0
2–2
3–0
2–1
0–2
2–0
2–0
0–2
1–1
2–2
2–0
2–2
L.A. Clippers
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–3
3–1
0–2
3–1
2–2
0–2
—
2–2
1–3
1–1
2–0
3–1
1–1
1–2
2–0
2–0
1–1
2–2
3–0
0–4
1–2
3–1
2–0
2–1
2–0
L.A. Lakers
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–1
2–1
1–1
4–0
2–1
1–1
2–2
—
1–3
1–1
2–0
1–3
0–2
3–1
2–0
2–0
1–1
1–3
2–2
2–2
1–3
2–1
2–0
2–2
1–1
Memphis
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–3
1–2
0–2
3–0
4–0
1–1
3–1
3–1
—
0–2
1–1
3–1
1–1
1–3
2–0
2–0
0–2
2–1
2–1
2–2
0–4
3–1
2–0
3–1
2–0
Miami
3–1
3–1
4–0
2–1
2–2
0–2
0–2
1–3
1–1
2–0
1–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
—
3–1
1–1
1–3
1–1
3–0
2–2
3–0
0–2
2–0
2–0
0–2
2–0
3–1
2–0
4–0
Milwaukee
3–1
3–0
3–0
2–2
1–3
1–1
1–1
1–3
1–1
0–2
2–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
1–3
—
1–1
1–3
1–1
3–1
2–2
3–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
1–1
1–1
2–1
0–2
2–1
Minnesota
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–2
1–3
0–2
2–2
2–2
1–1
1–3
3–1
1–3
1–1
1–1
—
1–1
1–2
2–0
1–1
0–2
1–2
2–2
2–1
0–4
2–2
0–2
1–3
1–1
New Jersey
3–1
3–1
3–1
1–2
2–2
1–1
2–0
2–2
1–1
1–1
1–2
1–1
2–0
1–1
3–1
3–1
1–1
—
2–0
3–1
3–0
1–3
1–1
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–1
3–1
1–1
2–1
New Orleans/Oklahoma City
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–1
0–2
0–4
1–2
0–2
2–1
3–1
0–2
2–1
1–3
3–1
1–1
1–1
2–1
0–2
—
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–3
3–1
2–2
1–3
3–1
2–0
1–3
1–1
New York
2–2
1–3
0–3
1–2
2–1
1–1
0–2
1–3
0–2
0–2
2–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–3
1–3
0–2
1–3
0–2
—
1–3
1–3
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–3
2–0
1–3
Orlando
2–2
3–1
3–1
1–3
1–3
1–1
1–1
1–2
1–1
1–1
0–3
0–2
0–2
0–2
2–2
2–2
1–1
0–3
1–1
3–1
—
3–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–2
1–1
2–2
Philadelphia
2–1
1–3
1–3
2–2
2–2
1–1
1–1
0–3
1–1
1–1
1–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–3
1–3
2–0
3–1
1–1
3–1
1–3
—
0–2
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
3–1
0–2
2–2
Phoenix
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
1–1
2–2
3–1
0–2
3–1
3–0
2–0
2–2
3–1
1–2
2–0
1–1
2–1
1–1
3–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
—
3–1
2–2
1–3
2–2
2–0
2–1
1–1
Portland
2–0
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–4
0–4
0–2
0–4
1–2
0–2
0–3
2–2
1–2
0–2
0–2
2–2
1–1
1–3
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–3
—
1–2
0–4
1–3
1–1
0–4
1–1
Sacramento
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–2
3–1
0–2
2–2
2–2
0–2
4–0
2–2
2–2
0–2
2–0
1–2
2–0
2–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
2–2
2–1
—
1–2
3–1
1–1
3–1
0–2
San Antonio
1–1
2–0
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–2
2–2
0–2
4–0
4–0
2–0
2–1
3–1
4–0
2–0
1–1
4–0
2–0
3–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
3–1
4–0
2–1
—
2–1
2–0
3–0
1–1
Seattle
2–0
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
0–3
2–2
0–2
1–2
1–3
1–1
1–3
1–2
1–3
0–2
1–1
2–2
1–1
1–3
0–2
1–1
1–1
2–2
3–1
1–3
1–2
—
1–1
3–1
1–1
Toronto
3–1
1–3
3–1
0–4
0–3
0–2
0–2
1–3
0–2
2–0
2–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
1–3
1–2
2–0
1–3
0–2
3–1
2–1
1–3
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
—
0–2
1–2
Utah
2–0
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–3
3–1
2–0
3–1
2–1
0–2
1–2
2–2
1–3
0–2
2–0
3–1
1–1
3–1
0–2
1–1
2–0
1–2
4–0
1–3
0–3
1–3
2–0
—
1–1
Washington
3–1
3–1
3–1
1–3
3–1
0–2
1–1
3–0
2–0
0–2
2–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–4
1–2
1–1
1–2
1–1
3–1
2–2
2–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–1
1–1
—
Playoffs
Game log
2006 playoff game log
First Round: 4–3 (home: 3–1; road: 1–2)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Series
1
April 23
L.A. Lakers
W 107–102
Tim Thomas (22)
Tim Thomas (15)
Steve Nash (10)
US Airways Center 18,422
1–0
2
April 26
L.A. Lakers
L 93–99
Steve Nash (29)
Marion , Thomas (9)
Steve Nash (9)
US Airways Center 18,422
1–1
3
April 28
@ L.A. Lakers
L 92–99
Shawn Marion (20)
Marion , Nash (7)
Steve Nash (11)
Staples Center 18,997
1–2
4
April 30
@ L.A. Lakers
L 98–99 (OT)
Steve Nash (22)
Shawn Marion (12)
Steve Nash (11)
Staples Center 18,997
1–3
5
May 2
L.A. Lakers
W 114–97
Boris Diaw (25)
Boris Diaw (10)
Boris Diaw (9)
US Airways Center 18,422
2–3
6
May 4
@ L.A. Lakers
W 126–118 (OT)
Steve Nash (32)
Shawn Marion (12)
Steve Nash (13)
Staples Center 18,997
3–3
7
May 6
L.A. Lakers
W 121–90
Leandro Barbosa (26)
Shawn Marion (10)
Diaw , Nash (9)
US Airways Center 18,422
4–3
Conference Semifinals: 4–3 (home: 3–1; road: 1–2)
Conference Finals: 2–4 (home: 1–2; road: 1–2)
2006 schedule
Awards and honors
Week/Month
Shawn Marion was named Western Conference Player of the Month for February.
Steve Nash was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played November 21 through November 27.
Shawn Marion was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played December 26 through January 1.
Steve Nash was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played January 2 through January 8.
All-Star
Season
Player statistics
Season
* – Stats with the Suns.
† – Minimum 300 field goals made.
^ – Minimum 125 free throws made.
Playoffs
Player
GP
GS
MPG
FG%
3P%
FT%
RPG
APG
SPG
BPG
PPG
Leandro Barbosa
20
3
31.6
.470
.391
.862
1.6
2.7
.8
.2
14.2
Raja Bell
17
17
39.6
.479
.465^
.829
2.8
2.2
.6
.2
13.6
Pat Burke
3
0
2.3
.500
.500^
.000
1.0
0.0
.0
.3
1.7
Boris Diaw
20
20
39.8
.526
.429
.761
6.7
5.2
.9
1.1
18.7
Brian Grant
5
0
2.4
.333
.
.000
0.4
0.0
.0
.0
0.4
Eddie House
14
0
9.3
.365
.214
.750
0.6
0.4
.1
.1
3.1
James Jones
20
6
17.7
.341
.308
.846
3.6
0.3
.3
.9
4.3
Shawn Marion
20
20
42.5
.489
.314
.881
11.7
1.6
1.9
1.2
20.4
Steve Nash
20
20
39.9
.502
.368
.912
3.7
10.2
.4
.3
20.4
Kurt Thomas
1
0
6.0
.
.
.500
1.0
0.0
.0
.0
1.0
Tim Thomas
20
14
31.8
.491
.444
.776
6.3
1.3
.9
.4
15.1
Nikoloz Tskitishvili
4
0
2.0
.000
.000
.500
0.3
0.5
.0
.0
0.3
^ – Minimum 5 three-pointers made.
References
Franchise Arenas Personnel G League affiliate Retired numbers Rivalries Culture and lore
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