1999–2000_Phoenix_Suns_season

1999–2000 Phoenix Suns season

1999–2000 Phoenix Suns season

Summary of the season


The 1999–2000 NBA season was the 32nd season for the National Basketball Association's Phoenix Suns.[1] The Suns acquired the ninth overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft from the Dallas Mavericks, and selected Shawn Marion out of UNLV,[2][3][4][5] During the off-season, the team acquired All-Star guard Penny Hardaway from the Orlando Magic,[6][7][8][9][10] signed free agent Rodney Rogers,[11][12][13][14] and re-signed former Suns center Oliver Miller, who played for the team when they reached the 1993 NBA Finals.[15][12][16] Scott Skiles would come on as head coach, replacing Danny Ainge after a 13–7 start to the season.[17] The Suns posted a 7-game winning streak between November and December, then won eight straight games in February, and held a 29–19 record at the All-Star break.[18] The Suns finished third in the Pacific Division with a 53–29 record,[19] and extend the franchise's record for playoff appearances before losing in the Western Conference Semi-finals.

Quick Facts Phoenix Suns season, Head coach ...

Six players on the team averaged double-digits in points this season; Clifford Robinson led the team in scoring with 18.5 points per game, while Hardaway averaged 16.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game in only 60 games due to a foot injury,[20][21][22][23] and Kidd provided the team with 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 10.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game, and was selected for the 2000 NBA All-Star Game.[24][25][26][27][28] In addition, Rogers played a sixth man role, averaging 13.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game off the bench, finished the regular season fourth in three-point field goal percentage at .439, and won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award.[29][30] Tom Gugliotta contributed 13.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, but only played 54 games due to injury (including a near-death experience he had after playing in Portland on December 17, 1999 that left him unable to play for the remainder of that year[31]), and did not play in any of the Suns' playoff games, while Marion averaged 10.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in only 51 games. On the defensive side, Luc Longley averaged 6.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, and Miller provided with 6.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in only 51 games.[32] Kidd would earn All-NBA First Team honors, and he and Robinson were both named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, and Marion and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. In March, Kidd suffered an ankle injury and missed the final month of the regular season.[33][34][35][36] Former Suns guard Kevin Johnson would come out of his retirement,[37][38][39][40] averaging 6.7 points and 4.0 assists per game in six games.[32]

The Suns finished with the same regular season record, but did not have home court advantage going into their Western Conference First Round match-up with the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. Still, the Suns would advance to their first conference semifinals appearance since the 1994–95 season en route to taking the series three games to one.[41][42][43][44] The Suns lost in the conference semi-finals to new league MVP Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers four games to one.[45][46][47][48] The Lakers would reach the NBA Finals to defeat the Indiana Pacers in six games.[49][50][51][52][53]

Following the season, Johnson retired for the second and last time, while Rex Chapman also retired due to continuing injuries,[54] Miller was released to free agency, and Longley was traded to the New York Knicks.[55][56]

Offseason

NBA draft

More information Round, Pick ...

The Suns received the ninth pick from a trade with the Dallas Mavericks in 1998. With the pick they selected combo forward Shawn Marion from UNLV. Marion averaged 18.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.9 blocks per game in one year with the Runnin' Rebels. On July 30, the Suns signed him to a 4-year rookie contract for $5.9 million. Though missing two months with a knee injury, Marion averaged 10.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in his first season, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Marion would play over eight seasons with the Suns, becoming an All-Star four times and being named to the All-NBA Third Team twice, before being traded to the Miami Heat in 2008. Marion would eventually have his number that he wore throughout his time with the team retired in the Phoenix Suns Ring of Honor on December 15, 2023.

The Suns traded their first-round pick to the Chicago Bulls in 1999. With the pick the Bulls selected future All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year Ron Artest (later Metta World Peace). They also traded their second-round pick to the Houston Rockets in 1996. With the pick the Rockets selected Tyrone Washington.

Roster

More information Players, Coaches ...

Regular season

Standings

More information W, L ...
More information #, Team ...

Record vs. opponents

More information Team, ATL ...

Game log

Regular season

More information Game, Date ...

Playoffs

More information 2000 Playoff Game Log (4–5) (home: 3–1; road: 1–4), Game ...

Awards and honors

Week/Month

  • Jason Kidd was named Player of the Week for games played December 12 through December 18.

All-Star

  • Jason Kidd was voted as a starter for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. Kidd finished first in voting among Western Conference guards with 1,061,031 votes.

Season

Player statistics

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

More information Player, GP ...

† – Minimum 300 field goals made.
^ – Minimum 55 three-pointers made.
# – Minimum 125 free throws made.

Playoffs

More information Player, GP ...

† – Minimum 20 field goals made.
^ – Minimum 10 free throws made.

Transactions

Trades

August 5, 1999 To Orlando Magic
United States Pat Garrity
United States Danny Manning
2001 first-round draft pick (United States Jason Collins)
2002 first-round draft pick (United States Amar'e Stoudemire)
To Phoenix Suns
United States Penny Hardaway

Free agents

Additions

More information Date, Player ...

Subtractions

More information Date, Player ...

Player Transactions Citation:[58]


References

  1. "1999-00 Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats".
  2. Wise, Mike (July 1, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; Safety First: The Bulls Make Brand the Top Pick". The New York Times. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  3. Heisler, Mark (July 1, 1999). "Dukies Are Way Up". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  4. Sheridan, Chris (July 1, 1999). "Brand, Francis, Davis Go 1, 2, 3". Associated Press. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  5. "1999 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  6. "Suns Sign Penny for 7 Years". CBS News. Associated Press. August 4, 1999. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  7. "Magic Weighing the Suns' Trade Offer for Hardaway". Deseret News. Associated Press. August 5, 1999. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  8. Povtak, Tim (August 5, 1999). "Finally, Magic Trade Penny to Suns". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  9. "PLUS: PRO BASKETBALL -- PHOENIX; Haradaway Traded to the Suns". The New York Times. Associated Press. August 6, 1999. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  10. "Magic's Gone, So Hardaway Traded". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. August 6, 1999. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  11. "Rogers' Shooting for the Suns". CBS News. Associated Press. August 2, 1999. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  12. Wise, Mike (August 3, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; Trading Begins in the N.B.A. Bazaar". The New York Times. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  13. Kawakami, Tim (August 3, 1999). "Rogers Agrees to Terms with Suns". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  14. "Blazers Trade Rider, Sign Schrempf, O'Neal". Chicago Tribune. Tribune News Services. August 3, 1999. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  15. "PLUS: BASKETBALL -- PHOENIX; Miller Returns". The New York Times. Associated Press. August 2, 1999. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  16. Wise, Mike (October 31, 1999). "1999–2000 N.B.A. PREVIEW; The West Is Still the Best". The New York Times. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  17. "PRO BASKETBALL; Ainge Resigns from Suns; Skiles Takes Over as Coach". The New York Times. Associated Press. December 14, 1999. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  18. "NBA Games Played on February 10, 2000". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  19. "1999–2000 Phoenix Suns Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  20. "Suns' Hardaway Back Next Week?". SFGate. Associated Press. January 15, 2000. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  21. "Suns Win in Penny's Return". CBS News. Associated Press. January 23, 2000. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  22. Povtak, Tim (February 1, 2000). "Hardaway Bites His Old Team". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  23. Cunningham, Dave (February 1, 2000). "Penny for Their Thoughts". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  24. "Stockton, Malone Among All-Star Reserves". ESPN. Associated Press. February 1, 2000. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  25. "NBA All-Star Team Selected". CBS News. Associated Press. February 1, 2000. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  26. "NBA All-Star 2000". Deseret News. February 13, 2000. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  27. "2000 NBA All-Star Recap". NBA.com. NBA.com Staff. September 13, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  28. "2000 NBA All-Star Game: West 137, East 126". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  29. "Rogers Wins 6th Man Award". CBS News. Associated Press. May 1, 2000. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  30. "NBA & ABA Sixth Man of the Year Award Winners". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  31. "1999–2000 Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  32. "Broken Ankle to Sideline Kidd Rest of Regular Season". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. March 23, 2000. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  33. "Suns' Kidd Breaks Ankle". The Washington Post. March 23, 2000. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  34. "Suns' Kidd Breaks Ankle in Win". CBS News. Associated Press. March 22, 2000. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  35. "N.B.A.: NOTEBOOK; Suns' Kidd Is Hobbled by Ankle". The New York Times. Associated Press. May 9, 2000. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  36. "Suns Quickly Fill Void with KJ". ESPN. March 23, 2000. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  37. "Suns Tap Johnson to Replace Kidd". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. March 24, 2000. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  38. Buckley, Tim (April 6, 2000). "KJ's Back: Johnson Is a Sun Again After a 2-Year Hiatus". Deseret News. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  39. Heisler, Mark (April 29, 2000). "Sunset, Sunrise". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  40. Heisler, Mark (May 3, 2000). "Spurs Go from Glory to Painful Exit". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  41. "No Kidd-ing, Spurs Ousted". CBS News. Associated Press. May 3, 2000. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  42. "Phoenix 89, San Antonio 78". United Press International. May 3, 2000. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  43. "2000 NBA Western Conference First Round: Suns vs. Spurs". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  44. White, Lonnie (May 17, 2000). "All in All, a Lousy Sun Set". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  45. "Lakers Slam Suns, Move On". CBS News. Associated Press. May 17, 2000. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  46. "Los Angeles Lakers 87, Phoenix 65". United Press International. May 17, 2000. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  47. "2000 NBA Western Conference Semifinals: Suns vs. Lakers". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  48. Wise, Mike (June 20, 2000). "O'Neal and Lakers Win a Title for Tinseltown". The New York Times. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  49. Kawakami, Tim (June 20, 2000). "With Shaq and Kobe in the Starring Roles, Lakers Win First Championship in a Dozen Years". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  50. Wilbon, Michael (June 20, 2000). "Shaq at Center of L.A. Renaissance". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  51. Sheridan, Chris (June 20, 2000). "Lakers 116, Pacers 111". Associated Press. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  52. "2000 NBA Finals: Pacers vs. Lakers". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  53. "Joe Smith Ends Up Signing with Pistons". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. November 21, 2000. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  54. Broussard, Chris (September 21, 2000). "Knicks Send Ewing to Sonics as 4-Team Deal Ends an Era". The New York Times. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  55. Broussard, Chris (November 24, 2000). "PRO BASKETBALL; Short at Center, Knicks Eagerly Await Longley". The New York Times. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  56. "1999–2000 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  57. "1999–2000 Phoenix Suns Transactions". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 2, 2021.

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