# 1981–82 Phoenix Suns season

The 1981–82 Phoenix Suns season was the 14th season for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association. The Suns were in the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season, extending a then-franchise record. In the first round, Denver was taken down by the Suns, two games to one. Phoenix would find a tougher opponent, however, in the Western Conference Semifinals, getting swept four games to zero by the eventual league champions, Los Angeles Lakers. The Suns were led by head coach John MacLeod and played all home games in Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Dennis Johnson again earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors and was the lone All-Star Game participant from the Suns. Additionally, he led the Suns in scoring with his 19.5 points average, a personal career-high. Truck Robinson was not far behind with his 19.1 average, and paired that with rebounding average of 9.7 a game. Fellow big man Alvan Adams brought in 7 rebounds and 15 points a contest.

## Offseason
### NBA draft

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 20 | Larry Nance | Forward | United States | Clemson |
| 3 | 62 | Sam Clancy Jr. | Forward | United States | Pittsburgh |
| 3 | 66 | Craig Dykema | Forward | United States | Long Beach State |
| 5 | 112 | Paul Heuerman | Center | United States | Michigan |
| 6 | 135 | Pete Harris | Guard | United States | Northeastern |
| 7 | 158 | David Williams | Forward | United States | Southern |
| 8 | 180 | Steve Risley | Forward | United States | Indiana |
| 9 | 200 | Brian Johnson | Forward | United States | Colorado |
| 10 | 220 | Felton Sealey | Forward | United States | Oregon |

## Regular season
### Standings

| Pacific Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Los Angeles Lakers | 57 | 25 | .695 | – | 30–11 | 27–14 | 21–9 |
| x-Seattle SuperSonics | 52 | 30 | .634 | 5.0 | 31–10 | 21–20 | 18–12 |
| x-Phoenix Suns | 46 | 36 | .561 | 11.0 | 31–10 | 15–26 | 14–16 |
| Golden State Warriors | 45 | 37 | .549 | 12.0 | 28–13 | 17–24 | 15–15 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 42 | 40 | .512 | 15.0 | 27–14 | 15–26 | 15–15 |
| San Diego Clippers | 17 | 65 | .207 | 40.0 | 11–30 | 6–35 | 7–23 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | c-Los Angeles Lakers | 57 | 25 | .695 | – |
| 2 | y-San Antonio Spurs | 48 | 34 | .585 | 9 |
| 3 | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 52 | 30 | .634 | 5 |
| 4 | x-Denver Nuggets | 46 | 36 | .561 | 11 |
| 5 | x-Phoenix Suns | 46 | 36 | .561 | 11 |
| 6 | x-Houston Rockets | 46 | 36 | .561 | 11 |
| 7 | Golden State Warriors | 45 | 37 | .549 | 12 |
| 8 | Portland Trail Blazers | 42 | 40 | .512 | 15 |
| 9 | Kansas City Kings | 30 | 52 | .366 | 27 |
| 10 | Dallas Mavericks | 28 | 54 | .341 | 29 |
| 11 | Utah Jazz | 25 | 57 | .305 | 32 |
| 12 | San Diego Clippers | 17 | 65 | .207 | 40 |

### Record vs. opponents

1981–82 NBA records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SDC | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | — | 1–5 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 |
| Boston | 5–1 | — | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 |
| Chicago | 3–2 | 2–4 | — | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
| Cleveland | 2–4 | 0–5 | 1–5 | — | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 |
| Dallas | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | — | 1–1 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 |
| Detroit | 4–2 | 0–6 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 |
| Golden State | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 | — | 1–4 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 4–1 | — | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 2–0 |
| Indiana | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 |
| Kansas City | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | — | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 1–5 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 |
| Los Angeles | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 |
| Milwaukee | 3–3 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 4–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 |
| New Jersey | 2–3 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | — | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| New York | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | — | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 |
| Philadelphia | 3–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 5–1 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 3–3 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Portland | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | — | 3–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–2 |
| San Antonio | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | — | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| San Diego | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–3 | — | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 5–1 | — | 5–0 | 1–1 |
| Utah | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–5 | — | 1–1 |
| Washington | 4–2 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — |

## Playoffs
### Game log

1982 playoff game log :
First Round: 2–1 (home: 1–0; road: 1–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 20
@ Denver
L 113–129
Kyle Macy (22)
Truck Robinson (13)
Truck Robinson (6)
McNichols Sports Arena 17,298
0–1
2
April 23
Denver
W 126–110
Dennis Johnson (29)
Alvan Adams (9)
Dennis Johnson (8)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 12,798
1–1
3
April 24
@ Denver
W 124–119
Dennis Johnson (26)
Truck Robinson (9)
Rich Kelley (7)
McNichols Sports Arena 17,443
2–1 :
Conference semifinals: 0–4 (home: 0–2; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 27
@ Los Angeles
L 96–115
Johnson, Adams (20)
Truck Robinson (14)
three players tied (4)
The Forum 13,623
0–1
2
April 28
@ Los Angeles
L 98–117
Dennis Johnson (27)
Larry Nance (11)
Dennis Johnson (6)
The Forum 15,558
0–2
3
April 30
Los Angeles
L 106–114
Alvan Adams (23)
Alvan Adams (12)
three players tied (5)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 14,660
0–3
4
May 2
Los Angeles
L 107–112
Dennis Johnson (31)
Macy, Nance (6)
Alvan Adams (8)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 11,932
0–4 :
1982 schedule :

## Awards and honors
### All-Star

* Dennis Johnson was selected as a reserve for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. Johnson finished fourth in voting among Western Conference guards with 220,914 votes. It was his fourth consecutive All-Star selection.
* The other Suns player who received All-Star votes was Alvan Adams (134,441).

### Season

* Kyle Macy led the league in free throw percentage with .899%.
* Dennis Johnson was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Johnson also finished 21st in MVP voting.

## Player statistics
### Season

Phoenix Suns statistics :
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Alvan Adams | 79 | 75 | 30.3 | .494 | .000 | .781 | 7.4 | 4.5 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 15.1 |
| Dudley Bradley | 64 | 3 | 14.6 | .445 | .250 | .740 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.2 | .2 | 5.1 |
| Jeff Cook | 76 | 22 | 17.1 | .422 | .000 | .664 | 4.0 | 1.3 | .5 | .3 | 5.1 |
| Walter Davis | 55 | 12 | 21.5 | .523† | .188 | .820 | 1.9 | 2.9 | .8 | .1 | 14.4 |
| Craig Dykema | 32 | 0 | 3.2 | .459 | .500^ | .778 | 0.4 | 0.5 | .1 | .0 | 1.3 |
| Dennis Johnson | 80 | 77 | 36.7 | .470 | .190 | .806 | 5.1 | 4.6 | 1.3 | .7 | 19.5 |
| Rich Kelley | 81 | 39 | 23.4 | .467 | .000 | .749 | 6.1 | 3.6 | .8 | .9 | 7.9 |
| Joel Kramer | 56 | 0 | 9.8 | .414 | . | .786 | 1.9 | 0.9 | .3 | .2 | 2.6 |
| Kyle Macy | 82 | 72 | 34.7 | .514 | .390^ | .899 | 3.2 | 4.7 | 1.7 | .1 | 14.2 |
| John McCullough | 8 | 0 | 2.9 | .692† | . | .600 | 0.5 | 0.4 | .3 | .0 | 2.6 |
| Larry Nance | 80 | 0 | 14.8 | .521 | .000 | .641 | 3.2 | 1.0 | .5 | .9 | 6.6 |
| Truck Robinson | 74 | 72 | 37.1 | .513 | 1.000^ | .687 | 9.7 | 2.4 | .6 | .4 | 19.1 |
| Alvin Scott | 81 | 38 | 21.5 | .497 | .000 | .730 | 3.6 | 1.8 | .7 | .9 | 6.0 |
† – Minimum 300 field goals made. ^ – Minimum 25 three-pointers made.

### Playoffs

Phoenix Suns statistics :
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Alvan Adams | 7 | 7 | 33.3 | .522 | . | .786 | 7.3 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 16.9 |
| Dudley Bradley | 7 | 0 | 3.4 | .250 | . | 1.000^ | 0.1 | 0.7 | .1 | .1 | 0.7 |
| Jeff Cook | 7 | 0 | 6.4 | .500 | . | . | 1.3 | 1.0 | .3 | .3 | 1.1 |
| Walter Davis | 7 | 0 | 24.7 | .448 | .333 | .917 | 3.1 | 4.3 | .7 | .1 | 18.1 |
| Craig Dykema | 6 | 0 | 2.0 | .167 | . | . | 0.7 | 0.3 | .0 | .0 | 0.3 |
| Dennis Johnson | 7 | 7 | 38.7 | .477 | .000 | .769 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 2.1 | .6 | 22.3 |
| Rich Kelley | 7 | 7 | 27.3 | .500 | . | .700 | 6.9 | 4.3 | .9 | .4 | 9.7 |
| Joel Kramer | 4 | 0 | 5.0 | .714† | . | .667 | 1.3 | 0.3 | .3 | .0 | 3.0 |
| Kyle Macy | 7 | 7 | 34.7 | .427 | .364 | .938^ | 3.1 | 4.0 | 1.0 | .1 | 13.6 |
| Larry Nance | 7 | 0 | 18.3 | .610† | . | .500 | 4.6 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 7.7 |
| Truck Robinson | 7 | 7 | 30.4 | .563 | . | .300 | 7.6 | 2.7 | .7 | .1 | 13.3 |
| Alvin Scott | 7 | 0 | 18.1 | .438 | .000 | .500 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 4.6 |
† – Minimum 20 field goals made. ^ – Minimum 10 free throws made.

## Transactions
### Trades

| June 8, 1981 | To Indiana Pacers 1981 second-round draft pick ( El Leslie) 1982 second-round draft pick ( Jose Slaughter) Relinquished right to swap 1983 first round picks | To Phoenix Suns Dudley Bradley |
| October 1, 1981 | To Chicago Bulls Johnny High | To Phoenix Suns 1983 third-round draft pick ( Winfred King) |

### Free agents
#### Additions

| Date | Player | Contract | Old Team |
| June 19, 1981 | Alvin Scott | Re-signed to four-year contract | Phoenix Suns |
| October 26, 1981 | John McCullough | Undisclosed | |

#### Subtractions

| Date | Player | Reason Left | New Team |
| June 18, 1981 | Mike Niles | Waived | |
| December 18, 1981 | John McCullough | Waived | Billings Volcanos (CBA) |