# 1972–73 Phoenix Suns season

The 1972–73 Phoenix Suns season was the fifth for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association, as well as the first season with Al McCoy taking on broadcasting duties for the team. The season began under head coach Butch Van Breda Kolff for the first seven games, before Jerry Colangelo finished coaching duties for the team. All home games were played at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Charlie Scott had played in six games for the Suns one season ago, after a late-season switch to the NBA from the ABA, and his first full season with the Suns was arguably his best. Scott was named to his first NBA All-Star Team, joining teammate Connie Hawkins, who was selected to his fourth and final All-Star Game of his NBA career. In addition to Scott leading the Suns with his 6.1 assist per game average, his 2,048-season-point total was fifth in the league (and the only 2,000+-point season of his career). His average of 25.3 points per contest was sixth-best in the NBA. Center Neal Walk averaged career-bests in both points and rebounds, averaging 20.2 and 12.5 on the season. Walk's rebounding average was just shy of Paul Silas's franchise record of 12.5. Dick Van Arsdale averaged 18.4 points on the season, while Connie Hawkins contributed 16.1 per contest.

## Offseason
### NBA draft

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 4 | David "Corky" Calhoun | Forward | United States | Pennsylvania |
| 3 | 33 | Scott English | Forward | United States | Texas El-Paso |
| 3 | 34 | Don Buse | Guard | United States | Evansville |
| 3 | 42 | Claude Terry | Guard | United States | Stanford |
| 4 | 59 | Matt Gantt | Forward | United States | St. Bonaventure |
| 5 | 75 | Wardell Dyson | Center | United States | Shaw |
| 6 | 92 | Charles Edge | Forward | United States | LeMoyne-Owen |
| 7 | 109 | Bernie Fryer | Guard | United States | Brigham Young |
| 8 | 125 | Russell Golden | Forward | United States | Jackson State |
| 9 | 140 | Bill Kennedy | Guard | United States | Arizona State |
| 10 | 153 | Al Vilcheck | Center | United States | Louisville |
| 11 | 164 | John Belcher | Center | United States | Arkansas State |
| 12 | 172 | Mark Soderberg | Center | United States | Utah |
| 13 | 179 | Kelly Utley | Guard | United States | Shaw |
| 14 | 186 | Ray Golson | Forward | United States | West Texas State |

## Regular season
### Standings

| Pacific Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div |
| y-Los Angeles Lakers | 60 | 22 | .732 | – | 30–11 | 28–11 | 2–0 | 22–4 |
| x-Golden State Warriors | 47 | 35 | .573 | 13 | 27–14 | 18–20 | 2–1 | 14–12 |
| Phoenix Suns | 38 | 44 | .463 | 22 | 22–19 | 15–25 | 1–0 | 14–12 |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 26 | 56 | .317 | 34 | 16–25 | 10–29 | 0–2 | 9–17 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 21 | 61 | .256 | 39 | 13–28 | 8–32 | 0–1 | 6–20 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT |
| 1 | z-Milwaukee Bucks | 60 | 22 | .732 |
| 2 | y-Los Angeles Lakers | 60 | 22 | .732 |
| 3 | x-Chicago Bulls | 51 | 31 | .622 |
| 4 | x-Golden State Warriors | 47 | 35 | .573 |
| 5 | Detroit Pistons | 40 | 42 | .488 |
| 6 | Phoenix Suns | 38 | 44 | .463 |
| 7 | Kansas City–Omaha Kings | 36 | 46 | .439 |
| 8 | Seattle SuperSonics | 26 | 56 | .317 |
| 9 | Portland Trail Blazers | 21 | 61 | .256 |

### Record vs. opponents

1972–73 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | KCO | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA |
| Atlanta | — | 3–4 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–4 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 |
| Baltimore | 4–3 | — | 1–5 | 5–1 | 0–4 | 8–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–0 |
| Boston | 5–1 | 5–1 | — | 7–0 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 4–4 | 7–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 |
| Buffalo | 1–5 | 1–5 | 0–7 | — | 2–2 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–6 | 7–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 |
| Chicago | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 3–1 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 5–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–1 |
| Cleveland | 4–3 | 0–8 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 1–3 | — | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–6 | 6–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 |
| Detroit | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | — | 2–4 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 2–5 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–4 |
| Golden State | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | — | 3–1 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 4–3 |
| Houston | 4–4 | 2–5 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 0–4 | 3–4 | 3–1 | 1–3 | — | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 |
| Kansas City-Omaha | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | — | 1–5 | 1–6 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 |
| Los Angeles | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 5–1 | — | 3–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 6–1 | 6–0 | 6–0 |
| Milwaukee | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 6–1 | 3–3 | — | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 |
| New York | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–4 | 6–1 | 1–3 | 6–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 6–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 |
| Philadelphia | 0–6 | 1–5 | 0–7 | 1–7 | 0–4 | 0–6 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–6 | — | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 |
| Phoenix | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–6 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 4–0 | — | 5–2 | 4–2 |
| Portland | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–5 | 3–1 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–5 | — | 3–4 |
| Seattle | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 4–3 | — |

### Game log

1972–73 game log Total: 38–44 (home: 22–19; road: 16–25) :
October: 3–4 (home: 2–2; road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsLocation AttendanceRecordStreak
1
October 13
Milwaukee
L 105–117
Charlie Scott (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 12,408
0–1
L 1
2
October 14
@ Portland
W 124–120
Charlie Scott (38)
Memorial Coliseum 6,804
1–1
W 1
3
October 15
Baltimore
W 107–98
Neal Walk (27)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 6,372
2–1
W 2
4
October 21
Seattle
W 129–117
Charlie Scott (30)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8,315
3–1
W 3
5
October 24
Chicago
L 106–107
Charlie Scott (42)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 9,039
3–2
L 1
6
October 27
@ Seattle
L 115–120
Charlie Scott (23)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,201
3–3
L 2
7
October 29
@ Los Angeles
L 123–133
Charlie Scott (25)
The Forum 16,148
3–4
L 3 :
November: 7–9 (home: 5–1; road: 2–8)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsLocation AttendanceRecordStreak
8
November 3
@ Chicago
L 100–115
Neal Walk (19)
Chicago Stadium 11,089
3–5
L 4
9
November 4
@ Milwaukee
W 105–104
Charlie Scott, Neal Walk (20)
Milwaukee Arena 10,746
4–5
W 1
10
November 5
@ Cleveland
W 107–106
Dick Van Arsdale (28)
Cleveland Arena 3,624
5–5
W 2
11
November 8
Cleveland
W 107–99
Charlie Scott (34)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,264
6–5
W 3
12
November 10
Houston
W 115–109
Charlie Scott (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8,613
7–5
W 4
13
November 12
Philadelphia
W 119–108
Charlie Scott (33)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8,235
8–5
W 5
14
November 14
@ New York
L 97–103
Charlie Scott (25)
Madison Square Garden 18,720
8–6
L 1
15
November 15
@ Boston
L 94–113
Charlie Scott (33)
Boston Garden 8,979
8–7
L 2
16
November 17
@ Baltimore
L 106–117
Charlie Scott (27)
Baltimore Civic Center 5,429
8–8
L 3
17
November 18
@ Atlanta
L 122–126
Dick Van Arsdale (26)
Omni Coliseum 7,047
8–9
L 4
18
November 21
@ Kansas City-Omaha
L 96–101
Charlie Scott (23)
Municipal Auditorium 5,067
8–10
L 5
19
November 23
Detroit
W 128–122
Charlie Scott (42)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,576
9–10
W 1
20
November 25
Los Angeles
L 109–116
Neal Walk (32)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 10,482
9–11
L 1
21
November 26
@ Los Angeles
L 107–112
Neal Walk (25)
The Forum 17,505
9–12
L 2
22
November 28
@ Golden State
L 102–110
Charlie Scott (24)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 5,043
9–13
L 3
23
November 29
Atlanta
W 109–98
Connie Hawkins, Charlie Scott (27)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,241
10–13
W 1 :
December: 9–6 (home: 6–2; road: 3–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsLocation AttendanceRecordStreak
24
December 1
Golden State
W 115–106
Connie Hawkins (31)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8,067
11–13
W 2
25
December 3
Milwaukee
L 101–119
Connie Hawkins (19)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8,531
11–14
L 1
26
December 5
@ Buffalo
L 97–108
Dick Van Arsdale (29)
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 3,573
11–15
L 2
27
December 6
@ Detroit
L 105–114
Charlie Scott (28)
Cobo Arena 2,864
11–16
L 3
28
December 7
@ Philadelphia
W 117–102
Neal Walk (27)
Pittsburgh, PA 3,878
12–16
W 1
29
December 9
Portland
W 116–97
Neal Walk (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,801
13–16
W 2
30
December 10
@ Seattle
L 102–110
Dick Van Arsdale (23)
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,628
13–17
L 1
31
December 13
Boston
L 100–105
Connie Hawkins (27)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8,596
13–18
L 2
32
December 17
Kansas City-Omaha
W 112–102
Charlie Scott (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 6,537
14–18
W 1
33
December 19
New York
W 117–84
Clem Haskins (28)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8,197
15–18
W 2
34
December 22
@ Los Angeles
W 118–110
Neal Walk (33)
The Forum 16,733
16–18
W 3
35
December 25
Chicago
W 115–108
Dick Van Arsdale (32)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 10,420
17–18
W 4
36
December 26
@ Houston
L 110–113
Charlie Scott (32)
Hofheinz Pavilion 3,577
17–19
L 1
37
December 29
Portland
W 106–99
Charlie Scott (29)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 10,310
18–19
W 1
38
December 30
@ Portland
W 107–104
Charlie Scott (38)
Memorial Coliseum 8,349
19–19
W 2 :
January: 6–8 (home: 2–6; road: 4–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsLocation AttendanceRecordStreak
39
January 2
@ Cleveland
L 88–111
Connie Hawkins (19)
Cleveland Arena 2,850
19–20
L 1
40
January 3
@ Detroit
L 105–119
Charlie Scott (27)
Cobo Arena 3,626
19–21
L 2
41
January 5
@ Chicago
W 126–115
Dick Van Arsdale (37)
Chicago Stadium 9,091
20–21
W 1
42
January 6
@ Kansas City-Omaha
W 118–112
Charlie Scott (28)
Omaha Civic Auditorium 5,183
21–21
W 2
43
January 10
Detroit
W 123–121
Charlie Scott (37)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8,099
22–21
W 3
44
January 12
Golden State
L 107–108
Charlie Scott (33)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 12,103
22–22
L 1
45
January 13
@ Golden State
W 116–110
Neal Walk (28)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 8,484
23–22
W 1
46
January 14
Baltimore
L 94–95
Charlie Scott (32)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,186
23–23
L 1
47
January 16
New York
L 101–102
Dick Van Arsdale (23)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8,252
23–24
L 2
48
January 18
Kansas City-Omaha
L 96–119
Dick Van Arsdale (18)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8,117
23–25
L 3
49
January 20
Los Angeles
L 104–124
Neal Walk (29)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 12,608
23–26
L 4
All-Star Break
50
January 25
Seattle
W 112–109
Charlie Scott (34)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,701
24–26
W 1
51
January 26
@ Portland
W 120–116
Charlie Scott (33)
Memorial Coliseum 10,057
25–26
W 2
52
January 27
Portland
L 109–117
Dick Van Arsdale (28)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,215
25–27
L 1 :
February: 7–9 (home: 4–4; road: 3–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsLocation AttendanceRecordStreak
53
February 1
Los Angeles
L 106–120
Neal Walk (29)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 10,705
25–28
L 2
54
February 3
Houston
W 132–123
Charlie Scott, Dick Van Arsdale (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,282
26–28
W 1
55
February 6
@ Milwaukee
L 111–126
Charlie Scott (29)
Milwaukee Arena 9,285
26–29
L 1
56
February 7
@ Detroit
L 107–113
Charlie Scott, Dick Van Arsdale (21)
Cobo Arena 4,491
26–30
L 2
57
February 8
Seattle
W 125–112
Charlie Scott (28)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,084
27–30
W 1
58
February 10
Philadelphia
W 126–121
Charlie Scott (27)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 9,176
28–30
W 2
59
February 14
Buffalo
W 124–107
Neal Walk (25)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 6,871
29–30
W 3
60
February 16
Atlanta
L 104–111
Dick Van Arsdale (28)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 10,155
29–31
L 1
61
February 17
@ Houston
L 111–127
Charlie Scott (41)
Hofheinz Pavilion 3,119
29–32
L 2
62
February 18
Portland
L 118–119
Neal Walk (23)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,260
29–33
L 3
63
February 20
@ Boston
L 97–107
Charlie Scott (25)
Boston Garden 9,954
29–34
L 4
64
February 21
@ Baltimore
W 107–98
Charlie Scott (27)
Baltimore Civic Center 5,525
30–34
W 1
65
February 23
@ Buffalo
W 125–106
Charlie Scott (29)
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 5,830
31–34
W 2
66
February 24
@ Chicago
L 100–122
Charlie Scott (26)
Chicago Stadium 12,753
31–35
L 1
67
February 25
@ Kansas City-Omaha
W 111–109
Charlie Scott (24)
Municipal Auditorium 10,007
32–35
W 1
68
February 28
Kansas City-Omaha
L 107–109
Charlie Scott (29)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,230
32–36
L 1 :
March: 6–8 (home: 3–4; road: 3–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsLocation AttendanceRecordStreak
69
March 4
Chicago
L 117–118 (OT)
Neal Walk (30)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,085
32–37
L 2
70
March 6
Cleveland
W 110–102
Neal Walk (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,236
33–37
W 1
71
March 8
Boston
L 134–141 (OT)
Charlie Scott (29)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 10,052
33–38
L 1
72
March 10
Detroit
L 110–117
Clem Haskins, Charlie Scott (23)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,510
33–39
L 2
73
March 12
@ Milwaukee
L 95–126
Neal Walk (22)
Milwaukee Arena 10,746
33–40
L 3
74
March 13
@ New York
L 111–115
Charlie Scott (33)
Madison Square Garden 19,674
33–41
L 4
75
March 14
@ Philadelphia
W 120–114
Charlie Scott (32)
The Spectrum 5,641
34–41
W 1
76
March 16
@ Atlanta
L 127–135
Charlie Scott (31)
Omni Coliseum 6,512
34–42
L 1
77
March 18
@ Los Angeles
L 113–131
Charlie Scott (35)
The Forum 17,505
34–43
L 2
78
March 21
Buffalo
W 134–124 (OT)
Charlie Scott (30)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,603
35–43
W 1
79
March 23
Golden State
W 125–124
Charlie Scott (28)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8,197
36–43
W 2
80
March 25
Milwaukee
L 112–114
Neal Walk (24)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 9,386
36–44
L 1
81
March 26
@ Golden State
W 120–114
Connie Hawkins (29)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 3,677
37–44
W 1
82
March 28
@ Seattle
W 127–125
Neal Walk (27)
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,246
38–44
W 2 :
1972–73 schedule :

## Awards and honors
### All-Star

* Charlie Scott was selected as a reserve for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his first All-Star selection.
* Connie Hawkins was selected to replace Rick Barry in the All-Star Game. It was his fourth consecutive All-Star selection.

## Player statistics
### Season

| Player | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
| Corky Calhoun | 82 | 24.7 | .469 | .740 | 4.1 | 0.9 | 6.0 |
| Scott English | 29 | 6.8 | .387 | .724 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 3.2 |
| Lamar Green | 80 | 25.6 | .431 | .754 | 9.3 | 1.1 | 6.7 |
| Clem Haskins | 77 | 20.5 | .464 | .833 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 10.5 |
| Connie Hawkins | 75 | 36.9 | .479 | .797 | 8.5 | 4.1 | 16.1 |
| Gus Johnson* | 21 | 19.9 | .381 | .694 | 6.5 | 1.5 | 7.8 |
| Mo Layton | 65 | 15.2 | .431 | .756 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 7.1 |
| Charlie Scott | 81 | 37.8 | .446 | .784 | 4.2 | 6.1 | 25.3 |
| Paul Stovall | 25 | 8.4 | .342 | .632 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 3.0 |
| Dick Van Arsdale | 81 | 36.8 | .476 | .859 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 18.4 |
| Neal Walk | 81 | 38.4 | .466 | .786 | 12.4 | 3.5 | 20.2 |
| Walt Wesley* | 45 | 8.1 | .406 | .529 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 3.2 |

## Transactions
### Trades

| April 7, 1972 | To Houston Rockets Otto Moore | To Phoenix Suns 1972 first-round draft pick ( Corky Calhoun) |
| April 10, 1972 | To Baltimore Bullets 1972 second-round draft pick ( Tom Patterson) | To Phoenix Suns Gus Johnson |
| September 19, 1972 | To Los Angeles Lakers 1974 second-round draft pick ( Truck Robinson) Future draft pick | To Phoenix Suns Paul Stovall |
| October 10, 1972 | To Philadelphia 76ers Mel Counts | To Phoenix Suns 1973 second-round draft pick ( Gary Melchionni) |
| November 22, 1972 | To Cleveland Cavaliers 1973 second-round draft pick ( Allan Hornyak) | To Phoenix Suns Walt Wesley |

### Free agents
#### Subtractions

| Date | Player | Reason Left | New Team |
| September 25, 1972 | Jeff Webb | Waived | — (Retired) |
| September 29, 1972 | Art Harris | Waived | Belgium Lions |
| October 9, 1972 | John Wetzel | Waived | Atlanta Hawks |
| December 1, 1972 | Gus Johnson | Waived | Indiana Pacers (ABA) |