# 1974–75 Phoenix Suns season

The 1974–75 Phoenix Suns season was the seventh season for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association. The Suns' roster averaged 2.8 years of professional experience, and included four one-year players in addition to three rookies. Coming off a 30–52 season, the Suns only improved by two games, finishing 32–50 under second-year head coach John MacLeod. All home games were played at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Coming off an All-Star season, guard/forward Charlie Scott led the Suns in both points and assists with averages of 24.3 and 4.5 a game. For Scott, it was the third and final NBA All-Star Game selection of his career. 31-year-old Dick Van Arsdale, the only player remaining from the Suns' inaugural season roster, was second in scoring with a 16.1 average. Fourth-year forward Curtis Perry enjoyed his first season with Phoenix, posting career-highs in both points and rebounds, averaging 13.4 points and a team-high 11.9 rebounds per game.

## Offseason
### NBA draft

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 4 | John Shumate | Forward | United States | Notre Dame |
| 2 | 31 | Fred Saunders | Forward | United States | Syracuse |
| 3 | 40 | George Gervin | Guard | United States | Eastern Michigan |
| 3 | 49 | Earl Williams | Center | United States | Winston-Salem State |
| 4 | 58 | Randy Allen | Guard | United States | Indiana (PA) |
| 5 | 76 | Ralph Bobik | Guard | United States | Creighton |
| 6 | 94 | Collis Temple | Forward | United States | Louisiana State |
| 7 | 112 | Clyde Dickey | Guard | United States | Boise State |
| 8 | 130 | Tom Holland | Forward | United States | Oklahoma |
| 9 | 148 | Ted Evans | Forward | United States | Oklahoma |
| 10 | 165 | Mark Wasley | Forward | United States | Arizona State |

## Regular season
### Standings

| Pacific Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Golden State Warriors | 48 | 34 | .585 | – | 31–10 | 17–24 | 19–11 |
| x-Seattle SuperSonics | 43 | 39 | .524 | 5 | 24–16 | 19–23 | 18–12 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 38 | 44 | .463 | 10 | 29–13 | 9–31 | 16–14 |
| Phoenix Suns | 32 | 50 | .390 | 16 | 22–19 | 10–31 | 12–18 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 30 | 52 | .366 | 18 | 21–20 | 9–32 | 10–20 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Golden State Warriors | 48 | 34 | .585 | – |
| 2 | y-Chicago Bulls | 47 | 35 | .573 | 1 |
| 3 | x-Kansas City–Omaha Kings | 44 | 38 | .537 | 4 |
| 4 | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 43 | 39 | .524 | 5 |
| 5 | x-Detroit Pistons | 40 | 42 | .488 | 8 |
| 6 | Portland Trail Blazers | 38 | 44 | .463 | 10 |
| 6 | Milwaukee Bucks | 38 | 44 | .463 | 10 |
| 8 | Phoenix Suns | 32 | 50 | .390 | 16 |
| 9 | Los Angeles Lakers | 30 | 52 | .366 | 18 |

### Record vs. opponents

1974–75 NBA records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | KCO | LAL | MIL | NOJ | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA | WAS |
| Atlanta | — | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–5 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–5 |
| Boston | 4–0 | — | 5–4 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 7–2 | 5–3 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 |
| Buffalo | 3–1 | 4–5 | — | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 5–3 | 6–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 |
| Chicago | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | — | 2–2 | 4–5 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–5 | 3–1 | 3–5 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 |
| Cleveland | 4–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 6–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–5 |
| Detroit | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 5–4 | 2–2 | — | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–6 | 3–1 | 3–6 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 |
| Golden State | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 5–3 | 5–3 | 4–3 | 1–3 |
| Houston | 5–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–5 |
| Kansas City-Omaha | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–4 | 2–2 | 6–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | — | 3–1 | 6–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 |
| Los Angeles | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | — | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 4–4 | 2–5 | 2–6 | 1–3 |
| Milwaukee | 2–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 5–3 | 3–1 | 6–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–6 | 0–4 | — | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 |
| New Orleans | 5–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–6 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 3–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–7 |
| New York | 4–0 | 2–7 | 3–5 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 4–5 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 |
| Philadelphia | 2–2 | 3–5 | 3–6 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 5–4 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 |
| Phoenix | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–4 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 1–6 | 4–3 | 1–3 |
| Portland | 3–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 5–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 6–1 | — | 2–6 | 1–3 |
| Seattle | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 6–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 6–2 | — | 1–3 |
| Washington | 5–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 7–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | — |

### Game log

1974–75 game log Total: 32–50 (home: 22–19; road: 10–31) :
October: 3–3 (home: 2–1; road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsLocation AttendanceRecordStreak
1
October 17
Seattle
W 114–97
Charlie Scott (32)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,215
1–0
W 1
2
October 19
Kansas City-Omaha
L 91–94
Charlie Scott (22)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,377
1–1
L 1
3
October 23
Detroit
W 100–90
Charlie Scott (23)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,924
2–1
W 1
4
October 25
@ Seattle
L 97–106
Gary Melchionni (20)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,191
2–2
L 1
5
October 27
@ Los Angeles
L 116–123
Keith Erickson (29)
The Forum 10,579
2–3
L 2
6
October 30
@ Philadelphia
W 104–99
Charlie Scott (27)
The Spectrum 5,089
3–3
W 1 :
November: 6–9 (home: 3–3; road: 3–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsLocation AttendanceRecordStreak
7
November 2
@ Washington
L 94–108
Charlie Scott (28)
Capital Centre 9,160
3–4
L 1
8
November 3
@ Cleveland
L 101–104
Keith Erickson (19)
Coliseum at Richfield 7,354
3–5
L 2
9
November 7
@ Atlanta
L 108–109
Charlie Scott (31)
Omni Coliseum 2,847
3–6
L 3
10
November 8
@ New Orleans
W 105–102
Charlie Scott (34)
Municipal Auditorium 3,118
4–6
W 1
11
November 9
@ Houston
W 101–96
Charlie Scott (32)
Hofheinz Pavilion 2,553
5–6
W 2
12
November 13
Philadelphia
W 105–100
Charlie Scott (41)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,071
6–6
W 3
13
November 15
Chicago
L 95–102
Charlie Scott (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,071
6–7
L 1
14
November 17
Golden State
L 105–106
Charlie Scott (32)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,820
6–8
L 2
15
November 19
@ Milwaukee
L 108–122
Charlie Scott (32)
MECCA Arena 9,187
6–9
L 3
16
November 20
@ Detroit
W 114–106
Charlie Scott (33)
Cobo Arena 3,807
7–9
W 1
17
November 22
@ Boston
L 94–95
Charlie Scott (27)
Boston Garden 13,756
7–10
L 1
18
November 23
@ Buffalo
L 104–117
Charlie Scott (23)
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 12,743
7–11
L 2
19
November 26
New Orleans Jazz
W 120–110
Charlie Scott (31)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 4,931
8–11
W 1
20
November 28
Portland
L 85–88
Charlie Scott (27)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 6,461
8–12
L 1
21
November 30
Houston
W 112–100
Gary Melchionni (21)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,187
9–12
W 1 :
December: 6–6 (home: 6–3; road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsLocation AttendanceRecordStreak
22
December 1
@ Los Angeles
L 105–111 (OT)
Charlie Scott (26)
The Forum 10,157
9–13
L 1
23
December 3
Atlanta
L 85–91
Charlie Scott (24)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 4,019
9–14
L 2
24
December 5
Golden State
W 108–106 (2OT)
Charlie Scott (24)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 6,053
10–14
W 1
25
December 7
Los Angeles
W 92–88
Charlie Scott (25)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,603
11–14
W 2
26
December 8
@ Los Angeles
L 102–107
Charlie Scott (28)
The Forum 11,124
11–15
L 1
27
December 11
Portland
W 104–100
Keith Erickson (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 4,768
12–15
W 1
28
December 13
Cleveland
W 85–84
Charlie Scott (34)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,756
13–15
W 2
29
December 19
Milwaukee
L 108–112
Keith Erickson (22)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,369
13–16
L 1
30
December 21
Los Angeles
W 114–104
Keith Erickson (25)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,437
14–16
W 1
31
December 23
@ Golden State
L 94–111
Keith Erickson, Charlie Scott (20)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 5,240
14–17
L 1
32
December 25
Boston
W 110–96
Charlie Scott (30)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8,276
15–17
W 1
33
December 27
Buffalo
L 92–108
Charlie Scott, Dick Van Arsdale (17)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 9,205
15–18
L 1 :
January: 5–9 (home: 3–4; road: 2–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsLocation AttendanceRecordStreak
34
January 2
@ New York
L 113–117 (OT)
Charlie Scott (30)
Madison Square Garden 18,570
15–19
L 2
35
January 3
@ Chicago
L 99–126
Mike Bantom (20)
Chicago Stadium 6,047
15–20
L 3
36
January 5
@ Cleveland
L 86–97
Dennis Awtrey, Gary Melchionni (15)
Coliseum at Richfield 6,138
15–21
L 4
37
January 8
Washington
L 95–102
Charlie Scott (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 6,770
15–22
L 5
38
January 10
Portland
L 110–113
Charlie Scott (24)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,068
15–23
L 6
39
January 11
New York
W 113–107
Mike Bantom (29)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,592
16–23
W 1
All-Star Break
40
January 17
@ Chicago
W 115–105
Charlie Scott (31)
Chicago Stadium 7,174
17–23
W 2
41
January 18
@ Detroit
L 77–86
Mike Bantom (19)
Cobo Arena 6,053
17–24
L 1
42
January 19
@ Kansas City-Omaha
W 109–97
Charlie Scott (28)
Kemper Arena 13,155
18–24
W 1
43
January 21
Philadelphia
L 95–101
Charlie Scott (34)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 4,267
18–25
L 1
44
January 25
New Orleans
W 94–90 (OT)
Charlie Scott (23)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,872
19–25
W 1
45
January 28
@ Portland
L 107–115
Mike Bantom, Charlie Scott (24)
Memorial Coliseum 10,291
19–26
L 1
46
January 29
Seattle
L 85–99
Charlie Scott (25)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 4,273
19–27
L 2
47
January 31
Los Angeles
W 105–101
Curtis Perry (24)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,871
20–27
W 1 :
February: 8–6 (home: 5–2; road: 3–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsLocation AttendanceRecordStreak
48
February 4
Washington
W 90–89
Dick Van Arsdale (30)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 4,263
21–27
W 2
49
February 5
@ Seattle
W 107–102
Dick Van Arsdale (46)
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,002
22–27
W 3
50
February 6
Seattle
W 112–105
Mike Bantom (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,865
23–27
W 4
51
February 8
@ Golden State
L 96–105
Dick Van Arsdale (27)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 8,961
23–28
L 1
52
February 12
Buffalo
W 108–96
Charlie Scott (25)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 6,255
24–28
W 1
53
February 14
Boston
L 106–112
Dick Van Arsdale (25)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 9,338
24–29
L 1
54
February 15
Atlanta
L 107–111
Curtis Perry (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 6,147
24–30
L 2
55
February 18
@ Buffalo
L 109–124
Charlie Scott (32)
Maple Leaf Gardens 8,163
24–31
L 3
56
February 19
@ Washington
L 97–120
Dick Van Arsdale (20)
Capital Centre 6,201
24–32
L 4
57
February 21
@ New Orleans
L 96–98
Gary Melchionni (17)
Municipal Auditorium 4,563
24–33
L 5
58
February 23
@ Milwaukee
W 106–97
Dennis Awtrey (24)
Dane County Coliseum 8,832
25–33
W 1
59
February 25
@ Golden State
W 111–97
Charlie Scott (26)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 8,550
26–33
W 2
60
February 26
Cleveland
W 108–96
Charlie Scott (24)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,447
27–33
W 3
61
February 28
Golden State
W 102–96
Dick Van Arsdale (25)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 9,511
28–33
W 4 :
March: 3–15 (home: 2–5; road: 1–10)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsLocation AttendanceRecordStreak
62
March 2
@ Houston
L 104–110
Charlie Scott (26)
Hofheinz Pavilion 4,827
28–34
L 1
63
March 4
@ Kansas City-Omaha
L 99–103
Mike Bantom (23)
Omaha Civic Auditorium 4,027
28–35
L 2
64
March 6
Chicago
W 88–65
Mike Bantom (16)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,683
29–35
W 1
65
March 7
@ Portland
L 98–120
Mike Bantom (28)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 10,080
29–36
L 1
66
March 8
Houston
L 107–112
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,272
29–37
L 2
67
March 11
@ New York
L 98–103
Charlie Scott (30)
Madison Square Garden 17,443
29–38
L 3
68
March 12
@ Boston
L 82–88
Nate Hawthorne (20)
Hartford Civic Center 11,283
29–39
L 4
69
March 14
@ Philadelphia
L 97–108
Mike Bantom (19)
The Spectrum 7,127
29–40
L 5
70
March 16
@ Atlanta
L 114–117
Charlie Scott (38)
Omni Coliseum 2,786
29–41
L 6
71
March 18
@ Golden State
L 103–133
Mike Bantom (26)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 6,795
29–42
L 7
72
March 19
New York
L 96–101
Curtis Perry (22)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,492
29–43
L 8
73
March 21
Portland
L 108–112
Dick Van Arsdale (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 4,786
29–44
L 9
74
March 22
@ Portland
L 92–94
Curtis Perry (18)
Memorial Coliseum 11,142
29–45
L 10
75
March 23
@ Seattle
W 102–96
Mike Bantom (22)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,082
30–45
W 1
76
March 25
Milwaukee
W 92–87
Charlie Scott (22)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,232
31–45
W 2
77
March 27
Detroit
L 79–91
Charlie Scott (19)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,629
31–46
L 1
78
March 29
Kansas City-Omaha
L 100–104
Dennis Awtrey, Curtis Perry (20)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 6,450
31–47
L 2
79
March 30
@ Los Angeles
L 90–104
Mike Bantom (20)
The Forum 8,546
31–48
L 3 :
April: 1–2 (home: 1–1; road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsLocation AttendanceRecordStreak
80
April 2
Los Angeles
W 108–106
Charlie Scott (25)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,610
32–48
W 1
81
April 4
Golden State
L 99–128
Mike Bantom (22)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 6,867
32–49
L 1
82
April 6
@ Seattle
L 111–114
Charlie Scott (25)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,082
32–50
L 2 :
1974–75 schedule :

## Awards and honors
### All-Star

* Charlie Scott was selected as a reserve for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game, which was played in Phoenix for the first time. Scott finished third in voting among Western Conference guards with 40,736 votes. It was his third consecutive All-Star selection.
* Other Suns players who received All-Star votes were Keith Erickson (23,171), Curtis Perry (22,574), and Dick Van Arsdale (19,395).

### Season

* Mike Bantom finished 14th in MVP voting.

## Player statistics
### Season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Dennis Awtrey | 82 | 73 | 34.6 | .470 | .677 | 8.6 | 4.2 | .7 | .6 | 9.9 |
| Mike Bantom | 82 | 50 | 27.3 | .461 | .714 | 6.7 | 1.9 | .8 | .6 | 12.5 |
| Corky Calhoun* | 13 | 0 | 8.3 | .375 | .933^ | 2.5 | 0.3 | .5 | .2 | 2.9 |
| Keith Erickson | 49 | 24 | 30.0 | .425 | .833^ | 5.0 | 3.5 | 1.0 | .2 | 12.3 |
| Nate Hawthorne | 50 | 2 | 12.4 | .411 | .649 | 1.8 | 0.8 | .6 | .4 | 5.9 |
| Greg Jackson | 44 | 18 | 17.6 | .416 | .581 | 1.5 | 2.1 | .5 | .2 | 4.0 |
| Gary Melchionni | 68 | 29 | 22.5 | .430 | .809 | 2.8 | 2.3 | .7 | .2 | 8.5 |
| Jim Owens | 41 | 5 | 10.5 | .386 | .750 | 1.0 | 1.2 | .4 | .0 | 3.0 |
| Curtis Perry | 79 | 78 | 34.0 | .477 | .719 | 11.9 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 13.4 |
| Fred Saunders | 69 | 12 | 15.3 | .433 | .695 | 3.7 | 1.2 | .6 | .2 | 6.1 |
| Charlie Scott | 69 | 60 | 37.6 | .441 | .781 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 1.6 | .3 | 24.3 |
| Dick Van Arsdale | 70 | 50 | 34.6 | .470 | .832 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 1.2 | .2 | 16.1 |
| Earl Williams | 79 | 9 | 13.2 | .414 | .437 | 5.8 | 1.2 | .4 | .4 | 4.7 |
* – Stats with the Suns. ^ – Minimum 125 free throws made.

## Transactions
### Trades

| September 6, 1974 | To Washington Bullets Clem Haskins | To Phoenix Suns Dave Stallworth 1975 second-round draft pick ( Allen Murphy) |
| September 16, 1974 | To New Orleans Jazz Neal Walk 1975 second-round draft pick ( Clyde Mayes) | To Phoenix Suns Dennis Awtrey Nate Hawthorne Curtis Perry 1976 first-round draft pick ( Adrian Dantley) |
| November 27, 1974 | To Los Angeles Lakers Corky Calhoun | To Phoenix Suns 1976 second-round draft pick ( Jacky Dorsey) 1977 third-round draft pick ( Mike Bratz) |

### Free agents
#### Additions

| Date | Player | Contract | Old Team |
| January 2, 1975 | Greg Jackson | Undisclosed | New York Knicks |

#### Subtractions

| Date | Player | Reason Left | New Team |
| May 20, 1974 | Lamar Green | Expansion Draft | New Orleans Jazz |
| July 31, 1974 | Bob Christian | Waived | New York Knicks |
| September 24, 1974 | Bill Chamberlain | Waived | — (Retired) |
| October 10, 1974 | Dave Stallworth | Waived | New York Knicks |