- [Narrator] In the mid 2000s, the Phoenix Suns accomplished a feat they hadn't done in over a decade, back-to-back Western
Conference Finals appearances. For a franchise searching
for their first championship, this Phoenix squad looked legit, destroying opponents with
their revolutionary offense. Led by Coach of the Year, Mike D'Antoni, the Suns offensive philosophy relied on running at a breakneck pace, draining threes, spacing the floor, and getting a quality shot
within seven seconds or less. The man conducting the show in D'Antoni's run and gun offense was
point guard Steve Nash. Nash's superb court vision
and ability to facilitate made him the perfect player to orchestrate D'Antoni's system. A system that earned Nash
back-to-back MVP honors. Alongside Nash was Amar'e Stoudemire, a young high-flying forward who
could run and jump for days, and Shawn Marion, nicknamed The Matrix, because of his amazing athleticism. When Phoenix couldn't get
past the San Antonio Spurs in the '05 post season, they attempted to shore up their roster, signing sharp shooter Raja Bell. And in what looked like a ballsy move, Phoenix also traded Joe Johnson, who was one of the team's best players, to acquire unproven forward
Boris Diaw in return. Under D'Antoni, Diaw blossomed into a true positionless player earning Most Improved honors, notably filling in for Stoudemire, who missed most of the '06
season due to a knee injury. Even without Stoudemire, the
Suns were a phenomenal squad, but they missed his
presence in the postseason when they fell to the Dallas Mavericks in the '06 conference finals. Back at full strength,
entering the 2006-07 season, it looked to be the Suns true moment. Whether it was running the floor, and catching lobs from Nash, or making opponents
like children down low, Stoudemire was back like he never left. Besides knocking down shots with his weird ass shooting form, Marion shined defensively, providing the Suns with the versatility to guard positions one through five. Bell continued shooting
lights out from three, and played hard nosed defense. With Johnson gone, D'Antoni turned to Leandro Barbosa, who added more firepower off the bench, winning Sixth Man of the Year. The '07 Suns posted a 17 game win streak, running teams off the floor en route to snagging the
number two seed in the West. Phoenix cruised through the first round, setting up a conference
semi-finals matchup with the Spurs. A win in game won would
preserve home court advantage, and put Phoenix one step closer to returning to the
Western Conference Finals by beating the team that
ended their title hopes a few years ago. As the series tipped off, Phoenix was battling in
a tightly contested game, until their chances of winning
took a huge hit literally. (drifty music) Yeah. So your nose is not
supposed to look like that. Up until late in the fourth quarter, Nash kept the Suns within striking distance
to snatch the lead. After tossing a turnover, Nash butted heads with
Spurs guard Tony Parker, while attempting to
slow down a fast break. Having a bloody nose is one thing, but the man looked like he
just caught a right hook from Mike Tyson. Phoenix's medical staff patched
him up to stop the bleeding, and after play resumed, both teams got back to
work on the scoring end. Crooked nose and all, Nash
showed he wasn't phased. He drilled a clean three
to tie the game up at 102, and then later hit a clutch layup to soften the Spurs lead to
two with 1:13 left to play. That layup was his last
opportunity to help his team. Down two with under a minute to play, Nash had to be benched, because his nose just
wouldn't stop gushing blood. As he sat, the Suns
couldn't match the Spurs, who snatched a pivotal game on the road. Nash felt helpless, but knew
there wasn't much he could do. While I'm sure San Antonio
was ecstatic with their win, Spurs forward Robert Horry
wanted to beat the best team, and acknowledged the Suns
weren't the best without Nash. Phoenix and San Antonio went
on to split the next two games, setting up a crucial game four. In a game that went down to the wire, the Suns fought back from
a fourth quarter deficit, and controlled a three point lead with under 20 seconds to play. Looking to foul, Horry must have forgotten
about the whole idea of feeling validated by beating
the Suns at full strength, 'cause he hit Nash with a smooth hip check that sent him flying
into the scorers table. Tempers flared as Bell
got into Horry's face, and a few members of the Suns left the bench to protect their teammate. Phoenix got the win to even the series, but hurt their chances to
advance in the process. Stoudemire and Diaw left the
bench during the altercation, and due to NBA rules, they
were suspended for game five. NBA Commissioner David Stern wanted to emphasize player
safety after past brawls that occurred throughout the league. Both Stoudemire and Diaw played
vital roles for the Suns, and because of an arbitrary rule, they couldn't compete in game five. Without their presence, the
Suns fell in a tight game. Whether it was the fatigue kicking in, or Phoenix losing their groove, San Antonio closed out
the series in game six, and went on to win the NBA Championship. That year's trophy could have
just as easily been the Suns'. The winner of that series was essentially a lock for the finals after the championship favorite Mavs got bounced in the first round. Once the Spurs made it through
the outmatched Utah Jazz, San Antonio comfortably
swept a young LeBron James, and a random assortment of players that made up the Cleveland
Cavaliers in the finals. If it weren't for a badly time nose bleed, or an extremely nitpicky league ruling, that year's championship was
Phoenix's for the taking. While that season posed
an excellent opportunity, the Suns were ready to
run it back the next year. The franchise made some
changes immediately, starting off with a big
move in the front office. Steve Kerr spent time as a consultant after joining the group to purchase the organization in 2004. But now as an inexperienced GM, Kerr was tasked with improving a team on the cusp of a championship. In his first move, Kerr signed
veteran forward Grant Hill on a bargain deal. The Suns hoped that Hill
could add more scoring to an already stacked offense
to put them over the top. In an effort to clear cap space, Kerr also traded a package including veteran big man Kurt Thomas. Thomas had provided the
Suns with length down low, and was a key defensive
anchor for an undersized team that struggled with handling bigs. Clearing cap space and shipping off Thomas were both signs the Suns
wanted to make a run at the biggest target of the
offseason, Kevin Garnett. The Suns were on KG's preferred
trade destination list, and Phoenix came close to landing him, but the Suns simply didn't
have the funds to pay him. Despite striking out, they still returned the
main core of a roster that dominated offensively
the past three seasons. While their core was still in tact, they weren't all necessarily happy. Before the season started, four-time All-Star
Shawn Marion wanted out. Nonetheless, the Suns
began the '07-08 season with Marion still on the roster. And they got back to regularly
scheduled programming. Heading into February, Phoenix held the best record
in the Western Conference, but Kerr decided it
was time to switch it up. As a career long Suns player, Marion was frustrated with
the franchise's unwillingness to extend his contract, and was fed up with hearing
his name in trade talks. Phoenix granted Shawn Marion's wish, and swung a blockbuster deal, trading him for Shaquille O'Neal. Initially, the trade drew mixed reactions. Marion was a reliable scorer, and a core member under D'Antoni's system that emphasized speed. While Shaq at nearly 36 years old was known for slowing the game down, and demolishing opponents in the paint. Kerr acknowledged the risk of
changing the Suns' blueprint, but felt that adding Shaq would benefit the team in the playoffs. Phoenix had struggled
heavily with interior defense and rebounding the ball, often miscasting Stoudemire as a center. So Kerr felt that adding
a large presence inside could help combat the
big guys in the West, while allowing Stoudemire to
play his natural position. There were growing pains fitting Shaq in the lineup at first but when he got in his
groove, he proved his worth against the Western
Conference's top competition, like the Spurs. And lucky for Phoenix, they had a chance to get sweet payback against their playoff
nemesis in the first round. With the addition of Shaq, the Suns showed they
could handle the Spurs during the season, and experts favored them in this series. In game one, the Suns were on the verge of stealing home court advantage
from their longtime bully until Tim Duncan, who hardly
ever pulls up from deep nailed a three to send the
game to double overtime where the Spurs survived. Despite Phoenix nearly
grabbing a game one win, the series wasn't really close. Shaq was brought in specifically
to deal with players like Duncan, and offer rebound support. but Duncan had a great series, and Phoenix got
out-rebounded in every game, except for their lone game four win. To make matters worse, remember our old friend Kurt Thomas? Well, he was now a Spur, and also gave Phoenix fits defensively. The Suns once again failed
to get past the Spurs, a team that Stoudemire was sick of, but vowed one day they would beat. If that were to happen,
it wouldn't go down with how the team was
currently constructed. Less than a month after
the San Antonio series, Mike D'Antoni accepted a head coaching job with the New York Knicks. In Phoenix, he delivered
the best winning percentage of any Suns coach ever. D'Antoni's coaching style was highlighted by a potent offense that
took the league by storm, but his vision of how the team should play didn't align with Kerr's. To replace D'Antoni, Phoenix hired former Detroit
Pistons Assistant Coach Terry Porter. While relatively unproven as a head coach, Porter had developed the Pistons into one of the top defenses in the NBA. Filling the role for a team
with championship aspirations comes with big expectations, and it didn't take long for Terry to feel that dry desert
heat under his seat, when he was asked if the team
would win the championship at his introductory press conference. A team that in the past could at least be counted on
to drop a shit ton of buckets now had no identity whatsoever. As they transitioned into
more of a half court offense under Porter, the team looked lifeless. Especially Bell and Diaw, who thrived in D'Antoni's
small ball lineups, but grew frustrated with their diminished roles under Porter. Nash publicly blasted his teammates, and admitted that the
team was in a dark place when they hit the quarter
mark of the season. Responding to the poor
transition under Porter, Kerr made a deal with
the Charlotte Bobcats, parting ways with both Bell and Diaw. The two were clearly no
longer happy in Phoenix, and because of Diaw's hefty contract, Kerr thought the move was necessary. In return for the two players, the Suns landed athletic
swingman Jason Richardson. Kerr thought the team was sliding, and adding a scorer like Richardson would help take the pressure off Nash in the back court. He was still facing criticism over the end result of the Shaq deal, but landing Richardson
appeared to be a steal to get the Suns back
in playoff contention. So the deal seemed to be a win-win. Now, when it came to
actually winning games, Phoenix didn't look that much different. The Suns continued to
sputter under Porter, going into the All-Star break where they trailed the
eighth seed by one game. It also didn't help when Stoudemire was ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering an eye injury. Deciding to make another
change on the fly, Kerr fired Porter, and
promoted Alvin Gentry. Gentry was the only holdover
from D'Antoni's staff, and promptly said they
would go back to the system that brought them so much success. It just didn't happen immediately. For the first time in five seasons, Phoenix failed to make
it to the postseason. Kerr may have made the
switch a little too late. With Gentry named as
the coach going forward, the first major move of the
offseason was trading Shaq. Dealing Shaq was a move for fit purposes, but it was also a bit of an admission that the initial trade
compromised the team's identity. Phoenix showed no intentions of a rebuild when they extended their
playmaker Nash and resigned Hill, but the team had yet to show
any signs of their future plans regarding Stoudemire's contract. Stoudemire was entering
the final year of his deal, and was out to prove his
worth of a max contract. Although Stoudemire had shown
how dominant he could be, Kerr was weary of
Stoudemire's injury past. Kerr even nearly dealt
him in a 2009 draft deal, looking to snag a top 10 pick that he would've used on Stephen Curry. The deal never went through, and with Stoudemire still in Phoenix, the team surprisingly
started off scorching hot under Gentry's revamped
system that emphasized rhythm, rather than playing at a breakneck pace. Going into the All-Star break, Phoenix's defensive issues
became more apparent as their hot start quickly cooled down, and Kerr was ready to make
another mid-season move. Stoudemire had been named
an All-Star starter, but Kerr once again began
shopping him around the league. While a trade never panned out, it propelled Stoudemire
to play unconsciously, as he led the team into the 2010 playoffs. The Suns defeated the feisty Trail Blazers in the first round, but if they wanted to return to the Western Conference Finals, their trip once again would have to make a
stop through San Antonio. Coming into this series,
experts favored the Spurs, and their playoff
history against the Suns. But Phoenix shoved a huge
middle finger in history's face, and swept San Antonio, earning a trip to the
Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2006. Three months after the Suns were willing to trade Stoudemire, he led the team in points
to close out the series. Instead of celebrating the victory against the team he vowed to get past, Stoudemire calmly walked
off the court after the win, knowing there was work still to be done. This version of the Suns looked
different in the postseason. Yes, Phoenix wasn't the
greatest defensive team, but Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich noted, They were much more active, and committed to their defensive
assignments under Gentry. Throughout the season, Gentry blended the
coaching style of D'Antoni, and the defensive mindset of Porter to make the Suns a more well-rounded team. Going into the Western Conference Finals, they had to continue executing
on both sides of the ball, because they were due for a battle against the reigning NBA
Champion Los Angeles Lakers. Phoenix didn't back down from the Lakers, and entered game five
with the series tied, setting themselves up to
snatch a win on the road. In a close game, the Suns'
chances of winning looked slim when they faced a three point deficit with under 10 seconds left
to play in the fourth. That was until Richardson
banked in a deep three to keep the team alive, and you could feel the momentum shifting in favor of Phoenix. With the clock ticking in the final seconds, and the Suns just one stop away from sending the game to overtime, Kobe Bryant airballed a shot, but teammate Ron Artest
fought for the rebound, and put back the game winning basket to take the series lead. That put back shocked the Suns, and crushed the team's spirit, leaving them to walk
off the court in disgust as they watched the Lakers celebrate. Phoenix fought hard on their
home court in game six, but the final nail in the coffin came from Kobe drilling what looked like an impossible fade away shot right in the face of Grant Hill. Like how do you defend that? At the top of the season, no one predicted the Suns
would do any of this, but in their locker room, they
knew their team was special. Their season was a remarkable success, but media experts felt like
that was their final shot. Stoudemire's contract
situation still loomed, but he was excited about the thought of returning to the Suns to continue building the hype that the team brought to the city. Only if it came with
a max contract though. Owner Robert Sarver said he didn't mind spending the money, as long as he got the
return on his investment, but the thought of Stoudemire eventually needing another
operation on his left knee concerned him. Stoudemire's agent was set
to meet with Sarver and Kerr, but before Kerr could make a decision on Stoudemire's future,
he stepped down as GM. After three short seasons, Kerr dipped, and shot down any talks
of contract disagreements. With Kerr gone, Sarver wasn't prepared to
pull out the checkbook, which led to Amar'e Stoudemire opting out of the last
year in his contract, then signing a deal with the Knicks, reuniting with his former coach. Shortly after closing the
chapter on Stoudemire, the Suns dealt their long
time bench playmaker, Leandro Barbosa, leaving Steve Nash as
the last man standing. Phoenix rode a rollercoaster of emotions, from the top of the Western Conference, to tweaking their
system, and falling flat, then returned to a revamped
model of D'Antoni ball that brought them back
to title contention, only to give up on their main
core of Stoudemire and Nash after just one full year under Gentry. Over the next two seasons, the Suns as we knew
them started to crumble. Nash was still in control of a team that wanted to
run the floor offensively, but he took a step back, and without any of his past co-stars, the product just wasn't the same. The Suns had acquired
plenty of good players, but as Nash got older, he no
longer had a star counterpart who could help carry the team. They never had a strong defense, and as their offense took a dive, they became a middle of the road team, and missed the playoffs
in back to back seasons. If they wanted to get back on track going into the 2012-13 season, they would have to do
it without their leader. On July 11th, 2012, Phoenix
traded Steve Nash to the Lakers. Whether it was multiple
ill-timed injuries, or a series-changing suspension, these Suns couldn't catch
a break in the playoffs. It also doesn't help when the front office squanders numerous opportunities to construct the right roster
needed to fit the system. The organization was indecisive on whether or not they wanted to commit to the D'Antoni style of play, wasting a full season of the
team's talent in the process. Sarver was also a cheap ass owner who refused to retain top
talent in free agency, and the front office
didn't plan for the future, when they repeatedly shipped
off multiple draft picks. Besides wasting numerous opportunities to better the team on
the court as an owner, Sarver presided over a toxic franchise that allowed alleged acts of racism and misogyny for multiple years. When this group of Suns
players faded away, so did the organization's
aspirations of winning, as they collapsed under mismanagement, and poor drafting in
the years that followed. Although this Suns squad
never won a championship, they're far from being
considered a failure. In fact, they helped
establish the blueprint for how the game is played today. You can see elements of it in Golden State under a familiar face. And there were years of
similar hope in Houston with D'Antoni taking over the reigns. So while they never
got it done themselves, the lasting impact that these
seven seconds or less Suns had on the NBA is undeniable. (soft music) Yo, thanks for watching. We've built a bit of a universe of videos over here at Secret Base, so if you enjoyed watching
this Suns collapse, check out these videos involving some of the characters involved during the collapse. And as always, don't forget
to like and subscribe, and keep on coming back for more content, 'cause we gon' keep
giving it to y'all, peace. (soft music)
