Suns Classics: The greatest regular-season games in franchise history

It was an instant classic, one that many Suns fans will never forget.

The date? December 7, 2006. It was a typical dreary, cold Thursday winter’s night.

The Phoenix Suns played their 17th regular season game in front of 16,966 fans at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Fans had no idea they were in for 58 thrilling minutes of basketball that was worth the price of admission — the greatest game not just in Suns franchise history, but in NBA history.

“We were in a good position,” Suns head coach Mike D’Antoni said at the time.

“That was the best game I’ve ever seen.”

Coming from a guy who’s watched as much basketball as he has, those comments are not to be taken lightly.

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Phoenix entered the game with a 10-6 record this season and a 2-4 road record, having just beaten the same Nets, 99-93, in Phoenix two weeks prior.

They played out a nail-biting game that felt like both the longest and shortest game in history.

starter

Phoenix

Amare Stoudemire Boris Diaw Shawn Marion Raja Bell Steve Nash

Key subs: James Jones, Kurt Thomas, Leandro Barbosa, Marcus Banks

New Jersey

Nenad Kristjic Jason Collins Richard Jefferson Vince Carter Jason Kidd

Key subs: Marcus Williams, Eddie House, Mickey Moore, Antoine Wright, Hassan Adams

The teams combined for 318 points, which was tied for the fourth-highest scoring score in NBA history at the time. It was a glimpse into the future of NBA basketball. There was nothing like it in that era. It was unheard of.

Point guard matchups are common in the modern NBA, but they were rare back then, which is part of what made this Nash vs. Kidd matchup so intriguing. They were in their age-32 (Nash) and age-33 (Kidd) seasons, respectively. They were teammates for two seasons in Phoenix.

It had all the elements you want to see in a head-to-head match on a basketball court.

“I think Jason was always fired up to play against Phoenix because of the Stephon Marbury trade in 2001,” Richard Jefferson said.

The lead changed hands 34 times, the score was tied 21 times and 13 players scored in double figures.

It’s the type of game that will stay in your memory for a long time.

Suns box score

The Suns had six players score in double figures and relied heavily on their starters and Barbosa. Thanks James Jones.

Steve Nash finished with 42 points and 13 assists in 48 minutes, committed just three turnovers and shot an astounding 16-of-25 from the field and 6-of-7 from deep.

Nets box score

The Nets also had a very balanced offense, with seven players scoring in double figures, led by Jason Kidd’s 38-point triple-double, 14 assists and one rebound.

Vince Carter scored 31 points before fouling out late in the game, and Marcus Williams and Eddie House played quality minutes in the Nets’ backup backcourt, combining for 30 points on just 16 field goal attempts.

For those who want to reminisce, here’s a link to the box score: Suns @ Nets

Again, for those of you who can’t be bothered to scroll up, I highly recommend watching this basketball game if you haven’t already.

RELATED: The Ringer breaks down the game in detail: An oral history of the greatest game Mike D’Antoni has ever seen

I don’t know if we’ll ever see a match like this again.

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Suns fans, where does this game rank among the regular season games? Let us know below!

Source link