1994–95 Phoenix Suns season
The 1994-95 NBA season was the 27th season for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association. The Suns were led by Paul Westphal, in his third year as head coach of the Suns. The Suns had finished the regular season with 59 wins, the first time in the franchise's history they had ended the season with 55 or more wins for three consecutive seasons. The Suns swept the Portland Trail Blazers in three straight games in the first round of the playoffs, but for the second year in a row, had their playoff run stopped in a Western Conference Semifinals' Game 7 loss at the hands of the 6th-seeded defending and eventual back-to-back NBA champion Houston Rockets after leading the series 3–1. All home games were played at America West Arena.
The Suns were again led in both scoring and rebounding by All-Star Charles Barkley, averaging 23.0 points and 11.1 rebounds for the season. In the offseason, the Suns had acquired free agents Danny Manning and Wayman Tisdale. Manning, who was coming off an All-Star year would average 17.9 points a game, but the oft-injured Manning appeared in just 46 games in his first season in Phoenix, and would not be available for the Suns' playoff run. For point guard Kevin Johnson, the injury that had allowed him to start in just 35 of 47 games in the regular season, happened earlier enough in the season he would be able to play in the Suns' fourth consecutive Western Conference Semifinals. Johnson would average a team-high 7.7 assists and 15.5 points during the regular season.
Dan Majerle finished the season tied for second in made three-point field goals, 199, and averaged 15.6 points for the Suns. The Suns front court was supplanted by A.C. Green's 11.2 points and 8.2 rebounds and Tisdale's 10 points per game. The Suns' pick in the draft was used to select Wesley Person, a shooting guard out of Auburn, who contributed 10.4 points a game while connecting on a team-high 43.6% of his three-pointers. By season's end, Person was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
Barkley was named to his ninth All-Star Game, joined by Majerle, who was selected for his third and final All-Star Game. Barkley repeated as an All-NBA Second Team selection. Following the season, Majerle was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Danny Ainge retired.
For the season, the Suns added black alternate road uniforms, which would last until 2000.
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College / Team |
| 1 | 23 | Wesley Person | SG | United States | Auburn |
| 2 | 29 | Antonio Lang | SF | United States | Duke |
| 2 | 50 | Charles Claxton | C | United States Virgin Islands | Georgia |
| 2 | 52 | Anthony Goldwire | PG | United States | Houston |
Roster
Regular season
Standings
Record vs. opponents
Playoffs
Game log
Awards and honors
Week/Month
- Elliot Perry was named Player of the Week for games played November 14 through November 20.
- Charles Barkley was named Player of the Week for games played February 13 through February 19.
All-Star
- Charles Barkley was voted as a starter for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his ninth consecutive All-Star selection. Barkley finished first in voting among Western Conference forwards with 1,046,105 votes.
- Dan Majerle was voted as a starter for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his third All-Star selection. Majerle finished first in voting among Western Conference guards with 868,115 votes.
- Paul Westphal coached the Western Conference in the All-Star Game, which was held in Phoenix for the second time. The West defeated the East 139–112.
- Other Suns players receiving All-Star votes were: Danny Manning.
- Dan Majerle was selected to compete in the Three-Point Shootout. Majerle was eliminated in the first round.
- Wesley Person and Trevor Ruffin were selected to play in the Rookie Challenge.
Season
- Charles Barkley was named to the All-NBA Second Team. Barkley also finished sixth in MVP voting.
- Wesley Person was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
Injuries/Missed games
- 10/08/94: Richard Dumas: League suspension ; reinstated March 13
- 11/03/94: Charles Barkley: Strained stomach muscle; placed on injured list until November 26
- 11/03/94: Aaron Swinson: Sprained ankle; placed on injured list until November 15
- 11/11/94: Kevin Johnson: Sprained rib cage muscle; out until November 18
- 11/12/94: Danny Ainge: Flu; did not play
- 11/15/94: Antonio Lang: Back spasms; placed on injured list until February 6
- 11/16/94: Wayman Tisdale: Sprained ankle; out until November 29
- 11/23/94: Kevin Johnson: Sore knee; did not play
- 11/26/94: Kevin Johnson: Strained groin; placed on injured list until December 12
- 11/27/94: Charles Barkley: Strained stomach muscle; did not play
- 12/12/94: Kevin Johnson: Strained groin; did not play
- 12/12/94: Aaron Swinson: Knee tendinitis; placed on injured list until December 29
- 01/03/95: Kevin Johnson: Strained quadriceps; out until January 22
- 01/03/95: Wayman Tisdale: Flu; did not play
- 01/26/95: Kevin Johnson: Strained quadriceps; out until February 19
- 01/29/95: Wesley Person: Sore foot; out until February 3
- 02/03/95: Wayman Tisdale: Separated rib cartilage; out until February 17
- 02/06/95: Danny Manning: Torn ACL; placed on injured list for rest of season
- 02/17/95: Danny Ainge: League suspension ; did not play
- 02/26/95: Joe Kleine: Personal reasons; did not play
- 02/28/95: Charles Barkley: Sprained knee; did not play
- 03/01/95: Charles Barkley: Sprained knee; did not play
- 03/14/95: Wayman Tisdale: Strained rib; placed on injured reserve until March 24
- 03/24/95: Trevor Ruffin: Bruised shoulder; did not play
- 03/24/95: Antonio Lang: Sprained knee; placed on injured list for rest of season
- 03/31/95: Richard Dumas: Urinary tract infection; did not play
- 04/02/95: Richard Dumas: Urinary tract infection; did not play
- 04/09/95: Danny Ainge: Bruised knee, sore back; did not play
- 04/09/95: Danny Ainge: Bruised knee, sore back; did not play
- 04/15/95: Charles Barkley: League suspension ; did not play
- 05/09/95: Richard Dumas: Bruised wrist; out until waived on May 18
Player statistics
Season
† – Minimum 300 field goals made.^ – Minimum 50 three-pointers made.
- – Minimum 125 free-throws made.