1982–83 Phoenix Suns season

NBA team season March 2026 August 2023 Phoenix Suns 1983 53 29 Pacific 2 3 John MacLeod Jerry Colangelo Karl Eller, Don Pitt, Don Diamond, Bhavik Darji, Marvin Meyer, Richard L. Bloch Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum First round(lost to Nuggets 1–2) PHO KNXV KTAR The 1982–83 Phoenix Suns season was the 15th season for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association. The Suns were in the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season, extending a then-franchise record. The Suns were eliminated in the first round two games to one by the Denver Nuggets, a team they had beaten by the same margin a year earlier. The Suns were led by head coach John MacLeod and played all home games in Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Walter Davis led the Suns in scoring with 19 points per game. Second-year player Larry Nance, who finished the season fourth in the NBA in blocks per game, was second in team scoring at 16.7, while fellow big man Maurice Lucas averaged a double-double with 16.5 points and 10.4 rebounds a contest. Lucas, a 30-year-old veteran who had played for four NBA teams and one ABA team before reaching the Suns, returned to his first All-Star Game after two seasons when he suited up with Phoenix. Point guard Dennis Johnson earned another spot on the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Offseason NBA draft 1982 NBA draft Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 15 David Thirdkill Forward United States Bradley 2 39 Kevin Magee Forward United States UC Irvine 3 61 Charles Pittman Forward United States Maryland 4 86 Rory White Forward United States South Alabama 5 108 Marvin McCrary Guard United States Missouri 6 130 Jake Bethany Center United States Hardin–Simmons 7 155 Phil Ward Guard United States North Carolina Charlotte 8 177 Rick Elrod Guard United States Georgetown (KY) 9 199 Ken Lyles Forward United States Washington 10 221 Dale Wilkinson Center United States Idaho State Roster Phoenix Suns 1982–83 #702F8B #FFFFFF #FB4417 #702F8B 33 Alvan Adams C 6 9 210 1954-07-19 Oklahoma 6 Walter Davis basketball G 6 6 193 1954-09-09 North Carolina 53 James Edwards basketball C 7 0 225 1955-11-22 Washington 11 Johnny High G 6 3 185 1957-04-25 Nevada 24 Dennis Johnson G 6 4 185 1954-09-18 Pepperdine 50 Joel Kramer F/C 6 7 203 1955-11-30 San Diego State 20 Maurice Lucas F 6 9 215 1952-02-18 Marquette 4 Kyle Macy G 6 3 175 1957-04-09 Kentucky 22 Larry Nance F 6 10 205 1959-02-12 Clemson 32 Charles Pittman basketball F 6 8 220 1958-03-23 Maryland 14 Alvin Scott F 6 7 185 1955-09-14 Oral Roberts 40 David Thirdkill F 6 7 195 1960-04-12 Bradley 7 Rory White F 6 8 210 1959-08-16 South Alabama John MacLeod (Bellarmine) Al Bianchi (Bowling Green State) John Wetzel (Virginia Tech) Regular season Standings PHO PHO Playoffs Game log Phoenix Suns yes 1983 Phoenix Suns First Round yes yes 1 1 0 1 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | April 19 | Denver | W 121–108 | Dennis Johnson (28) | Dennis Johnson (12) | Dennis Johnson (8) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum11,901 | 1–0 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | April 21 | @ Denver | L 99–113 | Walter Davis (31) | James Edwards (9) | Dennis Johnson (5) | McNichols Sports Arena15,903 | 1–1 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | April 24 | Denver | L 112–117 (OT) | Walter Davis (29) | Larry Nance (12) | Alvan Adams (9) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum14,660 | 1–2 |- PHO 1983 yes Awards and honors All-Star Maurice Lucas was voted as a starter for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. Lucas finished first in voting among Western Conference forwards with 431,288 votes. It was his fifth All-Star selection. The other Suns player receiving All-Star votes was Dennis Johnson (306,470). Season Dennis Johnson was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Maurice Lucas finished 14th in MVP voting. Player statistics Season Phoenix Suns |- align="center" bgcolor="" | Adams, Alvan Alvan Adams || 80 || 75 || 30.6 || .486 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | .333 || .829 || 6.9 || 4.7 || 1.4 || .9 || 14.2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | Cook, Jeff Jeff Cook* || 45 || 2 || 12.2 || .430 || .000 || .759 || 2.9 || 1.3 || .3 || .3 || 3.6 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | Davis, Walter Walter Davis || 80 || 79 || 31.1 || .516 || .304 || .818 || 2.5 || 5.0 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 1.5 || .2 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 19.0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | Edwards, James James Edwards* || 16 || 1 || 17.8 || .487 || . || .660 || 3.7 || 1.7 || .3 || .3 || 8.8 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | High, Johnny Johnny High || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 82 || 2 || 14.1 || .461 || .200 || .463 || 1.8 || 1.9 || 1.0 || .4 || 3.2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | Johnson, Dennis Dennis Johnson || 77 || 74 || 33.1 || .462 || .161 || .791 || 4.4 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 5.0 || 1.3 || .5 || 14.2 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | Kramer, Joel Joel Kramer || 54 || 4 || 8.5 || .423 || .000 || .875^ || 1.6 || 0.7 || .3 || .1 || 1.9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | Lucas, Maurice Maurice Lucas || 77 || 71 || 33.6 || .474 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | .333 || .781 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 10.4 || 2.8 || .7 || .6 || 16.5 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | Macy, Kyle Kyle Macy || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 82 || 9 || 22.4 || .517 || .303 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | .872^ || 2.0 || 3.4 || .8 || .1 || 9.9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | Nance, Larry Larry Nance || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 82 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 82 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 35.5 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | .550 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | .333 || .672 || 8.7 || 2.4 || 1.2 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 2.6 || 16.7 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | Pittman, Charles Charles Pittman || 28 || 0 || 6.1 || .475 || .000 || .676 || 1.1 || 0.3 || .1 || .3 || 2.3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | Scott, Alvin Alvin Scott || 81 || 9 || 14.1 || .479 || .000 || .736 || 2.8 || 1.2 || .6 || .4 || 4.1 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | Thirdkill, David David Thirdkill || 49 || 2 || 10.6 || .435 || .143 || .577 || 1.5 || 0.7 || .4 || .1 || 4.0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | White, Rory Rory White || 65 || 0 || 9.6 || .543 || .000 || .642 || 1.6 || 0.5 || .2 || .0 || 5.0 |} * – Stats with the Suns. ^ – Minimum 125 free throws made. Playoffs Phoenix Suns |- align="center" bgcolor="" | Adams, Alvan Alvan Adams || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 3 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 3 || 28.0 || .469 || . || .714 || 6.0 || 4.7 || .7 || 1.7 || 11.7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | Davis, Walter Walter Davis || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 3 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 3 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 37.7 || .435 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | .500 || .810 || 5.0 || 4.3 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 2.0 || 1.7 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 26.0 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | Edwards, James James Edwards || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 3 || 0 || 18.0 || .423 || . || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 1.000 || 6.0 || 1.3 || .3 || .3 || 9.3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | High, Johnny Johnny High || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 3 || 0 || 15.0 || .455 || .000 || .000 || 3.3 || 2.0 || 1.0 || .3 || 3.3 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | Johnson, Dennis Dennis Johnson || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 3 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 3 || 36.0 || .458 || .000 || .833 || 7.7 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 5.7 || 1.7 || .7 || 18.0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | Kramer, Joel Joel Kramer || 2 || 0 || 3.0 || .000 || . || . || 0.0 || 0.0 || .0 || .0 || 0.0 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | Lucas, Maurice Maurice Lucas || 2 || 2 || 28.5 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | .571 || . || .500 || 6.0 || 4.0 || 1.5 || .0 || 13.0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | Macy, Kyle Kyle Macy || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 3 || 0 || 24.0 || .429 || .000 || .714 || 2.7 || 3.0 || .3 || .0 || 11.7 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | Nance, Larry Larry Nance || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 3 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 3 || 34.3 || .400 || . || .800 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 8.3 || 1.0 || 1.0 || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 2.0 || 12.0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | Pittman, Charles Charles Pittman || 1 || 0 || 1.0 || . || . || . || 0.0 || 0.0 || .0 || .0 || 0.0 |- align="center" bgcolor="" | Scott, Alvin Alvin Scott || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 3 || 1 || 20.7 || .462 || . || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 1.000 || 4.0 || 1.7 || .7 || 1.7 || 4.7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | White, Rory Rory White || style="background:#FF8800;color:#423189;" | 3 || 0 || 13.3 || .500 || .000 || .500 || 3.3 || 0.0 || .0 || .0 || 5.3 |} Transactions Trades June 21, 1982 To Denver Nuggets USA Rich Kelley To Phoenix Suns 1982 first-round draft pick (USA David Thirdkill) July 7, 1982 To New York Knicks USA Truck Robinson To Phoenix Suns USA Maurice Lucas February 7, 1983 To Cleveland Cavaliers USA Jeff Cook 1983 first-round draft pick (USA Roy Hinson) 1983 third-round draft pick (USA Derrick Hord) Cash considerations To Phoenix Suns USA James Edwards 1983 first-round draft pick (USA Greg Kite) Free agents Additions Date Player Contract Old Team May 17, 1982 Art Housey Undisclosed July 7, 1982 Johnny High Undisclosed Phoenix Suns February 7, 1983 Charles Pittman Undisclosed Phoenix Suns Subtractions Date Player Reason left New team July 1, 1982 Dudley Bradley Waived Chicago Bulls October 21, 1982 Art Housey Waived October 28, 1982 Charles Pittman Waived Phoenix Suns December 21, 1982 Craig Dykema Waived References Standings on Basketball Reference Category:Phoenix Suns seasons Phoe