When was the last time the Suns were in the NBA Conference finals?
The Suns have not won a Western Conference Final since 1993 and will look to turn their fortunes around against the LA Clippers, who are making their first-ever final appearance.
In their first time in the NBA playoffs in 11 years, the Phoenix Suns have made it all the way to the Western Conference Final after their 4-0 whitewash of the Denver Nuggets in the semi-finals.
In the final game of the series, point guard Chris Paul netted 38 points in the 125-118 win that sees the Suns face the LA Clippers in the final, which gets underway with Game 1 on Sunday 20 June.
The Suns have lost the Western Conference Final on their last three appearances, with their last win coming in 1993, when they beat the Seattle Supersonics. However they went on to lose to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Final that year, where Micheal Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Co. were too strong for Charles Barkley and his team mates. The Bulls won the series 4-2 as Jordan went on to take the MVP award.
Suns last conference final came in 2010
Phoenix’s last Western Conference Final appearance came in 2010 where they met the LA Lakers after having beaten the San Antonio Spurs in the semi-final and Portland Trail Blazers in the first round.
That final series ended 4-2 to the Lakers, who won the first two games, with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol the highest scorers in Game 1 and Game 2 respectively. The Suns clawed one back in Game 3, winning 118-109 as power forward Amar'e Stoudemire bagged 42 points, before they went on to tie things up 2-2 in Game 4 with a 115-106 win.
But Bryant proved the difference again as the Lakers took Game 5 and Game 6, with the Series MVP netting a respective 30 points and 37 points. Bryant also scooped the MVP award in the NBA Final as LA defeated the Boston Celtics 4-2.
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Can Suns end final losing-streak against Clippers?
The 2010 disappointment for the Suns was preceded by two other final defeats in back-to-back years in 2005 and 2006. In 2005 they lost 4-1 to the mighty Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs, while a year later defeat came at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, who won the series 4-2.
Now, after three consecutive Western Conference Final defeats in 2005, 2006 and 2010, Phoenix will look to turn their fortunes around against the Clippers. The Los Angeles team are playing in their first-ever conference final, while the Suns are hoping to secure their first NBA Final appearance in 28 years.