The NBA team with the best winning percentage to never win a title
In short: In the high-stakes world of professional basketball, the Phoenix Suns hold a bizarre distinction. They possess the highest winning percentage of any franchise to have never captured an NBA championship, despite reaching the Finals three times and boasting a roster of 13 Hall of Famers.
The Phoenix Suns entered the NBA as an expansion team in 1968, facing immediate skepticism from league officials who deemed the desert market "too hot," "too small," and "too far away." Despite these doubts, the franchise carved out a unique identity. They became the only team in the Pacific Division not based in California and established a legacy of high-level play, eventually securing the NBA's fifth-best all-time winning percentage.
The team's history is defined by dramatic peaks and deep valleys. In 1976, they orchestrated one of the league's greatest upsets, reaching the NBA Finals after overcoming a 22-point first-half deficit in a chaotic Game 5 against the Boston Celtics. The game famously featured a technical foul for an intentional timeout and a buzzer-beating shot by Garfield Heard. Later, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the franchise became a consistent powerhouse, reaching the playoffs for a record 13 consecutive seasons and returning to the Finals in 1993.
The Suns' journey has been marked by both legendary talent and significant turmoil. While they have hosted two MVP winners—Charles Barkley and Steve Nash—the franchise also weathered a 1987 drug scandal that tarnished its reputation and led to a record-breaking $44 million ownership change. Today, they remain a study in "what if," maintaining elite competitiveness and a storied broadcasting history with Al McCoy, while still searching for that elusive championship trophy.
The franchise's evolution reflects the growth of the Arizona market. From playing their first 24 seasons at the "Madhouse on McDowell" to becoming a global brand known for dynamic offenses, the Suns have consistently proven they belong on the big stage, even if the ultimate prize remains out of reach.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Phoenix Suns
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