2002–03 Phoenix Suns season explained

Team:	Phoenix Suns
End Year:	2003
Wins:	44
Losses:	38
Division:	Pacific
Division Place:	4
Conf Place:	8
Coach:	Frank Johnson
Gm:	Bryan Colangelo
Owner:	Jerry Colangelo
Arena:	America West Arena
Playoffs:	First round (lost to Spurs 2–4)
Bbr Team:	PHO
Television:	KUTP Fox Sports Net Arizona Cox 9
Radio:	KTAR

The 2002–03 NBA season was the 35th season for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association.^[1] After missing the playoffs the previous season, the Suns had the ninth pick in the 2002 NBA draft, and selected high school basketball star Amar'e Stoudemire,^{[2] [3] [4] [5]} and signed free agent Scott Williams during the off-season.^[6] Frank Johnson returned as head coach, as the Suns held a 29–21 record at the All-Star break,^[7] and posted eight additional wins from the previous season to finish fourth in the Pacific Division with a 44–38 record.^[8] The Suns returned to the playoffs after snapping a streak of 13 seasons in a row the year before, a franchise record. America West Arena hosted Suns home games.

Point guard Stephon Marbury and forward Shawn Marion provided a pair of 20–20 scorers, with Marbury averaging 22.3 points, 8.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game, while Marion averaged 21.2 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. The 20-year-old 6' 10" Stoudemire was drafted to balance out a team that had been deep at the guard position in years past, averaging 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, while Anfernee Hardaway provided the team with 10.6 points and 4.4 assists per game, and second-year guard Joe Johnson contributed 9.8 points per game.^[9] Marbury and Marion were both selected for the All-Star Game,^[10] while Marbury ended the season as a member of the All-NBA Third Team.

The Suns earned the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot, and were matched against the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference First Round. The Suns won Game 1 on the road, 96–95,^{[11] [12]} but lost the series to the eventual league champions, four games to two.^{[13] [14] [15]} The Spurs would reach the Finals to defeat the New Jersey Nets in six games, winning their second championship.^{[16] [17] [18]}

In Stoudemire, who earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors, and became the first high school draft pick to become NBA Rookie of the Year,^{[19] [20] [21]} the Suns had drafted an athletic big man to join the equally athletic Marion for the coming seasons. Following the season, Bo Outlaw was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.^{[22] [23]}

Offseason

NBA draft

See main article: 2002 NBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College / Club Team
1	9	Amar'e Stoudemire	Forward
1	22	Casey Jacobsen	Guard		Stanford

Regular season

Record vs. opponents

2002-03 NBA Records
width=100	Team	ATL	BOS	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MEM	MIA	MIL	MIN	NJN	NOH	NYK	ORL	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	TOR	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	—	0–3	2–2	4–0	0–2	2–0	1–3	0–2	1–1	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–2	0–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–1	3–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	2–2
Boston	3–0	—	2–2	4–0	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	2–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–2	2–0	1–3	3–1	4–0	3–2	2–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–2	1–1	1–3
Chicago	2–2	2–2	—	3–1	0–2	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–2	2–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	2–1	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–2	1–1	1–3
Cleveland	0–4	0–4	1–3	—	0–2	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–4	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–2	0–4	0–2	2–2	1–3	1–2	0–4	0–4	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	3–1	1–1	0–4
Dallas	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	—	4–0	2–0	4–0	4–0	1–1	4–0	1–3	4–0	2–0	0–2	2–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–0	2–2	2–0
Denver	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	—	0–2	0–4	0–4	1–1	1–3	0–4	2–2	2–0	1–1	0–4	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–3	2–2	0–4	1–3	1–3	1–1	0–4	1–1
Detroit	3–1	2–2	4–0	4–0	0–2	2–0	—	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–1	1–3	1–1	2–1	2–2	2–2	2–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	2–0	3–1
Golden State	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	4–0	1–1	—	1–3	1–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–2	2–0	2–2	2–0
Houston	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–4	4–0	0–2	3–1	—	1–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–0	1–3	1–1
Indiana	2–2	2–2	2–2	4–0	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	—	2–0	0–2	1–1	4–0	3–1	2–0	1–2	3–1	3–1	2–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–0	3–1	1–1	2–2
L.A. Clippers	0–2	0–2	2–0	0–2	0–4	3–1	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	—	0–4	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–3	0–2
L.A. Lakers	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	4–0	1–1	2–2	2–2	2–0	4–0	—	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	0–4	2–2	2–0	3–1	1–1
Memphis	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	0–4	2–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–2	0–4	—	2–0	2–0	0–4	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–3	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–3	1–1
Miami	3–1	2–2	2–1	2–1	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–4	0–2	1–1	0–2	—	1–3	1–1	0–4	0–4	2–2	0–4	0–4	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	4–0	0–2	1–3
Milwaukee	2–2	2–1	2–2	4–0	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–2	3–1	—	0–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	2–0	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–2	0–2	2–1
Minnesota	2–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	2–2	4–0	1–1	3–1	2–2	0–2	3–1	2–2	4–0	1–1	2–0	—	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–3	2–0
New Jersey	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	2–0	1–2	1–1	1–1	2–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	4–0	2–2	2–0	—	2–2	3–1	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	4–0	0–2	3–1
New Orleans	2–2	1–3	3–1	3–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–0	2–2	1–1	2–2	—	3–1	1–3	2–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	4–0	2–0	2–1
New York	3–1	0–4	1–2	2–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	0–2	2–0	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–3	0–2	1–3	1–3	—	2–2	2–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	2–2
Orlando	1–2	2–3	3–1	4–0	1–1	2–0	1–2	1–1	0–2	1–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	4–0	2–2	1–1	2–2	3–1	2–2	—	2–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–1	2–2
Philadelphia	1–3	2–2	3–1	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–2	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	4–0	2–2	1–1	3–1	1–2	2–2	2–2	—	0–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–0	1–1	4–0
Phoenix	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–2	1–3	1–1	3–1	1–3	3–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	2–0	—	3–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–1	1–3	1–1
Portland	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–2	2–0	4–0	3–1	2–0	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–3	0–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–3	—	1–3	2–2	4–0	2–0	1–3	1–1
Sacramento	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	3–1	4–0	1–1	4–0	2–2	2–0	3–1	2–2	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	—	1–3	3–1	1–1	3–1	2–0
San Antonio	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	3–1	2–0	3–1	3–1	2–0	3–1	4–0	3–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	—	3–1	2–0	4–0	1–1
Seattle	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	0–4	1–3	1–3	—	2–0	2–2	1–1
Toronto	3–1	2–1	2–2	1–3	0–2	1–1	1–3	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–4	2–2	1–1	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–2	0–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	—	0–2	3–1
Utah	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	4–0	0–2	2–2	3–1	1–1	3–1	1–3	3–1	2–0	2–0	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–3	0–4	2–2	2–0	—	1–1
Washington	2–2	3–1	3–1	4–0	0–2	1–1	1–3	0–2	1–1	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–2	0–2	1–3	1–2	2–2	2–2	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	—

Playoffs

Game log

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| April 19| @ San Antonio| W 96–95 (OT)| Stephon Marbury (26)| Shawn Marion (12)| Stephon Marbury (6)| SBC Center
19,217| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| April 21| @ San Antonio| L 76–84| Stephon Marbury (32)| Shawn Marion (12)| Stephon Marbury (5)| SBC Center
19,217| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| April 25| San Antonio| L 86–99| Stephon Marbury (25)| Joe Johnson (9)| Stephon Marbury (7)| America West Arena
19,023| 1–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 4| April 27| San Antonio| W 86–84| Stephon Marbury (18)| Shawn Marion (14)| Hardaway, Marbury (7)| America West Arena
18,756| 2–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 5| April 29| @ San Antonio| L 82–94| Shawn Marion (22)| Amar'e Stoudemire (14)| Stephon Marbury (7)| SBC Center
19,217| 2–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 6| May 1| San Antonio| L 85–87| Shawn Marion (24)| Shawn Marion (15)| Penny Hardaway (5)| America West Arena
18,913| 2–4|-

Awards and honors

Week/Month

• Amar'e Stoudemire was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for January.
• Amar'e Stoudemire was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for April.
• Frank Johnson was named Western Conference Coach of the Month for December.
• Stephon Marbury was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played November 24 through November 30.
• Stephon Marbury was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played January 5 through January 11.
• Shawn Marion was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played April 7 through April 13.

All-Star

• Shawn Marion was selected as a reserve for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his first All-Star selection.
• Stephon Marbury was selected as a reserve for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his second All-Star selection.
• Amar'e Stoudemire was selected to play for the Rookie team in the Rookie Challenge.
• Stephon Marbury was selected to compete in the Skills Challenge. Marbury lost the competition to the player he was traded to Phoenix for, Jason Kidd.
• Amar'e Stoudemire was selected to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest. Stoudemire finished third, behind Desmond Mason and champion Jason Richardson.

Season

• Amar'e Stoudemire received the Rookie of the Year Award.
• Stephon Marbury was named to the All-NBA Third Team.
• Amar'e Stoudemire was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
• Shawn Marion finished 13th in Defensive Player of the Year voting.^[24]
• Joe Johnson finished 11th in Sixth Man of the Year voting.^[25]
• Stephon Marbury finished 14th in Most Improved Player voting.^[26]
• Penny Hardaway finished 26th in Most Improved Player voting.^[27]

Player statistics

Season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
	32	0	8.2	.372	.	.750	0.8	1.1	.5	.1	1.3
	11	0	2.8	.333	.	.333	0.5	0.1	.0	.0	0.6
	27	11	16.6	.455	.000	1.000^	3.7	1.1	.5	.2	4.8
	58	51	30.6	.447	.356	.794	4.4	4.1	1.1	.4	10.6
	72	0	15.9	.373	.315	.686	1.2	1.0	.5	.1	5.1
	82	34	27.5	.397	.366	.774	3.2	2.6	.8	.2	9.8
	60	0	9.0	.401	.290	.600	1.5	0.4	.3	.1	3.1
	81	81	40.0	.439	.301	.803	3.2	8.1	1.3	.2	22.3
	81	81	41.6	.452	.387	.851^	9.5	2.4	2.3	1.2	21.2
	80	20	22.5	.550†	.000	.621	4.6	1.4	.6	.9	4.7
	82	71	31.3	.472†	.200	.661	8.8	1.0	.8	1.1	13.5
	33	27	16.5	.452	.	.672	3.7	0.4	.2	.5	4.9
	65	1	14.6	.564†	.	.667	3.5	0.6	.3	.4	3.8
	69	33	12.6	.411	.000	.786	2.8	0.3	.4	.3	4.0

† – Minimum 300 field goals made.
^ – Minimum 125 free throws made.

Playoffs

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
	2	0	5.0	.500	.	.500	1.0	0.0	.0	.0	2.5
	6	6	40.7	.386	.360^	.722	6.0	4.3	2.2	.8	12.7
	6	0	6.5	.200	.400^	.000	0.5	0.3	.5	.0	1.0
	6	0	27.3	.275	.154	.400	4.3	1.3	.7	.3	5.3
	6	6	45.2	.375	.227	.758	4.0	5.7	1.2	.0	22.0
	6	6	47.2	.374	.321	.846	11.7	2.0	1.8	1.8	18.5
	6	0	11.7	.100	.	.500	2.2	0.8	.2	.2	0.7
	6	6	33.8	.523†	1.000^	.571	7.8	1.2	1.7	1.5	14.2
	6	0	16.3	.706†	.	.923#	3.7	0.3	.7	.7	6.0
	6	6	13.8	.344	.	1.000#	2.5	0.2	.7	.5	4.0

† – Minimum 20 field goals made.
^ – Minimum 5 three-pointers made.

1. – Minimum 10 free throws made.

External links

• Standings on Basketball Reference

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2002-03 Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats.
2. News: Passan . Jeff . Rockets Select Yao No. 1 Overall in Draft . The Washington Post . June 27, 2002 . July 15, 2022.
3. News: Povtak . Tim . Foreign Players Make Move . Orlando Sentinel . June 27, 2002 . November 27, 2022.
4. News: Rockets Make Yao Ming First Overall Pick . ESPN . June 26, 2002 . January 14, 2022.
5. News: 2002 NBA Draft . Basketball-Reference . December 1, 2022.
6. News: WESTERN CONFERENCE: Team-by-Team Preview . The New York Times . October 28, 2002 . July 16, 2022.
7. News: NBA Games Played on February 6, 2003 . Basketball-Reference . September 13, 2022.
8. Web site: 2002–03 Phoenix Suns Schedule and Results. Basketball-Reference. January 13, 2022.
9. Web site: 2002–03 Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats. Basketball-Reference. January 13, 2022.
10. News: 2003 NBA All-Star Game: West 155, East 145 (2OT) . Basketball-Reference . January 13, 2022.
11. News: Associated Press . PRO BASKETBALL; The Suns Cash In on a Couple of Unlikely Bank Shots . The New York Times . April 20, 2003 . June 12, 2022.
12. News: Associated Press . Suns Put Win in the Bank . Los Angeles Times . April 20, 2003 . October 27, 2022.
13. News: Associated Press . PRO BASKETBALL; Spurs Finish Suns' Season . The New York Times . May 2, 2003 . January 13, 2022.
14. News: Teaford . Elliott . Another Shot at Champs . Los Angeles Times . May 2, 2003 . June 11, 2022.
15. News: Magruder . Jack . Duncan Dominates, Suns Eliminated . The Washington Post . May 2, 2003 . November 27, 2022.
16. News: Associated Press . Spurs Defeat Nets to Win N.B.A. Title . The New York Times . June 15, 2003 . July 15, 2022.
17. News: Heisler . Mark . Spurs Reduce the 'Risk . Los Angeles Times . June 16, 2003 . July 15, 2022.
18. News: San Antonio 88, New Jersey 77 . United Press International . June 15, 2003 . September 13, 2022.
19. News: Associated Press . PLUS: N.B.A.; Stoudemire Named Rookie of the Year . The New York Times . April 25, 2003 . June 12, 2022.
20. News: Stoudemire Is Rookie of Year . Deseret News . April 25, 2003 . October 27, 2022.
21. News: NBA & ABA Rookie of the Year Award Winners . Basketball-Reference . November 29, 2022.
22. News: Grizzlies Acquire F Outlaw, C Tsakalidis from Suns . ESPN . September 30, 2003 . October 27, 2022.
23. News: Suns Send Outlaw and Tsakalidis to Grizzlies . Deseret News . October 1, 2003 . November 27, 2022.
24. News: 2002–03 NBA Awards Voting . Basketball-Reference . June 12, 2022.
25. News: 2002–03 NBA Awards Voting . Basketball-Reference . June 12, 2022.
26. News: 2002–03 NBA Awards Voting . Basketball-Reference . June 12, 2022.
27. News: 2002–03 NBA Awards Voting . Basketball-Reference . June 12, 2022.