Greatest moment in each NBA franchise’s history

Phoenix Suns: Kevin Johnson dunks on Hakeem Olajuwon

I contemplated what moment was the greatest in Phoenix Suns history for quite some time. I thought about the Charles Barkley-led Suns teams that competed with the Bulls in the early 90s, but thought that was just a little too depressing to be considered the greatest moment in a franchise’s history. No matter how good those teams were and how far they made it, there was no moment iconic enough in those runs to include their trips to the Finals.

However, what I did land on as their greatest moment comes from that same era and comes from former Suns guard Kevin Johnson. During the 1994 NBA Playoffs and the Western Conference Semifinals, Johnson pulled out one of the most incredible dunks and moments that we’ve ever seen.

It’s accepted as fact that Hakeem Olajuwon is one of if not the greatest center to ever play in the NBA. While his Dream Shake and immense skill is part of his legend, so was his athleticism and defensive ability. However, Johnson could not have cared less about any of that in Game 4 of that 1994 playoff series as he went right after The Dream.

Johnson was trying to create on the wing and a hesitation spin move got him space to drive to the rim down the baseline. He then rose up and dunked just all over Olajuwon, again one of the best centers in the history of this league.

More than the shortcomings of those Suns teams not being able to win a title, this moment stands out as Phoenix’s greatest because it encapsulates what was so great about those teams regardless of hardware. They played fearlessly and were always exciting to watch. Johnson’s dunk, if nothing else, is exemplary of that.

Next: Portland Trail Blazers