NBA history: The brief playoff history of Suns vs Clippers

The 2021 NBA Western Conference Finals features two teams — Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns — that have never won a champion in franchise history.

Yesterday, I wrote about the extensive playoff history between the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks, two teams that not only have met multiple times in the playoffs but also have a franchise connection due to sharing the same hometown.

As we look towards the NBA’s Western Conference Finals and the history between the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Clippers, well, there isn’t as much there! The teams don’t have any real connection, rarely met in the playoffs and have barely even made any trades with one another!

The most important trade between the two franchises arguably took place in November 2001 when they were involved in a three-team trade that saw Orlando trade Bo Outlaw and a 2002 first round pick to the Suns, the Suns send Vinny Del Negro to the Clippers and the Suns sending Jud Buechler to the Orlando Magic.

The only reason that trade has any relevance is the 2002 first-round draft pick the Magic sent ended up being none other than Amar’e Stoudemire!

The two franchises have seemingly been on divergent competitive tracks throughout their franchise history. More of the blame goes to the Clippers who in 51 seasons as a franchise have only made the playoffs 16 times. Worse yet, nine of those 16 have occurred in the last 10 years.

Would you believe me if I told you the Clippers have even made it to the Conference Finals in their entire franchise history?

Well, believe it. They made three conference semifinals as the Braves and five as the Clippers.

Never once in the conference finals until this season.

On the flipside, Phoenix has made the playoffs 30 times in its franchise history but just as the Clippers opened their competitive window, the Suns closed theirs. Phoenix had missed 10 straight playoffs before this year’s run.

Thus, we only have one prior playoff series between these two teams.

Suns vs Clippers: 2006 Western Conference Semifinals

In 2006, the Los Angeles Clippers broke an eight-year playoff drought thanks to a breakout season from Elton Brand and solid contributions from one of the more talent-laden Clippers teams in decades. Role players like Corey Maggette, Sam Cassell, Cuttino Mobley and Chris Kaman came together under head coach Mike Dunleavy and brought the Clippers their first 45+ win season since 1992.

In the NBA’s Western Conference first round, the Clippers beat Carmelo Anthony and the young Denver Nuggets in five games to advance out of the first round for the first time since 1976. Los Angeles Clippers were the Buffalo Braves then and Jack Ramsay was their coach.

It had been a while.

On the other side of the ledger was the upstart Phoenix Suns.

Phoenix was in the midst of their rise as a Western Conference powerhouse after making a surprising run to the Western Conference Finals the year prior.

After flaming out as Nuggets head coach several years ago — including overseeing one of the worst teams in NBA history — Mike D’Antoni was given another chance to run the show in Phoenix. D’Antoni brought with him a new offensive philosophy (Seven Seconds or Less) as well as free agent Steve Nash. Nash, who had been a member of the Suns early in his career, took to D’Antoni’s system pretty well you could say: he won MVP narrowly edging out Shaquille O’Neal.

Nash and D’Antoni’s Seven Seconds or Less offensive gelled perfectly with incumbents Amare Stoudamire, Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson. The Suns pulled off one of the most dramatic turnarounds in NBA history as the team won 33 more games than they had the prior season.

In 2006, Phoenix looked to take the next step and make their first NBA Finals since 1993.

Unfortunately, they’d only get three games all year out of Stoudamire as a knee injury put him on the shelf. Their third-leading scorer from the year prior — Johnson — had also left in free agency. The depleted Suns were going to need to dig deep into their roster to stay afloat.

To say they did would be an understatement.

While they wouldn’t reach the 62-win highs of the prior year, Phoenix still won 54 games while relying on the likes of Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, Leandro Barbosa and Tim Thomas. Phoenix boasted the NBA’s top pace (95.8) and second-best offensive rating. Nash won the MVP again joining an elite class of back-to-back winners.

Phoenix was tested immediately in the first round as Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers gave them hell sending the first-round series to seven games.

Phoenix did eventually emerge victorious thanks to a comfortable Game 7 win (121-90) and now would have to face Los Angeles’ other team: the Clippers.

Phoenix won the first game 130-123 despite Brand’s 40 points. Los Angeles took Game 2 once again led by Brand. Game 3 was a tight contest throughout but Phoenix edged out a 94-91 win thanks to huge performances from Marion (32 points, 19 rebounds) and Thomas (19 points, 14 rebounds).

Los Angeles took back control in Game 4 as each of the Clippers’ starters (Brand, Mobley, Cassell, Maggette and Vladimir Radmanovic) scored in double figured. Shaun Livingston chipped in 11 off the bench to help the Clippers even the series.

Thomas had a game for the ages in Game 5 scoring 25 points on 5-of-8 shooting from 3. Not to be outdone, Bell scored 22 of his own on 5-7 from downtown. Marion had another monster game (36 points, 20 rebounds) and Phoenix was one game away from moving on.

Brand would not let the Clippers go down like that as he had a huge Game 6 (30 points, 12 rebounds) while Maggette chipped in 25 points off the bench including a very-Maggette-like 9-of-9 from the free-throw line.

The stage was set: Game 7 in Phoenix. The second Game 7 of the playoffs for Phoenix. The second Game 7 against a team from Los Angeles too.

Like in the first round, Phoenix would emerge victorious 127-107 thanks to standout performances from Nash (29 points, 11 assists) and Marion (30 points). Phoenix played only seven players in this deciding game but received at least 10 points from each of them including 18 from Barbosa and 10 from eventual three-time NBA champion James Jones.

Phoenix was moving on. The Clippers were going home. Los Angeles wouldn’t be back in the playoffs until 2012. Phoenix, drained from two straight seven-game series, were out of steam in the Western Conference Finals falling in six games to Nash’s former running mates Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Finley and the Dallas Mavericks.

Phoenix would reach the Western Conference Finals again in 2010, their last playoff berth before this season’s miraculous run.

Whereas the Eastern Conference features two teams that haven’t won an NBA championship in decades, the Western Conference Finals features two teams that have never won a champion in franchise history.

The Phoenix Suns made two NBA Finals (1976 and 1993) failing to secure the trophy in either. The Los Angeles Clippers, well, they are the Clippers and they have never reached the conference finals before let alone the actual NBA Finals.

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