Sunderella Suns

[The Bobster]

"The Phoenix Suns will debut “Sunderella Suns”, a one-hour documentary that honors one of the greatest teams in franchise history, following the Suns-Heat broadcast on FOX Sports Arizona on March 3.

In just the eighth year of the franchise’s existence, the Suns took the league by storm with an improbable playoff run that included a trip to the 1976 NBA Finals. Phoenix defeated the top-seeded Golden State Warriors in seven games to capture the 1976 Western Conference title and reach the NBA Finals for the first time in team history.

“Sunderella Suns” will air on the following dates & times on FOX Sports Arizona, and will also be available at Suns.com beginning this Friday:

March 3 9 p.m.
March 4 8:30 p.m.
March 10 11 p.m.
March 14 10:30 p.m.
March 17 9:30 p.m.
March 23 10:30 p.m.
March 26 5:30 p.m.

The Suns will culminate the “Throwback Night” series by recognizing the 40th Anniversary of the Suns’ 1976 NBA Finals team on Saturday, March 26 vs. Boston. The “Sunderella Suns” will be honored during halftime, and several players and personalities from the 1976 Western Conference Champion team will be present for the special recognition."

[The Bobster]

That was my first real exposure to the Suns. I was 13. It was a great time to be a fan.

[Charlie Smithy!]

It was a great time to be a fan.

So...sorta different than now? Hah!

[The Bobster]

1976 was a once-in-a-lifetime thing for the Suns franchise.

1993 was great, but it wasn't the same.

[JCSunsfan]

I was 14. It was so unexpected. GS was so dominant and Boston was the greatest dynasty ever in the NBA.

In 1993 it was expected.

[Superbone]

That was my first real exposure to the Suns. I was 13. It was a great time to be a fan.

Me too. Looking forward to seeing this.

[carey]

Isn't the documentary Tom Leander's baby? It was his idea to get it done and he produced the entire thing, I think. I'm glad it will be available on-line. I was born in '76 so it will be neat to watch.

[LazarusLong]

Garfield Heard and Curtis Perry were absolutely the hardest working forwards the Suns ever had. They went after rebounds and loose balls like starving wolves going after fresh meat.

[The Bobster]

Garfield Heard and Curtis Perry were absolutely the hardest working forwards the Suns ever had. They went after rebounds and loose balls like starving wolves going after fresh meat.

And Ricky Sobers was the toughest son of a bitch to ever put on a Suns uniform.

[The Bobster]

The second half of the 70's were a great time to watch NBA basketball, despite how terribly it was doing financially. You could be the fan of an underdog team ('75 Warriors, '76 Suns, '77 Blazers, '78 Sonics) and see your team in the Finals compete for the title. Ironically, since the league instituted the salary cap there has been more of an imbalance of talent rather than better parity.

[Indy]

The second half of the 70's were a great time to watch NBA basketball, despite how terribly it was doing financially. You could be the fan of an underdog team ('75 Warriors, '76 Suns, '77 Blazers, '78 Sonics) and see your team in the Finals compete for the title. Ironically, since the league instituted the salary cap there has been more of an imbalance of talent rather than better parity.

The league could learn a lot from the NFL in creating parity. Sure, people will point to the Patriots, but really, that league is pretty wide open. You have a legit shot at competing for a deep playoff run every few years, even if you are garbage now.

[The Bobster]

The NFL's biggest advantage is that they share their TV money equally. There's no way teams like the Lakers and Knicks are going to sign off on that.

They also have a much stricter salary cap which prevents teams from going over it to keep players (non-guaranteed contracts are another advantage). And if you look at the NFL news right now you'll see a lot of high-salaried veterans getting cut because they're to big of a salary cap hit. The NBA players union isn't going to go for a step backwards like that for its players.

[Indy]

Not until they are not doing well again. It may never happen, but it would be better for the fans.

[LazarusLong]

Garfield Heard and Curtis Perry were absolutely the hardest working forwards the Suns ever had. They went after rebounds and loose balls like starving wolves going after fresh meat.

And Ricky Sobers was the toughest son of a bitch to ever put on a Suns uniform.

Yup, just ask Kevin Stacom who beat Sobers on and about Ricky's fists with his face once...

Actually, half of that team was fairly rugged. Van Arsdale, a nice guy off the court, was nails as a defender. Perry and Heard I've mentioned. Dennis "Elbows" Awtrey had a rep around the league as a no BS guy ... Sports Illustrated included him once as one of the NBA's toughest players ..

[JCSunsfan]

Just watching highlights. Westphal was really good. I remember mimicking that leg kick on my jump shots.

[The Bobster]

Is there anybody now who does those crazy spinning shots that Westphal used to shoot?

Everybody talks about Maravich nowadays, but Westphal was actually the one who one the league's HORSE contest.

[LazarusLong]

A backcourt for the ages: Nash and Westphal in their prime.

Trivia: Westphal attended USC, where he was backcourt mates with Dennis Layton. While Westphal was drafted by Boston, Layton was drafted by the Suns and was the third guard to the starting backcourt of Van Arsdale and Clem Haskins. He left Phoenix after two seasons to play with a variety of NBA and ABA teams.
Layton was a popular pick by the Suns because he played JC ball at Phoenix College, leading that team to the NJCAA title. One of the teams Phoenix College beat in the national tournament was Gardner-Webb, which started Artis Gilmore at center ...

[JCSunsfan]

Dennis Awtrey's afro!!!!

Oh. Correct it. I was 13 during that run. Didn't turn 14 until later that year. How did so many of us, nearly the same age get on this board? Maybe we went to the same school.

[Superbone]

Dennis Awtrey's afro!!!!

Oh. Correct it. I was 13 during that run. Didn't turn 14 until later that year. How did so many of us, nearly the same age get on this board? Maybe we went to the same school.

I was at Ingleside elementary at the time. It wasn't until I was in 7th grade that it became a middle school.

[The Bobster]

In 1976 I would have been in between 7th & 8th grade at Desert View Elementary.

I can remember my friends and I trying to emulate Gar Heard's high-arching jumper.