The Highest Points Scored Against the Phoenix Suns in NBA History

When the Phoenix Suns joined the NBA in 1968 as an expansion franchise, they took their lumps like many other expansion teams have over the years.  Throughout the next five decades, the Suns have witnessed some of the most spectacular individual offensive regular-season performances in basketball history. 

1. Wilt Chamberlain - 66 Points

At 32 years old, Wilt Chamberlain reminded the basketball world that he was still a force to be reckoned with when he dropped 66 points on the expansion Phoenix Suns on February 9, 1969. In his first season wearing purple and gold, the LA Lakers big man shot 29-of-35 from the field and added 8-of-18 free throws while grabbing 27 rebounds playing all 48 minutes of the Lakers' 134-116 victory. The Suns’ center Jim Fox proved to be of little resistance or match for Chamberlain, recording just 8 points and 8 rebounds. This was Chamberlain's second-highest scoring performance in a Lakers uniform and remains the most points ever scored against the Suns franchise. After being traded by the Philadelphia 76ers in the offseason, at an age when most big men began to decline, Chamberlain went on to average 20.5 points and 21.1 rebounds per game while leading the Lakers to 55 wins. 

2. Gilbert Arenas - 54 Points

Gilbert Arenas may have been on a mission of vengeance on December 22, 2006, with the Phoenix Suns as his primary target. Arenas erupted for 54 points on 21-of-37 shooting, hit 6-of-12 from three-point range, and went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in 48 minutes, capping his performance with a banked-in three-pointer with thirty seconds left in overtime to secure a 144-139 Wizards victory. The performance ended Phoenix's 15-game winning streak and came as part of Arenas' "revenge tour" after being left off the 2006 Team USA roster, a decision influenced by assistant coach Mike D'Antoni, who happened to be the Suns' head coach. Steve Nash tried to match Arenas basket for basket, scoring a career-high 42 points with 12 assists, but the Wizards managed to pull out a victory in a game that saw the teams combine for 283 points. 

3. Anthony Davis - 53 Points

Anthony Davis put on a clinic on both ends of the court on February 26, 2018, dominating the Phoenix Suns with 53 points, 18 rebounds, and 5 blocks in the New Orleans Pelicans' 125-116 victory. Davis shot 16-of-29 from the field, missed his only three-point attempt, and sank 21-of-26 free throws in 39 minutes. With Phoenix leading by as many as 17 points in the first half, Davis took over for the undermanned Pelicans. The Suns tried a variety of defenders, including Dragan Bender, Marquese Chriss, Alex Len, and even small forward Josh Jackson. Still, none had much success in guarding the Pelicans’ All-NBA forward, who ended the season in the top three voting for MVP. 

3. Michael Jordan - 53 Points

Michael Jordan's 53-point explosion on January 21, 1989, at Chicago Stadium proved to be futile as the Bulls fell to the Suns 116-107. Jordan shot an efficient 20-of-28 from the field, added 13-of-15 from the free-throw line, and filled the stat sheet with 14 rebounds and 8 assists in 41 minutes. It was Jordan's fourth 50-point game of the 1988-89 season, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Suns from ending Chicago's six-game winning streak. The Bulls had built a 12-point first-half cushion before Phoenix battled back behind a balanced attack that saw four Suns players score in double figures. While the Suns got scoring from multiple sources, Jordan only received help from Scottie Pippen (24) and Bill Cartwright (16). 

5. Brandon Roy - 52 Points

Brandon Roy delivered one of the best performances of his career on December 18, 2008, scoring 52 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 124-119 comeback victory over the Phoenix Suns. Roy shot 14-of-27 from the field, hit 5-of-7 from three-point range, and was nearly perfect at the charity stripe with 19-of-21 free throws while adding 6 assists, 5 rebounds, and a blocked shot in 44 minutes, all without committing a single turnover. Trailing in the fourth quarter, Roy scored 14 consecutive points to spark a 26-9 run that gave Portland a 98-93 lead entering the final frame. With the game tied at 119, Roy hit a tiebreaking three-pointer with 1:01 remaining to seal the win. His 52 points fell just two points short of Damon Stoudamire's franchise record of 54, but the performance cemented Roy's status as one of the league's elite scorers before knee injuries would eventually put a halt to a promising career.