Barkley on '93 Laker playoffs: 'we were shellshocked'

[Mr. Sun]

The 1992-93 Suns won 62 games during Barkley's MVP season. The Suns opened the playoffs by losing two games at home to the 8-seed Lakers, putting their backs to the wall in a best-of-five series.

"It would have been the greatest choke in NBA history," Barkley said. "I'm not going to lie -- we were shellshocked."

The Suns' coach went to the podium for his press conference after Game 2 and declared that Phoenix would win both games in LA and come back home to close out the series. He told the media that everybody would be talking about what a great series it was once that happened.

Reporters quickly relayed the coach's bold prediction to the players in the locker room. Eyes lit up in heads that were hanging seconds earlier.

"Let me tell you something, that was our Kodak moment," Barkley said. "From that moment on, we were like, 'OK, our coach is the man,' That's got to happen at some point."

Who was that coach? Paul Westphal, who just happens to be an assistant on the Mavs' staff these days.

[rsavaj]

Man, I get goosebumps whenever I hear Westphal's little speech.

"And then everybody's going to say what a great series it was."

[Frank Lee]

Westy was clutch... and leader of the All Time Tan Team w/ Buse and Adams.

Those were painfully fun days @ the Madhouse and its $5 GA seats.

[Thegorillasrules]

Suns were playing in AWA by then weren't they?

[Phoenix1977]

Yes...AWA.

[Frank Lee]

Westphal coached there (AWA) ...but I don't think he ever played there.

[BRINGTHEPAIN]

Nice thread, 93 Suns were a lot of fun, "Dan Majerle! From beYOND area code range..."