Stoudemire believes ’04-05 Suns would beat current team in playoffs
The Suns are on the brink of clinching their second consecutive Western Conference Finals berth.
They were up 3-2 heading into Thursday’s Game 6 of the semifinal series against the Dallas Mavericks.
There are many similarities between the 2021-22 Suns team that set a franchise-best 64 regular-season wins and the 2004-05 Suns. That team held the previous record for franchise wins with 62, matching the same total set by the 1992-93 team led by Charles Barkley that made it to the NBA finals, only to fall in six games to the Bulls.
The center on that 2004-05 team was Amar’e Stoudemire, who is convinced his squad would beat this year’s team in a playoff series.
The retired six-time All-Star appeared on ESPN’s First Take on Thursday, and explained during the show’s closing segment why his “Seven Seconds or Less” team would beat this year’s Suns.
“That is a tough matchup. That’s tough,” Stoudemire said. “I think we would win and the reason why I say, I think CP (Chris Paul) and Steve (Nash) would cancel each other out. It’s like playing chess, it’s both guys taking each other out. Joe Johnson and Devin Booker would also kind of do the same.”
The 2004-05 and the current team’s positional starting matchups would be Nash and Paul at point guard, shooting guards Joe Johnson and Devin Booker, small forwards Quentin Richardson and Mikal Bridges, the high-flying Shawn Marion and Jae Crowder at power forward, and Stoudemire against Deandre Ayton at center.
Stoudemire’s Suns were the West’s top playoff seeds like this year’s Suns. Each team’s head coaches Mike D’Antoni and Monty Williams earned NBA Coach of the Year honors in those respective years.
The 2004-05 Suns team made it to the West finals and lost to the San Antonio Spurs, 4-1.
Nash won his first of two consecutive MVP honors in 2005 compared to Booker who finished fourth in this year’s voting for the league’s most coveted individual award. In addition, Nash and Paul both led the league in assists per game in the respective seasons.
Stoudemire added he was more skilled and explosive in the paint at the time as a second-year player. That would give his Suns’ team the edge over Ayton and this year’s version, he said.
“I think the advantage we have is at the center position,” Stoudemire said. “I just don’t think they have a chance with the Stoudemire guy down back in those days. I just don’t think Ayton would be able to handle that team’s five man in that series.”
Stoudemire was the Suns’ leading scorer and the league’s third overall at 29.9 ppg (on 53.9% shooting) during the 2005 playoffs. His 10.7 rebounds per game was Phoenix’s second-best behind fellow All-Star Marion’s 11.8 in that category.
Stoudemire’s 2.0 blocks were sixth among all players.
Ayton’s 18.8 ppg on 65% FG in this postseason is the Suns’ second-best in scoring behind Booker’s 25.6, and Ayton’s 8.9 rebounds leads the team. His 0.9 blocks per game is only behind Bridges’ 1.1 as the team’s top two.
Marion’s team-high 1.4 steals per game barely eclipses Bridges’ 1.3, which is second behind Paul’s 1.5.
ESPN co-host Stephen A. Smith agreed with Stoudemire that it would be a tough matchup, but also chose Stoudemire’s team over the current Suns.