The lasting passion that people carry for the Suns turns a memory into a treasure, especially a surprising pinnacle like the 1975-76 Sunderella Suns' improbable NBA Finals run.
It is the 40th anniversary of that season, when a sleepy desert town awoke as the Suns went from 17-24 at the midpoint to pushing the mighty Boston Celtics to the brink for a championship.
“The real Suns fans from 40 years ago know how the fans really appreciated the players and the players appreciated the fans,” said Gar Heard, whose midseason acquisition prompted the team’s turnaround. “It was more like a family.