The Phoenix Suns have officially made the playoffs for the first time since Steve Nash was the star of the team. This is huge for all of Phoenix as they have not had a team this good in a long time. The question becomes, which Suns team is better? Let's break down two arguments for each team's superiority and come to a conclusion.
The first part of this discussion will be determining which version of the Steve Nash-led Suns was the best. They had about half a decade of dominance from 2004-2009. There are some really great teams from that stretch, but the best was likely the first. The 2004-05 Suns had 114.5 offensive rating, which was the best in NBA history at the time and they went 62-20 in the regular season. They ended up losing to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, but that team is the most comparable to the 2021 Phoenix Suns.
Here are two reasons the 2021 Suns are better than the 2005 version of this team.
Dual threat
The 2021 Suns have something that the 2005 squad did not, and that's a second on-ball star. Chris Paul and Devin Booker make for one of the best offensive duos in the league and they can both shoot, score, and pass. The Suns have the ability to attack defenses from two points on the perimeter. They have a 116.2 offensive rating and that is almost entirely because of the two star guards.
Elite defense
The 2005 Suns were a bad defensive team. They played an elite, seven seconds or less offense and let the defense fall to the wayside. The same can not be said for the 2021 Suns. Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, and Chris Paul are all elite defenders and they are flanked by solid defenders like DeAndre Ayton and Cameron Johnson. This defense has lead them to a 110.2 defensive rating, good for 5th in the NBA this season.
Here are two reasons the 2005 Suns are better than the 2021 club.
Steve Nash is just that good
As good as Chris Paul and Devin Booker are, they simply are not Steve Nash. Nash averaged 12 assists and was incredibly efficient as a scorer. He was one of the greatest pick and roll operators ever and his role in the seven seconds or less offense made for an incredibly potent offense. He was flanked by Joe Johnson and Amar'e Stoudemire, who made his workload easier and could finish plays for Nash.
Revolutionary
The main difference between the 2005 Suns and the 2021 Suns was that one changed the sport of basketball and one did not. The seven seconds or less offense was something the NBA had never seen before and it worked. They specialized in shooting and running the pick and roll and it has become the default offense for the entire NBA. Despite losing in the Conference Finals, they changed basketball forever.
Conclusion
The conclusion here is a relatively simple one; we don't know yet. These two teams are both excellent and likely two of the three best teams in the history of the organization, right next to Charles Barkley's Suns in the late 90s. The legacy of the 2021 team will be determined by their playoff success. If they miraculously win the Western Conference, they will surpass the 2005 Suns. However, if they fall weakly in the second round, they will not surpass the 2005 Steve Nash squad. As regular-season teams, the 2005 Suns remain on top due to their game-changing brand of offense.
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