Last Updated on July 28, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Phoenix Suns > Roster & Statistics
The 1970–71 Phoenix Suns leaned on a balanced offense led by Dick Van Arsdale and Connie Hawkins, whose scoring and playmaking set the tone, while Clem Haskins provided another dependable backcourt creator. Paul Silas anchored the team on the glass with elite rebounding, and Neal Walk and Mel Counts strengthened the frontcourt. Strong rebounding complemented solid ball movement, although below-average shooting efficiency limited the offense’s overall effectiveness.
Roster
| No. | Player | Pos. | Height | Weight | Age | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Gail Goodrich | G | 6’1″ | 170 lbs | 27 | UCLA |
| 5 | Dick Van Arsdale | G/F | 6’5″ | 210 lbs | 27 | Indiana |
| 8 | Connie Hawkins | F | 6’8″ | 210 lbs | 28 | Iowa (expelled) |
| 11 | Clem Haskins | G | 6’3″ | 195 lbs | 27 | Western Kentucky |
| 15 | Neil Johnson | F/C | 6’7″ | 215 lbs | 27 | Creighton |
| 20 | Paul Silas | F | 6’7″ | 220 lbs | 27 | Creighton |
| 21 | Jim Fox | C | 6’10” | 230 lbs | 27 | South Carolina |
| 23 | Jeff Cohen | F | 6’7″ | 215 lbs | — | William & Mary |
| 25 | Lamar Green | F | 6’7″ | 210 lbs | 23 | Morehead State |
| 30 | Dick Gibbs | F | 6’5″ | 210 lbs | 23 | Texas–El Paso |
| 33 | Mike Davis | G/F | 6’3″ | 195 lbs | 24 | Virginia Union |
| 35 | Otto Moore | C | 6’11” | 205 lbs | 25 | Texas–Pan American |
Head Coach: Cotton Fitzsimmons
Note: This was Gail Goodrich’s final season with Phoenix before returning to the Lakers.
Regular Season Per Game
| Player | Pos | Age | G | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | FGA | FG% | 3PA | 3P% | FTA | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dick Van Arsdale | SG | 27 | 81 | — | 39.0 | 21.9 | 3.9 | 4.1 | — | — | 3.0 | 16.6 | .452 | — | — | 8.4 | .811 |
| Connie Hawkins | SF | 28 | 71 | — | 37.5 | 20.9 | 9.1 | 4.5 | — | — | 2.8 | 16.6 | .434 | — | — | 7.9 | .816 |
| Paul Silas | PF | 27 | 81 | — | 36.3 | 11.9 | 12.5 | 3.0 | — | — | 2.8 | 9.7 | .428 | — | — | 5.1 | .685 |
| Clem Haskins | PG | 27 | 82 | — | 33.7 | 17.8 | 4.0 | 4.7 | — | — | 2.5 | 15.6 | .440 | — | — | 5.3 | .784 |
| Neal Walk | C | 22 | 82 | — | 24.8 | 12.9 | 8.2 | 1.4 | — | — | 3.4 | 11.5 | .451 | — | — | 3.3 | .765 |
| Mel Counts | C | 29 | 80 | — | 20.9 | 11.0 | 6.3 | 1.7 | — | — | 3.5 | 10.0 | .457 | — | — | 2.5 | .753 |
| Lamar Green | PF | 23 | 68 | — | 19.5 | 5.9 | 6.9 | 0.8 | — | — | 3.0 | 5.4 | .453 | — | — | 1.6 | .604 |
| Art Harris | PG | 24 | 56 | — | 17.0 | 8.3 | 1.8 | 2.4 | — | — | 2.4 | 8.6 | .411 | — | — | 2.0 | .611 |
| John Wetzel | SG | 26 | 70 | — | 15.6 | 4.7 | 2.2 | 1.6 | — | — | 2.2 | 4.1 | .431 | — | — | 1.4 | .822 |
| Fred Taylor | SG | 22 | 54 | — | 10.2 | 5.5 | 1.6 | 0.9 | — | — | 2.1 | 5.3 | .387 | — | — | 2.3 | .624 |
| Greg Howard | PF | 23 | 44 | — | 9.7 | 3.9 | 2.7 | 0.6 | — | — | 1.5 | 3.9 | .393 | — | — | 1.3 | .638 |
| Joe Thomas | SF | 22 | 39 | — | 5.2 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.4 | — | — | 0.5 | 2.2 | .267 | — | — | 0.5 | .450 |
| Team Totals | — | — | 82 | — | 241.2 | 113.8 | 54.2 | 23.5 | — | — | 26.0 | 97.8 | .437 | — | — | 37.5 | .756 |
Regular Season Totals
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | Min | Pts | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | FGA | FGM | 3PA | 3PM | FTA | FTM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dick Van Arsdale | 27 | 81 | 3157 | 1771 | 316 | 329 | 1346 | 609 | 682 | 553 | |||||||
| Paul Silas | 27 | 81 | 2944 | 961 | 1015 | 247 | 789 | 338 | 416 | 285 | |||||||
| Clem Haskins | 27 | 82 | 2764 | 1462 | 324 | 383 | 1277 | 562 | 431 | 338 | |||||||
| Connie Hawkins | 28 | 71 | 2662 | 1481 | 643 | 322 | 1181 | 512 | 560 | 457 | |||||||
| Neal Walk | 22 | 82 | 2033 | 1057 | 674 | 117 | 945 | 426 | 268 | 205 | |||||||
| Mel Counts | 29 | 80 | 1669 | 879 | 503 | 136 | 799 | 365 | 198 | 149 | |||||||
| Lamar Green | 23 | 68 | 1326 | 398 | 466 | 53 | 369 | 167 | 106 | 64 | |||||||
| John Wetzel | 26 | 70 | 1091 | 331 | 153 | 114 | 288 | 124 | 101 | 83 | |||||||
| Art Harris | 24 | 56 | 952 | 467 | 100 | 132 | 484 | 199 | 113 | 69 | |||||||
| Fred Taylor | 22 | 54 | 552 | 298 | 86 | 51 | 284 | 110 | 125 | 78 | |||||||
| Greg Howard | 23 | 44 | 426 | 173 | 119 | 26 | 173 | 68 | 58 | 37 | |||||||
| Joe Thomas | 22 | 39 | 204 | 55 | 43 | 17 | 86 | 23 | 20 | 9 | |||||||
| Team Totals | 82 | 19780 | 9333 | 4442 | 1927 | 8021 | 3503 | 3078 | 2327 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK | Impact Index* | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dick Van Arsdale | Primary scorer and perimeter leader; secondary facilitator | 39.0 | High | 21.9 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 1.5 | 15.7 | Team’s go-to offensive option; drives scoring and contributes moderate defense. |
| Connie Hawkins | Versatile forward; secondary scorer and rebounder; occasional playmaker | 37.5 | High | 20.9 | 9.1 | 4.5 | 1.8 | 18.15 | High all-around impact; contributes across scoring, rebounding, and facilitating; defensive activity notable. |
| Paul Silas | Defensive anchor and primary rebounder; facilitates offense from the post | 36.3 | Moderate | 11.9 | 12.5 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 14.7 | Double-double machine; controls interior; strong defensive reputation (DEF2). |
| Clem Haskins | Floor-running point guard; secondary scorer and facilitator | 33.7 | Moderate | 17.8 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 1.2 | 13.85 | Balances scoring and assists; moderate defensive activity; could grow in efficiency. |
| Neal Walk | Scoring and rebounding center; spot playmaking | 24.8 | Moderate | 12.9 | 8.2 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 11.0 | Strong interior presence; primary contribution via points and rebounds; limited passing. |
| Mel Counts | Backup center; scoring and rebounding off the bench | 20.9 | Low | 11.0 | 6.3 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 10.15 | Provides frontcourt depth; secondary playmaker; moderate defensive activity. |
| Lamar Green | Role PF; defensive and rebounding focus; occasional scoring | 19.5 | Low | 5.9 | 6.9 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 7.45 | Spot minutes; primary value in rebounding and defense; scoring limited. |
| Art Harris | Backup point guard; secondary facilitator and spot scorer | 17.0 | Low | 8.3 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 6.65 | Contributes in playmaking; limited scoring and defensive activity. |
| John Wetzel | Role shooting guard; spot minutes scorer and defender | 15.6 | Low | 4.7 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 4.6 | Limited minutes; provides occasional scoring and defensive activity. |
| Fred Taylor | Bench SG; scoring off the ball and role defender | 10.2 | Low | 5.5 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 4.3 | Reserve minutes; moderate scoring impact; defense limited. |
| Greg Howard | Spot PF; defensive and rebounding role | 9.7 | Low | 3.9 | 2.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 3.9 | Bench frontcourt; contributes mainly on defense and rebounds. |
| Joe Thomas | Reserve SF; minimal minutes | 5.2 | Low | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 1.6 | Spot minutes; minimal contribution across all categories. |