PHNX Ranks: 25 greatest games in Arizona sports history

What makes a game great? Its historical or civic impact? Its cultural relevance? The performance that took place on the field, diamond, court or ice?

These are all questions we asked ourselves when faced with the difficult task of ranking the 25 greatest games in Arizona sports history.

Each beat submitted a list of the 10 greatest games from their specific sport that was added to a spreadsheet and debated by our staff. The result: A list of the greatest Diamondbacks, Suns, Cardinals, Coyotes, Sun Devils, Wildcats and Mercury games in Arizona sports history, ranked from No. 25 to No. 1.

We understand that, “greatest” is open to interpretation. While there were many great games that did not make the cut, we feel confident about the list we put together. You can read our reasoning for each game below. If you disagree, we invite you to engage with us on X and Instagram as we unveil the list five at a time before revealing Arizona sports’ greatest game on July 19!

25. First game in Coyotes history

The setting wasn’t perfect at America West Arena, a venue built for basketball. There were 4,500 obstructed view seats at the north end. The first balcony hung over the edge of the glass, making viewing of the goal below impossible. And there were no nets above the glass to protect fans, which never occurred to one first-timer who brought a baseball mitt and proclaimed, “I’m gonna catch me a puck.”

It didn’t matter. NHL hockey had arrived in the desert. The building was packed, and the Coyotes were loaded with marketable stars like Jeremy Roenick, Keith Tkachuk, Shane Doan and Nikolai Khabibulin. The desert dogs didn’t disappoint, getting goals from Kris King, Mike Gartner, Doan, Craig Janney, and 24 saves from Khabibulin in a 4-1 win against the San José Sharks. The future looked bright.

24. Barkley .5 buzzer beater

Charles Barkley’s arrival in the Valley for the 1992-93 NBA season was, at that time, the most significant move in the city’s limited pro sports history. He ignited Arizona with his electric personality and an MVP caliber season, averaging 25.6 points (fifth in the NBA), 12.2 rebounds (sixth) and leading the Suns to 62 wins — at the time a franchise record.

In the 80th game of the regular season, Barkley gave fans a preview of his playoff performance to come with one of the most ridiculous shots you’ll ever see. It came moments after Cliff Robinson had given the Trail Blazers the lead from long distance. With 0.5 seconds remaining, Oliver Miller’s inbounds pass banked off the backboard without anyone touching it so start the clock didn’t start. Barkley scooped up the carom and banked it in for the win — to the disbelief of the Blazers and their fans. The win clinched home-court advantage throughout the postseason.

23. First Whiteout

When the first Whiteout arrived in Phoenix on April 20, the fifth-seeded Coyotes were already trailing the Mighty Ducks, two games to none, but Phoenix won the next three games, including two games at home, to set up a potential series-clinching game at America West Arena.

We won’t talk about how that went, or the Coyotes’ tragic inability to escape the playoffs’ first round in ensuing years. Instead, let’s focus on that 4-1 win at AWA that gave the Coyotes a chance. Phoenix fans fully embraced the Whiteout and the energy in the building seemed to ignite the team. Darrin Shannon produced the only multi-goal playoff game of his career, Nikolai Khabibulin made 30 saves and Keith Tkachuk and Mike Gartner also scored on a raucous night that included 90 minutes in penalties and a pair of fights. 

22. 2006 Suns/Nets 2 OT Thriller

Before the game, the Nets made the decision to run with the Suns and their “Seven Seconds or Less” offense. The result was two overtimes, 318 points scored, 34 lead changes, 21 ties and an epic battle between two of the best point guards in the league, New Jersey’s Jason Kidd and Phoenix’s Steve Nash.

Nash finished with 42 points and Shawn Marion had 33 in the sixth highest scoring game in NBA history, a 161-157 Suns victory. With the game tied at 157 with 33.6 seconds remaining, Boris Diaw backed Kidd down in the post before converting a flip shot and Nash hit a pair of free throws with four seconds remaining to seal the win.  “That’s the best game I’ve ever seen,” Suns coach Mike D’Antoni said afterward.

21. 1994 Fiesta Bowl Cats Win

These were not the Miami Hurricanes of the late 1980s and early 1990s who won three national championships, but the U was still a national power with a top-10 ranking. Arizona’s Desert Swarm defense, led by Tedy Bruschi, was formidable, leading the nation in rushing defense and finishing second in total defense. Arizona won the Pac-10, but a pair of late season losses at UCLA and Cal cost them the chance at something more.

They took it out on the Canes, authoring the only shutout in Fiesta Bowl history. Arizona held Miami to 34 rushing yards and 182 total yards while Dan White threw a pair of TD passes to Troy Dickey and Chuck Levy scored on a 68-yard touchdown run in a 29-0 rout. The shutout loss was Miami’s first in 168 games and more than 14 years.

20. Game 5 of the 2007 WNBA Finals

The Phoenix Mercury has been a staple in the WNBA since the league’s inception in 1997. From the beginning, the Merc was one of the more successful teams in the league but could never get over the hump and win a title – how fitting for an Arizona based team. That all changed in 2007.

Diana Taurasi, then in her third season, led the mighty Mercury to the Western Conference’s best record and put the team on a collision course with the beast of the east, the Detroit Shock. After sweeping the Seattle Storm and San Antonio Stars in subsequent rounds, a date with Swin Cash and Detroit was set. The Mercury fell down 2-1 in the series. With their backs against the wall, they won Game 4 at home by one to stay alive with a trip back to Detroit and a do-or-die game on deck.

Despite being on the road, Phoenix came to play as Penny Taylor had 30 points, Cappie Pondexter added 26 and the aforementioned Taurasi added 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists as the Mercury won Game 7, 108-92, and hoisted their first championship trophy. 

19. ASU Beats No. 1 Nebraska

Before anyone knew the magical season that was in store for the 1996 Sun Devil football team, there was simply excitement that the No. 1 team in the nation and the two-time defending national champion Nebraska Cornhuskers were coming to Tempe. The Devils came into the game ranked No. 17 and looking to pull off the biggest upset in program history.

What came next was something even the most optimistic of fans could never have imagined. The ASU offense caught fire in the first half while the defense dominated all game. The maroon and gold held the Huskers scoreless on their way to a 19-0 domination of the best team in the country. The win snapped Nebraska’s 26-game winning streak and was the first time in four seasons the Huskers had been shut out. The win was the start of the Rose Bowl run for the Sun Devils and the most memorable season in program history. 

18. Cardinals Clinch First Playoff Berth

Before the 1998 season, it would have been kind to describe the Cardinals’ time in Arizona as mediocre. The franchise had been in the Valley for a decade and despite Buddy Ryan telling us the opposite, there had never been a winner in town when it came to NFL football. That all changed thanks to Jake Plummer and the Cardiac Cardinals.

After starting the season 0-2, usually a death sentence for a team’s playoff hopes, the Cardinals had an up-and-down run. Sitting at 6-7, it looked like yet another disappointing season. Then the run started. They won their next two games by a combined five points to sit at 8-7 heading into the final game of the season.

A win at home against the San Diego Chargers would clinch a playoff spot for the first time since arriving in Arizona. Offense was at a premium all game as both teams struggled to find the end zone. Thanks to kicker Chris Jacke, the Cardinals found themselves leading 13-6 with under a minute to go. That is, until the Chargers scored a 30-yard touchdown to tie the game with 22 seconds left.

That’s when the magic started. Returner Eric Metcalf took the ensuing kickoff back 45 yards and the Cardinals were in business. Jake Plummer completed a 10-yard pass to Frank Sanders to put the team in field goal range and Jacke connected on a 52-yard field goal to send the Cards to the playoffs. 

17. 1994 Western Conference 1st Round Game 3

After the magical 1993 Finals run, the Phoenix Suns and reigning MVP Charles Barkley were looking to finish the job. The first step? Taking care of the upstart Golden State Warriors and the young star Chris Webber. Phoenix took care of Games 1 and 2 at home, setting up a potential series deciding game in Oakland. While Sir Charles had already had a 36-point, 16-rebound performance in Game 1, he saved his masterpiece for Game 3.

While the game was a back-and-forth affair, the Round Mound of Rebound willed the Suns to the sweep with a career-high 56 points along with 14 rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block. The dominant performance is still the gold standard when it comes to Suns playoff games. 

16. Booker’s 70-point Game

When is a March regular season loss in a year your team only wins 24 games worthy of being one of the greatest games ever? When your young superstar does something that has never been seen before in the franchise’s history. That’s exactly what Devin Booker did on March 24, 2017 in Boston.

In front of a hostile Celtics crowd, Book scored the franchise record for points, dropping 70. What made the feat even more impressive was the fact that he scored 51 of his record-setting total in the second half of the game and won over the Beantown crowd, which started cheering for him in the end. He finished with 70 points on 53-percent shooting, adding eight rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block. Booker became only the sixth player at the time to reach the 70-point mark in NBA history. 

15. Super Bowl XLIII

Why is one of the most heartbreaking games in Arizona sports history on the list? Because it was also one of the most entertaining we’ve ever seen. When the Arizona Cardinals entered the 2008 NFL playoffs, they were called “one of the worst teams to ever make the playoffs.” By the end, they had one of the most magical runs to the big game the NFL had ever seen and played in one of the most memorable games.

The game had everything: drama, lead changes, a big guy returning an interception 100 yards for a touchdown at the buzzer of the first half, two Larry Fitzgerald touchdowns and the hope that the Cardinals might actually be on the verge of a Super Bowl title. The penultimate touchdown, Kurt Warner to Fitz for a 64-yard score, put the Cardinals up 23-20 with 2:37 to go and, to this day, it is the most memorable play in franchise history.

If the game had ended there it would have been No. 1 on our list. Unfortunately it didn’t. The Pittsburgh Steelers marched down the field and Ben Rothlisberger connected with Santonio Holmes with 30 seconds left for a 27-23 win on what remains a controversial touchdown in the eyes of Cardinals fans, who thought Holmes’ foot was out of bounds. 

14. Wildcats Make Their Mark in 1988 Tournament

Before the Arizona Wildcats were known as a basketball powerhouse and coach Lute Olson was a legend in the Old Pueblo, there was the 1988 team. Led by forward Sean Elliott and guard Steve Kerr, the Cats made school history on March 20, 1988 in Seattle as the team beat the vaunted North Carolina Tar Heels in the Elite 8 at the Kingdome. The win sent them to the first Final Four in school history and solidified the university as a major player in the college hoops space. 

13. Cardinals Get First Playoff Win in AZ

The Arizona Cardinals’ reward for a magical run to the 1998 NFL playoffs? A date with one of the decade’s most dominant forces, the Dallas Cowboys in Big D. No one, and we mean no one, gave the Cards a shot. But Jake Plummer and the guys were used to that. The Cardinals jumped out to an early 7-0 lead on a Plummer-to-Adrian-Murrell shovel pass for a 12-yard touchdown and the Cardinals never looked back. They stretched the lead to 20-0 in the fourth quarter and wound up winning 20-7. The playoff victory was the first in the franchise’s time in Arizona and the most memorable win in their first 10 years in the Valley.

12. 1996 Rose Bowl

Yes, it’s another loss in the top 25, but this game was a true thriller. Led by quarterback Jake Plummer and a potent offense, the Sun Devils had a record of 11-0 and a No. 2 ranking as they entered the game facing No. 4 Ohio State. A national championship hung in the balance and at halftime things looked good for the Devils’ taking as they were tied 7-7. ASU took the lead 10-7 early in the third quarter. However, Ohio State, under the guidance of head coach John Cooper, made critical adjustments taking a lead in the fourth quarter.

That’s when Jake the Snake took center stage. Down 14-10, ASU mounted a drive to take the lead on a trademark Plummer 11-yard scramble. The touchdown put ASU up 17-14 with 1:40 left in the game. The school’s first national title was within its grasp. But OSU mounted a 65-yard drive behind quarterback Joe Germaine, an Arizona native from Mesa Mountain View High School, culminating with a Germaine touchdown to David Boston to take a 20-17 lead.

ASU made it interesting by blocking the ensuing extra-point to keep the game in field goal range. Plummer drove the Devils down the field but couldn’t get them in range and the game ended. It went down as one of the more entertaining Rose Bowls and one of the biggest “what ifs” in Arizona sports history.

11. 1993 Western Conference Finals Game 7

The Phoenix Suns were great at being the bridesmaid but rarely the bride in the NBA’s Western Conference. Despite being one of the better teams for a decade, they still had only been to one NBA Finals in 1976. That was about to change thanks to Charles Barkley and the purple gang from Phoenix. After a record-setting 62-win regular season and a tumultuous playoff run, the Suns found themselves facing a Game 7 at home against the Seattle SuperSonics. The winner would head to the NBA Finals to face Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls while the loser would add another disappointing end to its history books.

The Suns left little doubt about who the best in the West was as they led after every quarter on their way to a 123-110, dominating victory. Former Sun Eddie Johnson turned in an amazing performance for Seattle, dropping 34 points off the bench, but it wasn’t enough as he was outmatched by new Suns star, Barkley, who had 44 points and 24 rebounds in one of the franchise’s greatest victories.

10. 2015 Divisional Playoff Game

In order to be considered one of the best games ever, you have to have multiple factors: Drama, high stakes, star power and impactful plays that change the game. The Cardinals and Packers offered that in spades during the 2015 divisional playoff game. A back-and-forth affair came down to the final seconds. With the Cardinals up 20-13 with 49 seconds to go at State Farm Stadium, the crowd was going wild.

That was, until Aaron Rodgers stepped into the shotgun formation and changed everything. With no timeouts, Rodgers completed back-to-back Hail Marys to send the game to overtime. While it would have been easy for the Cardinals to be fold, both Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald answered the call. On the first drive of OT, Palmer scrambled out of the pocket, avoided defenders and found a wide open Fitz who ran for 75 yards to get Arizona inside the 5-yard line. The two connected again on a shovel pass for a touchdown to give the Cardinals a 26-20 overtime win.

9. The Valley Oop

The Phoenix Suns’ run to the 2021 NBA Finals was magical, and the most magical moment is the one that lands at No. 9 on our list. The Valley Oop may go down as the most memorable play in modern Suns history. In Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, with a chance to take a definitive 2-0 lead, the Suns found themselves down 103-102 with 0.9 seconds left in the game.

With the ball inbounded from the corner behind their hoop, Jae Crowder threw an unbelievably accurate pass to the rim, Devin Booker set a fantastic screen in the lane and Deandre Ayton rolled to the hoop and jammed it home as the buzzer sounded. It was the perfect play call. The perfect pass. The perfect timing. It was the perfect ending to a game that pushed the Cinderella Suns one step closer to the NBA Finals. 

8. 1993 Western Semi-Finals Game 6

From one unbelievable Suns buzzer beater to another. Unlike the 2021 Suns, the 1993 rendition of the Purple Gang From Phoenix was an NBA Finals favorite. Standing in their way in Round 2? One of the best big men in league history, David Robinson. After taking a 3-2 lead in the series, the Suns found themselves back in San Antonio with a chance to close out the Spurs. With the game tied at 100 with just under 10 seconds left on the clock, league MVP Charles Barkley took the series into his hands.

Sir Charles got the ball just inside the center court logo with Robinson on him. He spun the ball two times in his hands, sized up The Admiral and went to work. He drove on Robinson, pulled up just inside the 3-point line and hit a jumper over the outstretched arm of the Spurs center, a man seven inches taller than him, and swished it. The Suns won the game and the series, providing one of the most iconic shots in franchise history.

7: 2023 Game 7 NLCS

The 2023 Arizona Diamondbacks were a team that everyone had pronounced dead during the heat of summer. Reports of their death were greatly exaggerated. The Diamondbacks shocked the world in September and the playoffs. After making it through two tough series vs. the Brewers and the hated Dodgers, they found themselves facing the vaunted Phillies. After losing the first two games in Philadelphia, the D-backs battled back at home, winning the next two to tie the series at two and Game 6 to tie it again three games apiece.

It all came down to the final game of the series in front of a rowdy Philly crowd. Much like when they had been written off over the summer, this young group shut out the noise and found a way to win. Rookie pitcher Brandon Pfaadt gave the team four solid innings with seven strikeouts, but the Diamondbacks were losing 2-1. Rookie Corbin Carroll got an RBI single up the middle and catcher Gabby Moreno laced a single to bring Carroll home from second. It gave Arizona a 3-2 lead and the Diamondbacks never looked back, winning 4-2 and punching their improbable ticket to the World Series. 

6. 2009 Wild Card Playoff Game

Stop me if you’ve seen this one on the list before. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers play in an overtime thriller with the  Cardinals moving on to the next round. Before No. 10 on our list ever happened, however, the original nail-biter between these two teams took place in the 2009 Wild Card round and it was even crazier than the first game on our list.

The game produced more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage, a combined 96 points and an ending that will go down in NFL playoff lore. Kicker Neil Rackers had a chance to break a 45-45 tie with 14 seconds left to go in the game but shanked a 34-yard field goal to send the game into overtime. The Packers got the ball first and things looked bleak with Aaron Rodgers under center for Green Bay.
That’s when it happened.

On the third play of OT with the Pack facing a third-and-5, Rodgers took the snap from the shotgun and defensive back Michael Adams sacked him, forcing a fumble that landed in linebacker Karlos Dansby’s arms. Dansby returned it for a touchdown. If you blinked you would have missed it but if you saw it you’ll never forget it. The 51-45 win jump-started the Cardinals’ improbable run to the Super Bowl.

5. Randy Johnson’s Perfect Game

The perfect game. It’s elusive. It’s something that a pitcher can chase for their entire career and ever get close to actually accomplishing it. For Randy Johnson entering the 2004 season it was starting to look like he may never accomplish it. That all changed on May 18, 2004 in Atlanta. The Big Unit took the mound against the Atlanta Braves and dominated through the first five innings. That’s when, in the bottom of the sixth, opposing pitcher Mike Hampton came to the plate. Hampton hit a dribbler towards second where Alex Cintron snagged the ball while running and threw the pitcher out at first.  Johnson cruised the rest of the way and struckout 13 batters including the final Brave he faced pinch-hitter Eddie Perez. It was the third most strikeouts in a perfect game. The 2-0 win was only the 17th perfect game in MLB history at that time and RJ, at 40 years old, became the oldest pitcher to ever complete the feat. 

4. 2008 NFC Championship Game

Since their arrival in Arizona for the 1988 season, the Cardinals had pretty much been wandering the NFL desert. In the 20 years prior to the 2008 season the franchise had only made the playoffs once and had one playoff victory to their name. That all changed when Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald stepped on the field. The duo had one of the best postseason runs in NFL history and it all culminated in an otherworldly performance against the favorite Philadelphia Eagles at State Farm Stadium. The Cards jumped out to a 24-6 halftime lead but the Eagles came storming back in the third going on a 13-0 run and early in the fourth took the 25-24 lead. That’s when the Cardinals offense took over. They marched down the field 72 yards culminating in a 8-yard touchdown from Warner to Hightower. The two point conversion was good and the Cards took the lead for good. The defense took charge and the team punched their ticket to their first Super Bowl.

3. 1976 NBA Finals, Game 5

You know the saying “it’s not over until it’s over”? Game 5 of the 1976 NBA Finals was the living proof of that. Tied at two games apiece, the Suns and Celtics battled fiercely to gain the upper hand in the series. Facing a raucous Boston crowd, the underdog Suns faced an uphill battle. They answered the challenge by matching the favored Celtics basket for basket in regulation and overtime.

In double-overtime, the situation seemed dire for the Suns when Boston’s John Havlicek hit a clutch runner to give the Celtics a one-point lead. With the buzzer sounding, it appeared the shot would seal the game. The Boston Garden erupted in celebration as fans flooded the court, assuming victory. However, amidst the chaos, referees spotted a second still on the clock and desperately tried to clear the court.

The Suns, facing a critical inbound from under their own basket, pulled off one of the most strategic moves in NBA history. Guard Paul Westphal called for a timeout they didn’t have, resulting in a technical foul and a free throw for Boston. This allowed the Suns to inbound from half court. Despite the free throw extending Boston’s lead to two points, the Suns weren’t done.

Then came “The Shot Heard ‘Round The World”: The Suns inbounded to Gar Heard, who launched a high-arching 20-foot jumper that swished through the net as time expired, tying the game and sending it into triple-overtime.

Ultimately, the Celtics prevailed 128-126 in the third overtime and clinched the series in Game 6. Yet, this epic contest has forever been hailed as “The Greatest Game Ever Played” in basketball lore.

2. Wildcats Win 1997 March Madness

Under Lute Olson’s leadership, the Arizona Wildcats had consistently played exceptional basketball, yet had never quite reached the summit. That all changed in 1997 with an incredible NCAA Tournament run that culminated in a highly anticipated championship game against the Kentucky Wildcats at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. Despite being underdogs, Arizona held strong, trading leads throughout the game with Rick Pitino’s formidable squad. The game remained undecided until the final moments when Arizona’s star player, Miles Simon, stepped up to the free-throw line. Simon calmly sank both shots, securing the victory and the national title for the Wildcats. His stellar performance earned him the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four award. Arizona triumphed 84-79, marking their first-ever National Championship in men’s basketball.

1. Game 7 of the 2001 World Series

It’s no surprise that Game 7 of the 2001 World Series ranks at the top of our list. It stands as the greatest game in Arizona sports history, marking the first time a major professional sports team in the Valley captured a championship. More than that, it’s regarded as one of the most dramatic World Series games ever played.

The game showcased the dynamic pitching duo of Curt Schilling starting and Randy Johnson closing on one day’s rest. However, the real tension unfolded in the bottom of the 9th inning, with the Diamondbacks trailing 2-1 and facing Mariano Rivera, arguably the best closer in baseball history. Instead of succumbing to the Yankees’ dominance, the resilient Arizona squad mounted a comeback.

The inning began with a single from Mark Grace, followed by a sacrifice bunt from Damian Miller that advanced the tying run into scoring position. After a bunt by Jay Bell forced pinch-runner David Dellucci out at third, Tony Womack delivered a clutch double to knot the game at 2-2. The crowd at Bank One Ballpark erupted in anticipation of what would happen next.

With two men on and one out, Rivera hit Craig Counsell to load the bases, setting the stage for Luis Gonzalez to etch his name in history. Facing an infield drawn in, Gonzo lofted a blooper over shortstop Derek Jeter’s head, scoring Jay Bell and clinching the World Series for the Diamondbacks. It was a seemingly improbable hit in an intense moment that secured Arizona’s lone championship and provided fans with unforgettable sports memories.