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Heartbreak Hotel: Kiss of Death

In the wake of the Suns' recent buzzer-beating losses, we're taking a "it's not that bad" approach. Suns.com's Matt Petersen looks at the worst one-shot heartbreaks Phoenix has suffered over the years, rating each of them based on five factors: stakes, opposition, helplessness, odds and what-the-heck. Check out the intro piece for a primer on how those factors are determined.

After reviewing some of the most heart-wrenching moments in Suns history, we're confident the last week won't feel nearly as painful.

The Shot

A Kevin Johnson free throw had tied Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals between Phoenix and Houston with 20.4 seconds remaining. Rockets guard Kenny Smith brought the ball up, but was quickly double-teamed at halfcourt. He forwarded the ball to Robert Horry, who saw Mario Elie standing unguarded in the far corner.

The veteran guard caught the ball, made sure no help was on the way, and launched a three. It went in. He followed by pointedly pressing two fingers to his lips and blowing a vicious kiss in the direction of Suns big man Joe Kleine.

Several free throw exchanges later, Houston won 115-114.

Stakes

This was not the NBA Finals or even conference finals, but it was a Game 7, winner-take all affair. Phoenix was heavily favored in this series over the sixth-seeded Rockets, who despite winning the title in 1994 had struggled to maintain their elite status. The Suns, then, had the most to lose. Rating: 8

Opposition

Suns-Rockets is not a traditional rivalry, but then-recent history added considerable flavor to the matchup. Houston had elimined Phoenix in the second round the previous year, just one season after the Suns’ 1993 Finals trip. The fact that Houston went on to win the title in 1994 only added to the idea that, had Phoenix won, they would have advanced. Revenge, combined with what could have been, made for a very emotional series. Rating: 7

Helplessness

7.1 seconds is plenty of time, but it’s important to remember that three-pointers were not nearly the quality option in the mid-90s like they are today. Dan Majerle’s league-best 192 threes made that season would not have ranked in the top five in 2013-14. Phoenix’s average of 7.1 threes-made-per game would rank 19th today. In other words, a three was more of a Hail Mary in these situations, putting that much more pressure on the Suns to make one. Rating: 8

Odds

At one point in the series, Phoenix led three games to one. After the first quarter of Game 7, they led 26-13. The number of times Houston appeared dead, only to come back to life, was appalling and relentless torture for Suns fans with title hopes still firmly in their minds. Rating: 8

What the Heck

Elie was a quality role player, but played the role of the villain well. Most fans did not know his kiss-blowing antics were directed toward a single player (Joe Kleine), but instead saw it as him kissing the Suns goodbye in the playoffs.

There was little reason to think Elie (39.8% from three that season) would miss a wide-open three-pointer in the corner. Phoenix’s efforts to force Houston into a panicked possession backfired, and Suns fans could only watch as Elie cashed in on a golden opportunity. Rating: 4