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games for the month.

Some indifferent form and off-court problems beset the team slightly during this month, and the performance of the Suns was slightly affected on-court, as they stumbled mid-month, before recovering to win their final three games of 2007, and finish the year with a sensational 22-9 record.

January was also a productive month for Phoenix, as they had winning streaks of four games (mid-month) and three (later in the month), to finish January with an 11-5 win-loss record, and a 33-14 record overall.

Whilst everything on-court seemed to be going to plan for the Suns, off-court there were some issues.

Huge salary cap restraints, with so many high-quality players on their roster, and some alleged unhappiness with Marion saw the Suns trade Marion, along with Marcus Banks, to Miami, in exchange for veteran 14-time All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal.

Whilst Stoudemire had been doing the job under the rim, the addition of O'Neal, and his brute size and strength, meant the Suns were able to gain some room in their salary cap, yet not really lose out in the talent stakes by letting an All-Star caliber player such as Marion go.

The new line-up seemed to take some time to jell, as the Suns stumbled somewhat in February, only managing to go 6-4 for the month, which basically put paid to their hopes of winning the Pacific Division title, in which they were vying with the Los Angeles Lakers.

At 39-19 going into March, the Suns were still red-hot, and they got much hotter as O'Neal began to find his feet in his new uniform.

The Suns stumbled around early in March, but beginning mid-month, they got back on track, stringing together seven wins on end.

They finished the month with another three victories in a row, and a 50-24 win-loss record, yet another 50-win season in the franchise's 40-year history.

On the 4th of March, the Suns made their final roster change for the season, when they signed guard Gordan Giricek.

The Suns finished the season with a 5-3 record in April, and a 55-27 win-loss record overall, an excellent season by anyone's standards.

The Suns were pipped to the Pacific Division title by the Lakers by two wins, and ended up being seeded fifth going into the first-round of the Western Conference playoffs.

It ended up being a very difficult assignment for Phoenix, having to face a star-studded San Antonio Spurs line-up, as well as giving up home-court advantage for the series.

With Stoudemire now taking over his more-suited role of power forward, and leaving

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