Author Topic: Former Celtic Paul Westphal has died  (Read 2900 times)

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Former Celtic Paul Westphal has died
« on: January 02, 2021, 05:43:32 PM »

Offline CelticsElite

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Thanks for helping get us banner #12, the first one after the Russell dynasty.
 

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30638260/paul-westphal-member-naismith-memorial-basketball-hall-fame-dies-age-70

Paul Westphal, a Hall of Fame guard who was a five-time All-Star and a three-time All-NBA first-team selection, has died at the age of 70, the Phoenix Suns announced Saturday.

Westphal had been diagnosed with brain cancer in August 2020.

He grew up in Southern California and played college basketball at USC before being selected 10th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 1972 draft.

Westphal won an NBA title with the Celtics in 1974 in his second season, playing a key role off the bench. But his career really took off when he was traded to Phoenix, where his scoring average more than doubled -- to 20.5 per game -- as he helped lead the Suns to their first NBA Finals appearance in 1976

He was a five-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA First Team selection. In his career, Westphal scored a total of 12,809 points for an average of 15.6 PPG, along with 3,591 assists for an average of 4.4 APG.

Westphal coached the Suns from 1992-95 and SuperSonics from 1998-2000. His last head coaching stint came with the Kings (2009-12). His last NBA assistant coaching stint was with the Nets from 2014-16. He had a 318-279 (.533) regular-season record as a head coach and 27-22 record in the playoffs. The Suns reached the NBA Finals in his first year as head coach.

Westphal was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.
« Last Edit: January 02, 2021, 05:56:26 PM by CelticsElite »

Re: Former Celtic Paul Westphal has died
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2021, 05:53:59 PM »

Offline footey

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Sad to hear.

That picture is the 1981 championship. Paul played on the 1974 championship team when Tommy was coach.

Re: Former Celtic Paul Westphal has died
« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2021, 05:56:47 PM »

Offline CelticsElite

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Sad to hear.

That picture is the 1981 championship. Paul played on the 1974 championship team when Tommy was coach.
true. Removed

Re: Former Celtic Paul Westphal has died
« Reply #3 on: January 02, 2021, 06:03:54 PM »

Offline Who

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Ah man. Such a nice guy. Always fun to hear him do interviews / talk about basketball.

Re: Former Celtic Paul Westphal has died
« Reply #4 on: January 02, 2021, 06:06:46 PM »

Offline Neurotic Guy

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Dang -- he was just a kid out of college when I was a fan in my youth. I remember when he was drafted.  I was a huge JoJo White fan in those days and wasn't crazy about Westphal (fan-wise) when he played for the C's. But he became a star in the league and a successful coach and seemed like a genuinely good guy. 

And I'll never forget the triple OT game in 1976.  I had just graduated high school and was in that month where you are done with school before everyone else and just having a blast.  My friends and I were listening to the game -- I was driving my mother's station wagon -- heading to a local pizza place.  We sat outside the pizza place and listened to Johnny Most call 3 overtimes -- it was really an amazing moment.  I can't recall the pizza -- if we even ended up getting food or not.  I do remember the intensity of the moment and us going crazy numerous times during the OTs in that old Ford Country Squire.   Westphal v. JoJo.    JoJo ended up on the plus side and won the series MVP. 

Very sad that both are gone now. 

RIP Paul Westphal.
« Last Edit: January 02, 2021, 06:22:32 PM by Neurotic Guy »

Re: Former Celtic Paul Westphal has died
« Reply #5 on: January 02, 2021, 06:21:41 PM »

Offline AshyLarry

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Dang -- he was just a kid out of college when I was a fan in my youth. I remember when he was drafted.  I was a huge JoJo White fan in those days and wasn't crazy about Westphal (fan-wise) when he played for the C's. But he became a star in the league and a successful coach and seemed like a genuinely good guy. 

And I'll never forget the triple OT game in 1976.  I had just graduated high school and was in that month where you are done with school before everyone else and just having a blast.  My friends and I were listening to the game -- I was driving my mother's station wagon -- heading to a local pizza place.  We sat outside the pizza place and listened to Johnny Most call 3 overtimes -- it was really an amazing moment.  I can't recall the pizza -- if we even ended up getting food or not.  I do remember the intensity of the moment and us going crazy numerous times during the OTs.   Westphal v. JoJo.    JoJo ended up on the plus side and won the series MVP. 

Very sad that both are gone now. 

RIP Paul Westphal.

Tp for the beautifully painted picture man.
My pic is now, and will be Fab Melo until he posts his first official NBA dbl-dbl. This may be permanent.

Re: Former Celtic Paul Westphal has died
« Reply #6 on: January 02, 2021, 06:26:14 PM »

Online Roy H.

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Lousy.  RIP.


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Re: Former Celtic Paul Westphal has died
« Reply #7 on: January 02, 2021, 07:20:53 PM »

Offline gouki88

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2021 picking up right where 2020 left off.

Rest In Peace, you've earned it.
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