You may not remember him, but boy he could score:Former NBA star and Hall of Famer Paul Westphal gone at age 70 and he was in “the greatest game ever played”!!!

This guy was pure white-bread, but boy could he score…I have really never seen anything like him when he got hot….He could go off for 40-plus points in a heartbeat….He became a better scorer when he left the Boston Celtics and he joined the Phoenix Suns…He could light it up as quick as Pete Maravich did when he got hot….Like I said up top, you may not remember him, or you may have never heard of him, but this white dude could score….

Paul Westphal is gone, and I must admit, this shocked me…He always seemed so young…But it is with a heavy heart, that we must say RIP:Paul Westphal, and we thank you Paul, for ripping the nets…..

Hall of Famer Paul Westphal dies at 70
Paul Westphal was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019 after an illustrious career as a player and coach.
CLICK HERE for the full story/article/post from Beth Harris at www.nba.com….With photos and video…..

Paul Westphal, a Hall of Fame player who won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 1974 and later coached in the league and in college, died Saturday. He was 70.

He died in Scottsdale, Arizona, according to a statement from Southern California, where Westphal starred in college. He was diagnosed with brain cancer last August.

A five-time All-Star guard, Westphal played in the NBA from 1972-84. After winning a championship with the Celtics, he made the finals in 1976 with Phoenix, where he was a key part of one of the most riveting games in league history.

**********And about that game….**********
In 1976, Westphal helped the Suns reach their first NBA Finals against the Celtics. Game 5, a triple-overtime thriller in that series, is often called “the greatest game ever played.”

The Suns trailed 94-91 in the closing seconds of regulation when Westphal stole the ball from JoJo White and got fouled. His 3-point play tied the game at 94.

In the second overtime, with 15 seconds left and the Suns trailing 109–108, Westphal stole the ball from John Havlicek, who had taken an inbounds pass. That led to a sequence in which the Suns scored to take a 110-109 lead.

Havlicek scored with five seconds left to put the Celtics ahead 111–110. The buzzer sounded and Celtics flooded the court, believing their team had won. However, the referee ruled that Havlicek scored with two seconds remaining.

One second was put back on the clock. Westphal called for a timeout that the Suns didn’t have, resulting in a technical foul. The Celtics made the free throw for a 112-110 lead. After a timeout, the Suns inbounded at midcourt and scored to force a third overtime.

With 20 seconds left and the Celtics leading 128–122, Westphal scored two quick baskets to cut it to 128–126 and nearly stole the ball at midcourt, but failed and the Celtics ran out the clock to win.

He also played for Seattle and the New York Knicks.

He averaged 15.6 points, 4.4 assists and 1.9 rebounds during his career.

After his playing career ended, Westphal moved into coaching. He led the Suns to the NBA Finals in 1993, and also was head coach of Seattle and Sacramento. He had stints as an assistant with Dallas and Brooklyn.

Westphal was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 2019. He went into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.

He is survived by his wife, Cindy, and two children.