Valley of the Suns
Fansided

Suns All-Decade Teams Part One – 1960s-70s

By Patrick Nash

MILWAUKEE - 1970: Gail Goodrich #25 of the Phoenix Suns goes up for a shot against the Milwaukee Bucks during the 1970 season at the MECCA Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1970 NBAE (Photo by Vernon Biever/NBAE via Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE - 1970: Gail Goodrich #25 of the Phoenix Suns goes up for a shot against the Milwaukee Bucks during the 1970 season at the MECCA Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1970 NBAE (Photo by Vernon Biever/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Backup: Paul Westphal

LANDOVER, MD – CIRCA 1978: Paul Westphal #44 of the Phoenix Suns looks on against the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1978 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Westphal played for the Suns from 1975-80. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)1
LANDOVER, MD – CIRCA 1978: Paul Westphal #44 of the Phoenix Suns looks on against the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1978 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Westphal played for the Suns from 1975-80. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)1 /

Depending on when you became a fan of the Suns you may or may not know Paul Westphal. Some only know him as the Coach of the Suns team that made it to the 1993 NBA Finals. I’m sure a lot remember his five original seasons with the Suns from 75-76 season through 79-80.

During his time with the Phoenix Suns as a player – a total of five seasons – Westphal was a four time all-star and to this day is still the the fifth all-time leading scorer in franchise history with 9,564 points. He helped the Suns reach the NBA Finals in 1976 and still holds the seventh best scoring seaon (tied with Amar’e Stoudemire) with 25.2 points pr game in 77-78, as well as the tenth best scoring season all-time with 24.0 points per game the following year.

Westphal averaged 20.6 PPG, 4.4 APG and 1.9 RPG in his Phoenix Suns career while shooting a career high 53.5 FG% in 78- 79 and 28.0% from three the following season, the first season of an arc in the league’s existence.. He had his best years as a professional in Phoenix and is still loved by most older fans to this day. Westphal had his number 44 jersey retired in 1989.

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