Tag: 1974 championship

Boston Celtics champion forward Paul Silas: An NBA career in photos

Rest in Peace to a giant of the league.

Paul Silas, a three-time NBA champion — two of which he won playing for the Boston Celtics —  has passed away. A native of Prescott, Arkansas who played for Creighton collegiately, Silas was drafted with the 10th overall pick of the 1964 NBA draft by the organization that is today the Atlanta Hawks (then based out of St. Louis, Missouri).

Silas would play for that team, the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, and Seattle SuperSonics (today’s Oklahoma City Thunder) in addition to the Celtics as a decorated player. The two-time All-Star forward would go on to have a three-decade career as an assistant and head coach in the NBA before retiring in 2012.

Let’s take a look at his career in photos.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

Boston Celtics alumni, NBA react to Paul Silas’ passing

The Creighton standout played for Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, and Seattle SuperSonics organizations over the course of his career as a player beyond Boston.

Three-time NBA champion Boston Celtics alumnus Paul Silas has passed away at age 79 per the Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan, sending shockwaves through the wider Celtics alumni and NBA communities.

The Creighton standout played for Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, and Seattle SuperSonics organizations over the course of his career as a player beyond Boston, and the Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and several other ball clubs as a head or assistant coach over a three-decade career on the other side of the clipboard. Silas’ careers as a player and a coach touched the lives of many around the NBA community, many of whom took to social media to share memories of the Arkansas native’s life.

Let’s take a look at what they had to say about the Celtics champion forward.

–oOo–

Former Boston Celtics champion forward Paul Silas passes away at age 79

In Boston, Silas won two NBA titles in 1974 and 1976, made All-Star again in 1975, and made All-Defensive First Team in 1975 and 1976.

Three-time NBA champion Boston Celtics forward Paul Theron Silas has passed away per the Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan and confirmed by the Houston Rockets, who are coached by Paul’s son, Stephen Silas.

The Prescott, Arkansas, native was born on July 12, 1943, and played his college ball at Creighton. He was drafted 10th overall by the (then) St. Louis Hawks (now, Atlanta).

He played five seasons for the Hawks before being dealt to the Phoenix Suns, with whom he made his first All-Star game in 1972. Silas was dealt to the Celtics at the end of that season in exchange for the rights to Charlie Scott. In Boston, Silas won NBA titles in 1974 and 1976, made All-Star Game again in 1975, and made All-Defensive first team in 1975 and 1976 after a reluctant start with the ball club.

Dealt to the Denver Nuggets in 1976 as part of a three-team deal that netted the Celts Curtis Rowe, Silas played one season in Colorado before being traded to the Seattle SuperSonics, with whom he won his third and final title in 1979.

Silas transitioned into coaching after his playing career ended, working as an assistant with the (then) San Diego Clippers (now, Los Angeles), (then) New Jersey (now, Brooklyn) Nets, New York Knicks, Suns and Charlotte Hornets.

He was the head coach for the Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Charlotte Bobcats (now, Hornets).

Rest In Peace.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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