Re: The Duck and Westphal

[Joe Hironaka <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

Bob Miller wrote:

> >>The Duck and Westphal
> >>
> >>This older guy seems to recall that the Duck went to the ABA for money and
> >>then hurt a knee while Westphal was mysteriously traded for Charley Scott,
> >>who was not exactly a prototype Celtic-- although he did well for us.
> >>
> >>We assumed at the time that Westphal wanted the ball too much and drove to
> >>the hoop so often that he did not get back on D.  I don't remember either
> >>the media or the Celtics explaining the deal properly but a championship
> >>quickly followed and it never became a public issue.
>
> Westphal liked to take control on offense, perhaps a bit too much for
> Coach Heinsohn. Scott, who had a reputation of a gunner, had been a
> prolific scorer in the ABA before coming to the NBA, was taller, more
> athletic, and a better defender. Since the C's had lost Chaney to the
> ABA, they felt they had to have a stopper at the two-guard spot, so
> they made the swap. Some felt the C's were taking a big chance, but
> Red liked Scott and felt he could be taught to play the team game.
>
> In the best-of-both-worlds kind of trade, both teams made it the
> finals in 76; the Suns were a definite Cinderella team, while the C's
> were expected to make a title run, as they had won in 74 and were
> 68-14 in 75 before Nick Weatherspoon and the Bullets upset them in
> the playoffs.

       Thanks for that! I seem to recall the incredible "rainbow" arc on Charley
Scott's jumpshot. Antoine also puts an uncommon amount of arc on his trial
balloon 3-point set shots, even though most of them seem to clang over the rim.
If I'm not mistaken, Scott went through a phase where he would kick both feet
backwords on his jumper, like he was skipping rope. It seemed really unnatural
and unbalanced, but there seemed to be a lot of effort by players back then on
developing an individual style and razzle dazzle on the court in those (mostly)
below-the-rim days.

Joe

p.s. Was Elvin Hayes, Bob Dandridge or Wes Unseld already part of that Bullets
team that upset Boston? I guess the East was quite strong back then with the
Knicks, Bullets, Celtics.

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