Inside the Remarkable Legacy and Untold Stories of NBA Legend Lenny Wilkens, Who Passed Away at 88
Advertisement
Wilkens returned to Seattle as a coach midway through the 1977-78 season and led the Sonics to consecutive Finals appearances, avenging a seven-game loss to the Washington Bullets in 1978 with a 4-1 victory in the 1979 championship series. Those Seattle teams, boasting Hall of Famers Dennis Johnson and Jack Sikma, along with Gus Williams, are arguably the greatest team never to boast a genuine superstar.
Wilkens coached the Sonics until 1985, before a pair of seven-year stints with the Cavaliers and Hawks. He led Cleveland to three 50-win seasons and lost four playoff series to the Chicago Bulls, two of which ended on buzzer-beating shots by Michael Jordan. Wilkens also coached Atlanta to a trio of 50-win campaigns.



Post Comment