Former NBA coach Nissalke dies at 87

He was 87.

Nissalke died at his Salt Lake City home on Thursday, according to the Deseret
News.

Nissalke won Coach of the Year honors for the 1976-77 season when the Houston
Rockets went 49-33 and reached the Eastern Conference finals before losing to
the Philadelphia 76ers.

Nissalke went 248-391 in nine NBA seasons. He also coached the Seattle
SuperSonics, Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers. The 1983-84 season with the
Cavaliers (28-54) was his final one as a head coach.

He was Utah's first coach after the franchise relocated from New Orleans for
the 1979-80 campaign.

He also spent parts of four seasons coaching in the ABA and posted a 123-117
record. Nissalke was named ABA Coach of the Year when he guided the Dallas
Chaparrals to a 42-42 record and a playoff spot in 1971-72.

--Field Level Media