Matt Guokas
Encyclopedia
Matthew George "Matt" Guokas, Jr. (born February 25, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
; last name pronounced ˈɡuːkəs) is a former American professional basketball
player and coach.
Philadelphia 76ers
team, featuring Wilt Chamberlain
, Hal Greer
, Chet Walker
and Billy Cunningham
, that ended the eight-year championship streak of the Boston Celtics
. He also played with the Buffalo Braves
, Chicago Bulls
, Cincinnati Royals, Houston Rockets
, and Kansas City Kings, all of the NBA. In the 1972-73 season, Guokas finished second (to Chamberlain) in the NBA in field goal percentage with a .570 clip during that season.
, compiling a combined 230-305 career record. He currently works as a TV color commentator and sports analyst for the Magic on FS Florida and Sun Sports
cable channels, teaming with veteran NBA and college sportscaster David Steele
. He has also served as a color commentator
for NBA on NBC broadcasts during the 1990s and was a color commentator for the Cleveland Cavaliers
for Fox Sports Ohio cable channel for a number of years in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Matt and his father, the late Matt Guokas, Sr.
, were the first father-son duo to both win NBA championships
as players; this feat has since been repeated by Rick Barry
(with the 1975 NBA champion
Golden State Warriors
) and Brent Barry
(with the 2005
and 2007 NBA champions
San Antonio Spurs
) and by Bill Walton
(with the 1977 NBA champion
Portland Trail Blazers
and 1986 NBA champion
Boston Celtics
) and Luke Walton
(with the 2009 NBA champion
and 2010 NBA champion
Los Angeles Lakers
).
| align="left" |PHI
| align="left" |
|82||54||28||.659|| align="center" |2nd in Atlantic||12||6||6||.500
| align="center" |Lost in Conf. Semifinals
|-
| align="left" |PHI
| align="left" |
|82||45||37||.549|| align="center" |2nd in Atlantic||5||2||3||.400
| align="center" |Lost in First Round
|-
| align="left" |PHI
| align="left" |
|43||20||23||.465|| align="center" |(fired)||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |—
|-
| align="left" |ORL
| align="left" |
|82||18||64||.220|| align="center" |7th in Central||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |ORL
| align="left" |
|82||31||51||.378|| align="center" |4th in Midwest||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |ORL
| align="left" |
|82||21||61||.256|| align="center" |7th in Atlantic||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |ORL
| align="left" |
|82||41||41||.500|| align="center" |4th in Atlantic||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-class="sortbottom"
| align="left" |Career
| ||535||230||305||.430|| ||17||8||9||.471
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
; last name pronounced ˈɡuːkəs) is a former American professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and coach.
Playing career
Guokas played on the 19671966-67 NBA season
The 1966–67 NBA Season was the 21st season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Philadelphia 76ers winning the NBA Championship, beating the San Francisco Warriors 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals, ending the Boston Celtics' record title run at 8.- Notable occurrences :*...
Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
team, featuring Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
, Hal Greer
Hal Greer
Harold Everett Greer is a retired American professional basketball player.He attended Douglass Junior and Senior High School in Huntington. He played college basketball at Marshall University and was drafted by the Syracuse Nationals of the NBA in 1958...
, Chet Walker
Chet Walker
Chester "Chet" Walker is a former pro basketball player.Walker played high school basketball for the Benton Harbor High School boys basketball team. He graduated from Bradley University in 1962 as the school's all-time leading scorer. The Bradley Braves won the NIT Championship in 1957 and 1960...
and Billy Cunningham
Billy Cunningham
William John "Billy" Cunningham is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid.- Beginnings :...
, that ended the eight-year championship streak of the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. He also played with the Buffalo Braves
Buffalo Braves
The Buffalo Braves were a team in the National Basketball Association. They later moved to San Diego, California to become the San Diego Clippers then subsequently the Los Angeles Clippers....
, Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
, Cincinnati Royals, Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
, and Kansas City Kings, all of the NBA. In the 1972-73 season, Guokas finished second (to Chamberlain) in the NBA in field goal percentage with a .570 clip during that season.
Coaching and Broadcasting
Guokas later coached the Sixers and was the first coach of the Orlando MagicOrlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
, compiling a combined 230-305 career record. He currently works as a TV color commentator and sports analyst for the Magic on FS Florida and Sun Sports
Sun Sports
Sun Sports is a Florida sports broadcasting network, with its headquarters in Orlando. Launched in 1988 as Sunshine Network, the station is now affiliated with virtually every cable company throughout the state of Florida and can be picked up by some satellite providers around the United...
cable channels, teaming with veteran NBA and college sportscaster David Steele
David Steele (sports announcer)
David Steele is an American television and radio sports broadcaster and serves the NBA's Orlando Magic basketball games on both Sun Sports and FS Florida as well as an analyst for a variety of sports aired on the regional sports networks.Steele previously was the radio play-by-play voice for all...
. He has also served as a color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
for NBA on NBC broadcasts during the 1990s and was a color commentator for the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
for Fox Sports Ohio cable channel for a number of years in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Matt and his father, the late Matt Guokas, Sr.
Matt Guokas, Sr.
Matthew George Guokas, Sr. was an American basketball player and broadcaster.A 6'3" forward from Saint Joseph's University, Guokas played one season of professional basketball with the Philadelphia Warriors of the BAA . He averaged 1.7 points during the Warriors' 1946-47 championship season...
, were the first father-son duo to both win NBA championships
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
as players; this feat has since been repeated by Rick Barry
Rick Barry
Richard Francis Dennis Barry III , better known as Rick Barry, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is considered by many veteran basketball observers to be one of the greatest pure small forwards of all time as a result of his very precise outside shot, uncanny court vision,...
(with the 1975 NBA champion
1975 NBA Finals
The 1975 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1974-75 NBA season of the National Basketball Association. The Golden State Warriors of the Western Conference played against the Washington Bullets of the Eastern Conference...
Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
) and Brent Barry
Brent Barry
Brent Robert Barry is an American former professional basketball player. The , shooting guard was selected out of Oregon State University by the Denver Nuggets with the 15th overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly after to the Los Angeles Clippers.Barry played professionally...
(with the 2005
2005 NBA Finals
The 2005 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2004-05 National Basketball Association season. The San Antonio Spurs of the Western Conference faced the Detroit Pistons of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage. The series was played under a...
and 2007 NBA champions
2007 NBA Finals
The 2007 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2006-07 National Basketball Association season, and was the conclusion of the 2007 NBA Playoffs. The best-of-seven series was played between the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs and the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland...
San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
) and by Bill Walton
Bill Walton
William Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
(with the 1977 NBA champion
1977 NBA Finals
The 1977 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1976-77 NBA season. The Portland Trail Blazers of the Western Conference played against the Philadelphia 76ers of the Eastern Conference, with the 76ers holding home-court advantage. Their 4 regular season meetings had been...
Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
and 1986 NBA champion
1986 NBA Finals
The 1986 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1985-86 NBA season. It pitted the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics against the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets. The Celtics defeated the Rockets four games to two to win their 16th NBA championship. The championship would...
Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
) and Luke Walton
Luke Walton
Luke Theodore Walton is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His primary position is at small forward. After the 2010 NBA Finals, Walton and his father Hall of Famer Bill Walton became the first and only father and son to...
(with the 2009 NBA champion
2009 NBA Finals
The 2009 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association championship series for the 2008-09 season. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Los Angeles Lakers, champions of the Western Conference and defending Western Conference champions, and the Orlando Magic, champions of the...
and 2010 NBA champion
2010 NBA Finals
The 2010 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association championship series for the 2009–10 season. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Los Angeles Lakers, champions of the Western Conference and defending NBA champions, and the Boston Celtics, champions of the Eastern Conference...
Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
).
Coaching record
|-| align="left" |PHI
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
| align="left" |
|82||54||28||.659|| align="center" |2nd in Atlantic||12||6||6||.500
| align="center" |Lost in Conf. Semifinals
1986 NBA Playoffs
The 1986 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1985-86 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets, four games to two, in the NBA Finals. The Celtics won...
|-
| align="left" |PHI
| align="left" |
|82||45||37||.549|| align="center" |2nd in Atlantic||5||2||3||.400
| align="center" |Lost in First Round
1987 NBA Playoffs
The 1987 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1986-1987 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics four games to two in the Finals...
|-
| align="left" |PHI
| align="left" |
|43||20||23||.465|| align="center" |(fired)||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |—
|-
| align="left" |ORL
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
| align="left" |
|82||18||64||.220|| align="center" |7th in Central||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |ORL
| align="left" |
|82||31||51||.378|| align="center" |4th in Midwest||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |ORL
| align="left" |
|82||21||61||.256|| align="center" |7th in Atlantic||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |ORL
| align="left" |
|82||41||41||.500|| align="center" |4th in Atlantic||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-class="sortbottom"
| align="left" |Career
| ||535||230||305||.430|| ||17||8||9||.471