What was Paul Silas’ record as a head coach? Looking at how NBA legend fared in a coaching position

Paul Silas was an NBA legend who played 16 seasons in the league, from 1964-1980.

After retiring, Silas had a coaching career spanning 31 years. During his tenure, he coached teams such as the Charlotte Bobcats, Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Pelicans, and San Diego Clippers.

So, how did Silas fare as an NBA coach?

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Looking back at Paul Silas' coaching tenure

From 1980-2011, Paul Silas recorded 387 wins and 488 losses in the regular season as a coach. He had a win-loss record of 13-16 in the playoffs. As per Stats Crew, Silas' most successful coaching season was in 2000-01 when he was with the Charlotte Hornets. The team had a 46-36 record and secured the sixth seed in the East.

Come playoff time, the Hornets had a dominant first round. Coach Silas and his team successfully swept the Miami Heat 3-0 before advancing to the second round. Unfortunately, Charlotte fell to the Milwaukee Bucks but not without putting up a fight, taking the series the distance.

After a solid playoff run in 2001, Silas would make two consecutive playoff appearances till 2003. He later moved to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he coached the team for a couple of seasons. After two years in Cleveland, Silas took a break before returning to Charlotte for his final two seasons as a coach in 2010-2011.

Technically, Silas was supposed to be coaching till 2012, but the NBA was locked out. Due to that, coach Silas and the Charlotte Bobcats ended up with the worst record in NBA history, going 7-59. He decided to call it quits and retired from coaching in the league.

Fast forward to the present day, Paul Silas is no more. It was announced on December 12 that the NBA legend died at the age of 79. According to The New York Times, Silas' daughter Paula reported that her father passed away due to cardiac arrest. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver gave a heartfelt statement on Silas' unfortunate demise.

"We mourn the passing of former NBA All-Star and head coach Paul Silas," Adam Silver stated. "Paul’s lasting contributions to the game are seen through the many players and coaches he inspired, including his son, Rockets head coach Stephen Silas. We send our deepest condolences to Paul’s family."