Nuggets Unveil Westhead as New Coach : Pro basketball: Denver ends the speculation by tapping the Loyola Marymount headman, who

The Denver Nuggets introduced Paul Westhead as their new head coach today, and Westhead wasted no time in promising to install a fast-paced offense and defense that will “knock your socks off.”

Westhead, who has been the coach at Loyola Marymount University for the last five seasons, succeeds Doug Moe, who was fired on Thursday after 10 years with the Nuggets.

Nuggets general manager Bernie Bickerstaff said Westhead’s “style will fit the players we will put on the floor well.”

Westhead’s Loyola teams set NCAA scoring records, and he was convinced that his up-tempo style would be just as effective in the NBA.

“We’ll be the fastest-paced team on offense and defense that you’ll see,” Westhead said. “You haven’t seen anything yet. If you wear a neck brace, you won’t be able to stay for all of our games. I’ll work diligently to have the best-conditioned team in all of professional sports. Starting out, win or lose, I can promise you our opponents will be very tired.”

Westhead, a former coach of the Lakers and the Chicago Bulls, said he was excited to be returning to the NBA.

“This organization is in a rebuilding mode and I like to build programs,” he said of the Nuggets. “That’s one of the reasons I took this job.”

Moe’s firing Thursday was announced amid tears and champagne at McNichols Arena, and reports about Westhead started as soon as the Moe news conference ended.

Westhead was head coach at La Salle College for nine years, beginning in 1970-71. He became an assistant coach with the Lakers in 1979-80 under Jack McKinney and ended up taking over when McKinney was injured in a bicycle accident early that season.

Westhead was officially named head coach after leading the Lakers to the NBA championship in June, 1980.

In 1980-81, the Lakers went 54-28 and won the Pacific Division championship but lost in the playoffs. Westhead was fired 11 games into the 1981-82 season, when they were 7-4, after a dispute with Magic Johnson.

Westhead served as head coach of the Chicago Bulls in 1982-83, and they went 28-54. He left after that year. He carries a 140-104 record in the pro ranks. Westhead, 51, went to Loyola Marymount in 1985-86 and this year got the Lions into the NCAA Final Eight.