Westphal Is Fall Guy for Struggling Suns

Hailed for guiding the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals three years ago but labeled a loser when his team of walking wounded fell below .500, coach Paul Westphal was fired Tuesday.

Westphal, dismissed by Sun President Jerry Colangelo, was replaced by his predecessor, Cotton Fitzsimmons, who will be coaching his fifth NBA club and will be in charge of the Suns for the third time.

Fitzsimmons had groomed Westphal as an assistant for four years before turning over the reins on July 1, 1992, only to take the reins back Tuesday.

“Jerry took my sign off my desk,” Fitzsimmons said. “It said ‘Vice President of Nothing,’ and he very politely removed that sign.”

Fitzsimmons, 64, has an 805-745 record in 19 NBA seasons, but he inherits a team that has lost seven of its last 10 games and has dropped to 14-19, with little hope in sight.

Colangelo said that he had been concerned with the direction the Suns were taking for two seasons, since they were eliminated from the 1994 playoffs by the Houston Rockets after taking a 2-0 lead. But he also gave Westphal, 45, a two-year, $3-million contract extension last spring. Colangelo said he will still be paid.

A call to Westphal’s home was not immediately returned.

Player reaction was mixed after the first practice under Fitzsimmons. A.C. Green, who is preparing to be a minister, and Charles Barkley rarely agree on anything, but both spoke of their respect for Westphal.

“His life is successful with or without basketball,” Green said. “I’m sure this is just temporary for him.”

Added Barkley: “I think it’s sad any time anybody gets fired. If the world was full of people like Paul Westphal, the world would be a better place.”

Colangelo said he could wait no longer to make a move after the Suns’ fifth consecutive loss at home, an 89-74 defeat by Cleveland on Sunday night.

Phoenix, playing without injured stars Barkley, Danny Manning, John Williams and Kevin Johnson, shot 38%, matched the franchise one-game low of 28 field goals set in 1990 and scored the fewest points since the record low of 68 at Kansas City in March 1981.

Dan Majerle, the player traded to Cleveland for Williams during training camp, got a three-minute ovation from Phoenix fans before the game and scored 20 points.